Subaru Impreza Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.
Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years
Own a Subaru Impreza? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
Subaru Impreza — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Verdict | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths | Top Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Best | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2025 | Excellent | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2024 | Good | 2 | 22 | 3 | — | — | Service Brakes | Full report → |
| 2023 | Excellent | — | 3 | — | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2022 | Excellent | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | Steering | Full report → |
| 2021 | Excellent | 2 | 13 | — | — | — | Forward Collision Avoidance | Full report → |
| 2020 | Good | 1 | 39 | 2 | — | — | Visibility/Wiper | Full report → |
| 2019 | Caution | 3 | 113 | 3 | 2 | — | Exterior Lighting | Full report → |
| 2018 | Caution | 2 | 85 | 6 | — | 1 | Exterior Lighting | Full report → |
| 2017 | Caution | 3 | 68 | 4 | 6 | — | Exterior Lighting | Full report → |
| 2016 | Good | 1 | 51 | 9 | 1 | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2015 | Good | 1 | 48 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2014 | Caution | 2 | 84 | 8 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2013 | Avoid | 3 | 159 | 12 | 6 | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2012Worst | Avoid | 4 | 174 | 11 | 8 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2011 | Good | 9 | 27 | 1 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2010 | Good | 9 | 30 | — | — | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2009 | Caution | 11 | 92 | 3 | 1 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2008 | Avoid | 10 | 147 | 8 | 5 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2007 | Caution | 6 | 52 | 6 | 6 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2006 | Good | 7 | 35 | 4 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2005 | Good | 5 | 45 | 6 | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2004 | Caution | 7 | 68 | 8 | 5 | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Full report → |
| 2003 | Good | 4 | 27 | 3 | 6 | — | Fuel System / Gasoline | Full report → |
| 2002 | Avoid | 4 | 149 | 6 | 6 | — | Service Brakes / Hydraulic | Full report → |
25 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.
Most Common Subaru Impreza Problems
Based on 1,544 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.
Recent Safety Recalls — Subaru Impreza (2022–2026)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Impreza and Outback vehicles. The incorrect paint clearcoat may have been applied, which can cause the windshield to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Remedy: Subaru will offer owners a vehicle exchange or repurchase, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 21, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-22.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Impreza vehicles. The brake light switch may be improperly adjusted and illuminate the brake lights without application of the brake pedal. The vehicle may also allow drivers to start and shift the transmission out of the PARK position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 102, "Trans Shift Lever Seq/Starter Interlock/Trans Braking Effect."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the gap between the brake light switch and stopper, adjusting the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 23, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRI-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Remedy: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may develop cracks and break.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRP-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek and Impreza vehicles. Due to insufficient clearance, the instrument panel harness may contact the steering beam bracket, damaging the wire insulation and causing a short circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the harness and install an additional clamp on the steering beam bracket. If damage is found, dealers will add protective tape or replace the instrument panel harness, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 3, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-23.
Showing 5 recalls from 2022–2026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.
Recent Owner Complaints
Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Subaru Impreza owners — 2022–2026 model years.
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while their son was driving approximately 45 MPH, a loud pop sound came from the right side of the engine department, and then the steering wheel seized. The driver attempted to apply the brakes; however, the brakes failed. The vehicle ended up crashing into a nearby pole post. The air bags deployed. The driver received a hematoma on their left arm from embracing for impact of the embrace. When the ambulance arrived, they tended to the injury, but the contact was not taken to receive further medical attention. The police department was contacted, and a police report was made. The vehicle was towed, but had not been deemed totaled as of yet. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,250.
My base level 2024 Subaru Impreza , while driving, has a vibration and shake in the drivers side rearview mirror at speeds over 25 mph, making it difficult to see clearly behind my vehicle. Vibration was present as a new vehicle and have reported issue to service advisor at Sport Subaru of Orlando Florida as a new vehicle owner.
The fuel tank is leaking at molded seam making the vehicle undriveable and a fire safety hazard. Contacting dealer Monday morning.
