MY 2010 SUBARU LEGACY 3.6R HAS A VERY NOTICEABLE DELAY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE AFTER A ROLLING STOP. THIS IS VERY COMMON IN EVERYDAY TRAFFIC, HEADING TOWARDS A RED LIGHT THAT TURNS GREEN, AS WELL AS WITH SPEED BUMPS. THERE IS ALMOST A FULL 2 SECOND DELAY AND THE CAR THEN THRUSTS ITSELF WHEN THE ACCELERATOR ACTUALLY RESPONDS. *TR
2010 Subaru Legacy powertrain problems
severe 45 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
45
Recalls
0
Crashes
2
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
MY CAR STALLS WHEN I COME TO A STOP. IT IS AN AUTOMATIC CVT CAR. HE HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN I STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE. *TR
VEHICLE WILL SHUDDER AND STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP MOST OFTEN IN THE UPHILL POSITION, IT WILL ALSO STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP AFTER BRAKING HARD. THIS PROBLEM IS AVOIDED IF YOU PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL BUT THAT IS THE ONLY WAY. ENGINE IDLE WILL DROP DRASTICALLY AND THE VEHICLE HAS A HARD TIME REENGAGING INTO DRIVE AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I ASSUME IT IS THE CVT TRANSMISSION OR THE TORQU…
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, IT FREQUENTLY JOLTS, MAKES A SCREECHING NOISE AND IT IS SCARY BECAUSE IT ALSO FEELS AS THOUGH IT MAY SIMPLY TURN OFF. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND I WAS INFORMED THAT SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY TAKE CARE OF REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION ($7,000). HOWEVER, SUBARU HAS CONTACTED ME WITH THE OFFER TO PAY ONLY …
ISSUE: WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN DURING FINAL BRAKING (SUCH AS AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ALSO WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID A DANGEROUS SITUATION AT SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR WILL "SHUDDER" AND THEN THE ENGINE WILL STALL AND STOP RUNNING. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC IF IT IS NECESSARY TO GET OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO BREWSTER, NY SUBARU (845 278 8300) AN…
ON NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 8, 2018 VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. VEHICLE TOWED TO SUBARU SERVICE CENTER WHO ADVISED "NO OIL SHOWN ON DIPSTICK, DRAINED OIL FOUND ONLY ABOUT 1/2 QUART IN ENGINE, OIL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH CHUNKS OF METAL, ADDED OIL AND STARTED ENGINE, VERIFIED ENGINE HAD A BROKEN CONNECTING R…
Torque Converter failure - car stalls/shuts off when braking hard. This is a huge safety hazard. Car has 114,852 miles on it and was just recently purchased from a private owner. There should have been a recall for these vehicles from Subaru.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2010 Subaru Legacy?
It's a meaningful issue. 45 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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