This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Subaru Legacy powertrain problems
moderate 32 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
32
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 32 powertrain complaints filed for the 2012 Subaru Legacy, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 36% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 8 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 32 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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.
This bulletin has been developed in response to a small number of customer concerns regarding fluid seepage found coming from the CVT assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces the availability of a countermeasure torque converter assembly to address a customer concern of very low engine RPM when coming to a stop.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Service Information Bulletin provides an updated diagnostic flow along with an IMPORTANT caution to follow for certain CVT solenoid related DTCs as listed.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin has been developed in response to a small number of customer concerns regarding fluid seepage found coming from the CVT assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2012 Subaru Legacy CVT models describe consistent, repeatable engine stalling when coming to an abrupt or hard stop—at red lights, stop signs, during emergency braking, and in stop-and-go traffic. The engine shuts off without warning, and power steering and braking assist disappear, creating serious collision risk. Most report no warning lights beforehand.
The stalling typically starts between 59,000 and 148,000 miles. Transmission shuddering or vibration commonly precedes or accompanies the stall. One owner's independent mechanic ruled out spark plugs, ignition coils, and fuel filters before identifying the torque converter as the culprit.
Subaru's Technical Service Bulletin 16-90-13R attributes the condition to excessive thrust washer wear inside the torque converter, preventing the lock-up clutch from releasing properly—similar to stalling a manual transmission without depressing the clutch. Subaru redesigned the torque converter starting October 2013, signaling prior knowledge of the defect.
Subaru extended the warranty to 100,000 miles for affected vehicles, but owners report learning of this deadline only after expiration or being denied coverage because mileage exceeded the limit by just a few thousand miles. One owner paid approximately $1,500 for torque converter replacement outside warranty; another was quoted over $4,000. Subaru declined responsibility for out-of-warranty vehicles and has not issued a recall despite widespread complaints.
Same Subaru Legacy powertrain reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2013 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stalling on abrupt or sudden stops
Engine shuts off without warning when vehicle comes to a quick or hard stop, such as at traffic lights, stop signs, or during emergency braking. Loss of power steering and braking assist follows, creating collision risk.
When: Typically between 59,000–148,000 miles; owners report it can happen any time during the vehicle's life, sometimes from very early ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning during braking; Loss of power steering and braking assist; No warning lights in most cases; Occurs during abrupt, hard, or sudden stops; Vehicle shudders or vibrates before stalling; Can happen multiple times in short periods
Codes mentioned: Multiple unknown warning indicators reported by some owners, AWD, Check Engine, Traction, Battery, Oil, Oil Temp lights illuminated in some cases
Repairs/costs cited: Torque converter and valve body replacement cited by owners; costs range from approximately $1,500 to $4,000 or more. Some owners report parts and labor for torque converter alone at ~$1,500.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru Technical Service Bulletin 16-90-13R (2010–2012 Legacy and Outback CVT vehicles). Subaru attributes condition to excessive thrust washer wear in torque converter preventing proper lock-up clutch release. Subaru extended warranty to 100,000 miles for some owners, though many report not being notified and discovering this only after warranty expiration. Subaru redesigned torque converter beginning October 2013. Subaru declined responsibility for out-of-warranty vehicles; offered $100 goodwill coupon in at least one case. No full recall issued.
Transmission shuddering and vibration
Transmission vibrates or shakes, particularly between gears during acceleration or when coming to a stop. Vibration often precedes or accompanies stalling.
When: Between 59,000–121,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: Shuddering or shaking transmission, especially between gears; Shimmy when driving and shifting gears; Abnormal vibration at slow speeds; Engine lope reported by some owners; Vibration intensifies or occurs with increasing frequency over time
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: One owner cited propeller shaft and rear differential as initial misdiagnosis. Transmission replacement recommended by one dealer. Repairs not completed in all cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service bulletins available online describing the problem. Subaru dealerships have diagnosed the issue but some offered only to monitor or told owners to drive until warning light appears. In one case, owner reported vehicle was ineligible for TSB repair due to mileage.