My entire dash went out. Nothing worked. This car has only 3500 miles on it. I got danger signs and it said to stop driving the car. Danger. I also got messages in my e-mail I think from Starlink to stop driving the car and bring it in to service. It was dangerous. Service had it for two weeks. They didn't know what to do. They asked if I did something with wires. I'm a [XXX] woman and4'10". What a question. Then some guy at Subaru said "they'll probably have to put a whole new dash in. Days later I called again.Another guy said they had to call all over America to try and find the part. No one to my knowledge has inspected this. I am working with Subaru Customer Care. I don't want this car. I do not feel safe in it.For something so new these emergency problems should not be happening. I want a cash back or give me another car.They had it for two weeks and gave me no explanation what happened. It is not a safe car. I hope Customer Care will help me. Someone has to. I don't want this car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle's rear brake lines (both left rear and right rear) had ballooning present. The issue was initially identified by an independent mechanic during brake pad and rotor replacement on all four wheels. The ballooning was subsequently confirmed during an inspection by a Subaru dealership technician. This issue posed a safety risk, as the compromised brake lines could rupture under braking pressure, potentially resulting in reduced or complete loss of braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash. To safely operate the vehicle, replacement of the rear brake lines was required. Per the dealership’s recommendation, the front brake lines were also replaced, as they advised that if the brake lines were from the same batch, there was a high likelihood of similar ballooning occurring in the front brake lines. No warning lamps illuminated.
225 40 r18 all four of my tires have a crack thats on the side wall that goes around the whole tire took it to my dealership and they said that it was defective and that i couldn't drive my vehicle like that
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at nighttime, the headlights failed to provide adequate illumination of the roadway ahead, reducing the driver's ability to see the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the headlights were raised; however, the contact stated that the failure worsened while driving in foggy or rainy weather, requiring the driver to follow another vehicle to drive safely. The traction control warning light was illuminated, and the message that the Eyesight Driver Assist system was disabled was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was sold brand new without a spare tire. The contact attempted to purchase a spare tire, but the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 75.
I own a 2024 Subaru Impreza (base trim, FB24 engine). The engine has developed repeated oil leaks into the spark plug wells due to failed spark plug tube seals / valve cover sealing on the same engine. The first occurrence was around 24,000 miles. The dealer found engine oil in the spark plug tubes, diagnosed leaking spark plug tube seals (and/or valve cover gasket), and performed repairs under warranty. At that time, the car was relatively new and maintained on schedule. The second occurrence happened again around 30,000 miles. The dealer again found oil in the spark plug tubes, indicating repeat failure of the same type of seals on this low‑mileage engine. This has already happened twice within approximately 6,000 miles on a 2024 vehicle. Oil in the spark plug tubes can cause misfires, rough running, and potential damage to ignition coils and the catalytic converter. It also raises concerns about stalling or loss of power if the misfires worsen while driving. I am concerned that this may be a systemic defect in the FB‑series engines used in late‑model Subaru vehicles, not normal wear. I am requesting that NHTSA track this issue as a potential safety‑related defect involving engine sealing components (spark plug tube seals / valve cover gaskets) that allow engine oil to leak into the spark plug wells on 2024 Subaru Impreza models at low mileage.
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Impreza equipped with Sailun Tires, Tire Line: Black Hawk Street UHP, Tire Size: 225/40R18, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact had purchased the tires from Amazon. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a bubble on the outside of the rear passenger's side tire in December 2025. The vehicle was taken to Mavis Tire, and the tire was replaced. In addition, the contact recently noticed a bubble on the outside of the front driver's side tire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a complaint was filed; however, the complaint was denied. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 48,541, and the tire failure mileage was 7,500.
Part 1 Today is January, 28, 2026 How it all started. My appointment was Tuesday, June 10th, 2025 at 10:15 am. During my last oil change, I was informed by Chris that an alignment would be needed to correct the rear passenger wheel showing -2.4 camber. I asked Chris could I go ahead and schedule the service repair now. Chris replied, you will have to schedule the appointment after you leave. Isn’t it strange that I’m already at the dealership and being told a repair is needed, but I can’t schedule the appointment while I’m there, I have to leave to schedule an appointment. So I brought the vehicle back in for the service at a later date, and the wheel in question was not even corrected. When I mentioned this to the lady handling the paperwork, she went and asked someone about it. She came back and pointed to a front wheel that was never in question or out of tolerance and said see they did fix something. My other concern is the fact that when I got a text at 11:23 am like my vehicle was finished, and I saw it in the finished area, I sat a little longer before I went to see if it was ready. When I asked the young lady that checked me in about my car being ready, she said, I was getting your paperwork ready, you just kinda came over here. Well I got a text saying thank you, and my car was parked in the finished area. Then she asks me to sign paperwork that had my name on it, but had a completely different service done, and it was for a Subaru Accent, my car is an Impreza. When I asked about that, she said don’t worry I’m going to reprint everything out, but she was still trying to get me to sign incorrect paperwork. She never reprinted the paperwork, and she just came back and said I just need a signature to release your vehicle back to you. So you want me to sign paperwork that releases a vehicle back to me that doesn’t even have my vehicle on it. The vehicle is out of camber tolerance, which requires an alignment and maybe parts.
