JF1ZCAC14H86007882017 SUBARU BRZHigh
2017 SUBARU BRZ was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. 7 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA — review the complaint section for the most common failure patterns.
Executive Summary
2017 SUBARU BRZ
2017 SUBARU BRZ was analyzed across NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, crash test data, and public auction records. 7 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA — review the complaint section for the most common failure patterns.
- Common owner-reported issues: check engine light
7 owner complaints filed — top areas: Other (43%), Safety Systems (29%), Electrical (14%). Common issues: check engine light. 1 crash reported.
Title Brand Check
Mined from auction damage fields and listing titles — not a DMV title history pull
No auction records available. Title brand status could not be verified — request title history from seller or state DMV.
Vehicle Specifications
Decoded from NHTSA vPIC database
- Make
- SUBARU
- Model
- BRZ
- Year
- 2017
- Trim / Series
- High
- Body Style
- Coupe
- Vehicle Type
- PASSENGER CAR
- Fuel Type
- Gasoline
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2L 200 hp
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Doors
- 2
- Manufacturer
- SUBARU CORPORATION
- Assembly
- OTA, GUNMA, JAPAN
- GVWR
- Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
- Base MSRP
- $25,495
Assembly Plant Quality
Plant: OTA, GUNMA
No specific quality data available for this plant. No documented recall or complaint concentrations on record.
Safety Intelligence
Composite analysis from NHTSA recall, complaint, and crash data
✓ No high-risk recall components found
- ▸1 complaint(s) involved a fire
Driver Assistance Features
ADAS equipment data from NHTSA vPIC database
NHTSA Safety Recalls
CLEARComplaint Intelligence
7 complaints analyzed across 4 system categories
Unknown Or Other leads owner complaints (43%), most reported when the vehicle was 4–6 yrs old. Also common: Air Bags (29%), Electrical System (14%).
Based on 7 complaints with a reported incident date. Too few owners cited mileage (2) to report a reliable failure-mileage range.
Owner Complaints
HIGH VOLUME7 safety complaints filed with NHTSA
The stock head unit (Model #: CA645UL) in my vehicle has been having Bluetooth issues. Every since I purchased the vehicle in 2016, from time to time, the audio from my Bluetooth would cut out and then come back on. It was only once in a blue moon ever since I bought the car, so I never paid much attention to it. However, recently it's been cutting out more frequently than usual. When I took my vehicle in for the 60,000 mile service on 12/12/24, I decided to mention this audio problem to see if the service center could address it while they are working on it. The technician attempted to update the software for the audio unit. After attempting the software update a few times, the technician found the old software was corrupted, causing the system to completely fail. This points to an internal fault in the audio unit. This issue affects my safety in two ways: 1) I can no longer make phone calls via Bluetooth. This poses a safety concern as I would need to take my eyes off the road to make or answer a phone call, which may result in a crash. 2) My backup camera is no longer functional due to the head unit because compromised. This poses a safety concern as I can no longer see as well when backing up or parallel parking. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. I have attached a photo of the invoice from the dealership.
-Manual Transmission issues with grinding or failure to go into gear. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. -Merging into highway traffic can be dangerous when I'm more focused on my transmission grinding loudly and having difficulty shifting gears to get up to speed. -Unknown -Unknown -No warning lights of any kind
This week when I started my car, a yellow caution light appeared on my dash and a “check SRS warning light” appeared next to it. It would turn on and off, so i am unsure of what the problem is. I brought my car in for an inspection on January 28th, and they didn’t detect any issue regarding airbags or anything related to it. One thing i noticed is whenever the passenger seat is pulled forward or backward, it then turns on.
2017 SUBARU BRZ LIMITED WITH PERFORMANCE PACKAGE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT ON 4-5-21. SUBJECT VEHICLE HAD STOPPED AND WAS SLOWLY ENTERING TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION OF A DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH A 50 MPH SPEED LIMIT WHILE BEING STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING CAR AT AN APPROXIMATE 90 DEGREE ANGLE WHICH IMPACTED THE LEFT FRONT FENDER NEAR THE HEADLIGHT AND BUMPER AREA.. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT ENGINE PORTION BURST INTO FLAMES. THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS NOT IMPACTED AND DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE AS FLAMES IMMEDIATELY ENGULFED THE PASSENGER SECTION. WHAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE RESULTED IN A REPAIRABLE LEFT FRONTAL DAMAGE CLAIM ACTUALLY BECAME A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE FIRE DESTRUCTION. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP ON 10-9-17 AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 3,300 MILES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO JIM KARAS SUBARU IN MEMPHIS, TN FOR REPAIRS. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR REPAIRS. ACCORDING TO MECHANIC'S INSPECTION AND REPAIR REPORT 521894S DATED 4-20-18, 'FOR P219A AND P119F PULLED VALVE COVERS AND INSPECTION VALVE CLEARANCE AND FOUND THAT ALL INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE ARE OUT OF SPEC AND TO TIGHT. REPLACED VALVES, ALL VALVE SHIMS TO BRING ALL INTAKE AND EXHAUST CLEARANCES INTO DESIGN SPEC. REPLACED ALL GASKETS AND ORINGS AS WELL AS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE'. IT IS NOTED THAT SUBARU MAY HAVE HAD FIRE HAZARD ISSUES WITH OTHER REPAIRED SUBARU BRZ MODEL YEARS WITH THE FA 20 D BOXER ENGINE MANUFACTURED FOR YEARS BEGINNING IN 2013. MANUFACTURER MADE NO ADAS AVAILABLE ON THIS CAR.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR STALLED THREE TIMES; THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN TURNED OFF. WHITE, SWEET SMELLING SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED OVER SAFELY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CAR, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE VALVE SPRING COVER CAME OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER) ENGINE HEAD. SEE ATTACHMENT FOR A LIST OF ALL PARTS AFFECTED.