Loss of power and hesitation under acceleration
Vehicle loses power momentarily when accelerating or fails to move forward after stalling, requiring restart. RPMs drop unexpectedly.
When: Reported at 61,000 miles and beyond
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power or hesitation when depressing accelerator; RPMs drop from 1,000 to 500 when coming to a stop; Engine knock as it tries to stall; Sensation of vehicle being hit from behind while stopped in drive with brakes applied; Vehicle fails to move forward after brake application
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: One owner's mechanic (independent) replaced spark plugs, ignition coils, and fuel filter without resolving the issue. Diagnosis pointed to torque converter.
Transmission failure requiring replacement
Transmission or torque converter fails and requires complete replacement. One owner reported shuddering resumed shortly after torque converter replacement.
When: Beginning around 100,000–140,000 miles in most reported cases; one case at 2,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls and shudders; Steering difficulty; Multiple sensor lights illuminate; Whining sound from engine (one case at 2,000 miles)
Codes mentioned: Check Engine light and multiple other warning lights in some cases
Repairs/costs cited: Torque converter replacement performed by dealers in documented cases. One owner reported shuddering resumed at 45 MPH within 30 miles of replacement, requiring return to dealer. TSB 16-90-13R caps free repair at 100,000 miles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 16-90-13R specifies repair procedure but limits eligibility by mileage. Subaru has not issued a recall. Extended warranty offered to some owners up to 100,000 miles, but many report discovering this deadline after it expired.
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
My Subaru legacy has been recently stalling when coming to a stop. It shudders and if you do not give it gas or place in neutral, the engine will die. I have read that this is caused from a faulty torque converter that Subaru is aware of but has failed to issue a recall. I'm not sure I would buy another product that isn't fully backed and supported by the manufacturer.
When coming to a stop, the car shudders and may stall. This is especially problematic if I'm turning left and the car stalls at an intersection. This has occurred on a busy city street in the northern virginia area. This has happened on multiple occasions.
My 2012 Subaru Legacy experiences involuntary engine stalling when coming to a quick stop, such as in stop-and-go traffic or during sudden braking at intersections. When the engine shuts off without warning, power steering and braking assist are lost, creating a serious risk of collision. This is a known issue documented by Subaru of America in Technical Service Bulletin 16-90-13R, applicable to…
Squeel and jerkking. See service bulletin and extended warranties. Tsb 16-90-13r; car is outside extended warranty but this is a vehicle defect that should covered and recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Subaru legacy. While driving at slow speeds, the vehicle vibrated abnormally and stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the torque converter failed and needed to be replaced. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the…
Takara recall my transmission slips from 5th to 6th gear I have spoken with manufacturer about but because my car is past their extended warranty that did for the issue and did not inform me I found out after the deadline for it Subaru just informed me that if I want it done I have to $5000 dollars to get it replaced because I should have known about the deadline beforehand but could not…
Please see ODI#11486236 & request # 562681 “ part 1” I wrote complaining about a 2012 Subaru Legacy Torque Converter issue. It was “ out of warranty 7/31/22 or 100k miles. At the time it started stalling it was at 103k miles in August 2022! I did not feel comfortable driving it. On 10/19/22 My mechanic drove my car & it shuddered & stalled at intersections for him also. I did not feel…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Subaru legacy. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle suddenly shut off. After restarting the engine, the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to Subaru of smith-cairns (900 central park ave, yonkers, ny) where it was diagnosed that the torque converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Subaru legacy. When approaching a traffic light and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. Multiple unknown warning indicators illuminated. When the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact shifted into park and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to her destination. The contact…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2012 Subaru Legacy?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2012 Subaru Legacy?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 32 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 24 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 100,100 and 145,000 miles, with the median around 115,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 100,100; a quarter make it past 145,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Subaru/Legacy.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.