SUBARU STRUT ISSUE PART 2 Today is January, 28, 2026 To Whom this may concern, and all parties involved at Peltier Subaru, location 3200 S Southwest Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701 I regret to inform you that you failed to address my many concerns regarding my vehicle. This caused me to be out of pocket on multiple occasions, with regards to my safety, and my family’s safety when in the vehicle with me. I even drove up there regarding a premature worn tire, to show you the tire and a receipt. I asked about being reimbursed for the tire, and was told I would be reimbursed as soon as finance or human resources was in you guys would take care of it. You haven’t taken care of it, and for that, you now owe more than just one tire. Also, because you never fixed the initial problem, and we agreed that if you fixed the problem I would rescind my negative review. So now my initial review will stand for good, along with all this new information. On Saturday November 22nd, 2025 I had a flat on the way home, but was not far from my house. I was able to use my portable air compressor to put air in the tire, but had to repeat this process about 5 times before making it home because the air was escaping so fast. It also rained that weekend so I didn’t even take the tire until that Tuesday the 25th of November 2025. After taking the tire off and inspecting everything, the evidence was clear that this was caused by the car being out of tolerance and being overlooked by the service department on multiple occasions, even after bringing it to their attention with their own documentation of it. The tire shop in Tatum did not have the tire size I needed, so I drove to henderson and got one for $100 from M AND R ECONOMY TIRES LLC, located at 1000 US HIGHWAY 79 N, HENDERSON, TX 75652, PHONE: [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Part 3 SUBARU STRUT ISSUE I called the service department at Peltier Subaru and told them what happened and that I should be reimbursed for the tire. I was told that I needed to bring the tire in so that it could be inspected, along with the car to make there wasn’t something else going on. I talked with the service manager and he talked with his manager, who okayed a reimbursement verbally to me which was witnessed by the service manager. They said a check would be mailed from the finance department, which never happened. Supposedly they inspected the vehicle while I was in the lobby, and they found nothing, nothing at all. Basically this was another waste of time and money on my part. I live an hour away, they don’t give you a gas card, or even wash your car, just you have a good day sir, that they really don’t mean. Next I’m due for an oil change, which I scheduled over the phone and I mentioned noise coming from the same area that was fixed, or they never found anything wrong with. I took everything out of my car to pinpoint the noise and make sure it wasn’t a tool or something else moving around in the car. On Friday, December 12th, 2025 I go in for the oil change and for diagnosis of the noise coming from the same area that they strut was already replaced. Turns out it’s the strut again, and they have to order the part, and I’m told my car is fine to drive home till the part comes in and that I don’t need a loner. Now I have to come back on Thursday, December 18th, 2025 to get the strut replaced again.
48 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 2022–2026. For older model years, see individual year pages.
Impreza Years to Avoid
Best Impreza Years to Buy
Subaru Impreza Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — Subaru Impreza Reliability
What year Impreza has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Subaru Impreza had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 174 complaints and 4 safety recalls. See the full 2012 report for specific defects.
Is the Subaru Impreza reliable?
The Subaru Impreza has accumulated 1,544 owner-filed complaints and 97 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. There have been 1 reported deaths associated with complaints. The 2026 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Impreza.
What are the most common Impreza problems?
The most frequently cited problem areas are: Air Bags (229 reports), Power Train (142 reports), Engine (134 reports), Electrical System (116 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.
How do I check if my Impreza has an open recall?
Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Check a Specific Subaru Impreza VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
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