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severe Owners of the 2012 Subaru Legacy have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Legacy | 21 |
| 2009 Legacy | 28 |
| 2010 Legacy | 25 |
| 2011 Legacy | 24 |
| 2012 Legacy (this page) | 11 |
| 2013 Legacy | 13 |
| 2014 Legacy | 12 |
| 2015 Legacy | 9 |
All 9 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain Subaru vehicles listed, equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger side frontal airbag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (certain specific vehicles only).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2012 Subaru Legacy airbag complaints break into distinct failure patterns. First, a cluster of Takata recall-related parts delays: owners received notices for campaigns 16V694000, 17V014000, 19V008000, and 19V009000, but dealers confirmed replacement airbags were not in stock. Subaru could not provide delivery dates. One owner reported four years of promised callbacks and disconnected chat sessions while trying to schedule the recall work.
Second, multiple collision events where airbags failed to deploy entirely. One driver hit at 45–50 mph in a side impact suffered a mild head injury when the driver-side bag did not open. Another received a head-on collision at 40 mph opposing directions with no deployment and severe injuries including closed head trauma. A third hit the car in front after a rear-end impact at highway speed—airbag silent again.
Third, an electrical open circuit in the airbag harness triggered the warning light while the vehicle was in motion; repair required replacing the main harness, body harness, and left front sub sensor.
These are unverified consumer complaints, not confirmed defects, but the pattern of unrepaired recalls and reported non-deployment in real accidents warrants inspection and testing before purchase.
Same Subaru Legacy airbags reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2013 · 2014
Multiple owners received recall notices (campaigns 16V694000, 17V014000, 19V008000, 19V009000) but dealers confirmed replacement parts were not in stock, causing extended delays in completing the recall remedy. Manufacturers were unable to confirm availability timelines, resulting in vehicles remaining unrepaired for extended periods despite safety-critical nature.
When: Recall notices issued 2016-2019; parts unavailable through at least November 2019
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but parts unavailable at dealer; Manufacturer unable to provide parts availability timeline; Extended delay in recall completion
Repairs/costs cited: Takata airbag module replacement required; parts sourcing issue prevented completion
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA campaigns 16V694000, 17V014000, 19V008000, 19V009000 issued; parts distribution delays acknowledged but not resolved
Owners reported multiple collision incidents where driver-side and front airbags failed to deploy despite moderate-to-high-speed impacts. Accidents included side-impact at 45-50 mph, head-on at 40 mph opposing directions, and rear-end collisions. Injuries ranged from mild to severe, including closed head trauma and permanent hand injuries.
When: Reported incidents 2014 and post-2014; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side airbag did not deploy in 45-50 mph side-impact collision; All airbags failed to deploy in head-on 40 mph collision with opposite traffic; Airbags did not deploy in rear-end collision at highway speeds; Front airbag non-deployment despite significant front-end damage
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed; vehicles involved in total-loss incidents or suffered owner injuries from impact
Owner reported illuminated airbag warning light traced to open circuit in airbag system wiring. Diagnosis required replacement of airbag main harness, body harness, and left front sub sensor to restore functionality.
When: Light activated while vehicle in motion; mileage/date not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated; Open circuit detected in airbag wiring
Repairs/costs cited: Required replacement: airbag main harness, body harness, left front sub sensor
Owner reported four-year effort to complete airbag recall with Subaru. Dealer staff persistently promised callbacks but failed to follow up. Chat support sessions repeatedly disconnected during recall scheduling attempts, leaving the critical safety recall unresolved.
When: Ongoing for 4 years prior to complaint filing
Symptoms owners cite: Promised callbacks never received; Support chat sessions mysteriously disconnected; Unable to schedule recall appointment despite repeated contact attempts
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall issued but service scheduling process failed to function
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 81,260 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags 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.
Yes — 9 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.