THE PASSAGER AIR BAG TURNED OFF WITH ME IN THE SEAT
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ,TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON, LIGHT PLATES OFF. ACCELERATOR STUCK WHILE DRIVING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. CAR HAD WATER DAMAGE FEW DAYS AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA. INSURANCE COMPANY (GEICO) IN THE REPAIR PROCESS DECLARED ONCE TOTAL LOST THEN CHANGE ITS MIND. I HAD BEEN OFF AND ON THE SHOP SINCE THAT DATE. STUCK WITH THIS LEASED CAR
Complaint & Reliability Timeline
Annual complaints (blue) vs. composite reliability score (amber) — recall years marked in red
The blue line shows 7 NHTSA complaints on file for the SUBARU BRZ — a relatively low volume that spans from 2018 to 2024.
The amber reliability line averaged 98/100 across the vehicle's life — relatively stable, with the lowest point of 91/100 in 2021.
Red dots on the amber line flag 2021, a year when complaints included crash events — these are the highest-severity incidents in the dataset.
Legal & Regulatory Actions
Known class action lawsuits, settlements, and manufacturer extended warranty programs
5-Year Ownership Cost Estimate
Based on EPA fuel data, standard depreciation, and US average insurance/maintenance costs
Estimates use EPA fuel economy data, AAA 2024 national averages for insurance and maintenance, and a standard depreciation curve. Actual costs vary by location, driving habits, and vehicle condition.
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Estimated based on EPA fuel data, risk-adjusted maintenance, and depreciation
Estimated 5-year cost of ownership: $32,636 (~$544/mo). Repair risk buffer is standard due to vehicle risk profile.
Estimated Market Value
Depreciation-based estimate from original MSRP
Based on original MSRP of $25,495 with sports depreciation curve. Range reflects ±15% market variance. Actual value depends on condition, options, and local demand.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Tailored for the 2017 SUBARU BRZ — specific failure modes your mechanic must check, not a generic list
Recall Probability Forecast
Estimated likelihood of a new recall in the next 18 months based on NHTSA signals
5% baseline recall probability — no strong indicators of an imminent recall.
Maintenance Schedule
OEM-specified service intervals for this vehicle
Maintenance intervals vary significantly by make, model, year, engine, and driving conditions. Always follow the manufacturer's official schedule — not generic industry estimates.
Tip: Request the seller's service records and compare against the manufacturer schedule. Missing intervals are a negotiation point.
Insurance Cost Estimate
Estimated annual premiums based on vehicle profile, theft data, and NHTSA safety ratings
Based on 2024 national avg ($2,011/yr full coverage). Individual rates vary by driver, location & insurer. Always compare 3+ quotes.
State-Specific Legal Protections
What consumer laws apply to this vehicle purchase in your state
Select your state to see what consumer protection laws, lemon law coverage, and title disclosure requirements apply to this vehicle purchase.
Complete Data Table
All decoded fields in a single flattened view
Vehicle Identity
| VIN | JF1ZCAC14H8600788 |
| Model Year | 2017 |
| Make | SUBARU |
| Model | BRZ |
| Trim | High |
| Vehicle Type | PASSENGER CAR |
Body & Configuration
| Body Style | Coupe |
| Doors | 2 |
| Seat Rows | 4 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline |
| Transmission | Automatic |
Engine
| Engine Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement (L) | 2 |
| Horsepower | 200 |
Manufacturer
| Manufacturer | SUBARU CORPORATION |
| Assembly City | OTA |
| Assembly Country | JAPAN |
VIN Structure
| WMI (Chars 1–3) | JF1 |
| Check Digit (Char 9) | 4 |
| Model Year Code (Char 10) | H |
| Plant Code (Char 11) | 8 |
| Sequence (Chars 12–17) | 600788 |
Safety Data
| NHTSA Recall Count | 0 |
| NHTSA Complaint Count | 7 |
VIN Structure Decode
ISO 3779 character-by-character breakdown of this Vehicle Identification Number
Disclaimer: Data sourced from NHTSA public APIs and scraped auction listings. For informational purposes only. Not a substitute for a paid vehicle history report. Retrieved: 10/2/2026, 8:01:02 PM.