Subaru Impreza 2002–2007
2nd generation (GD/GG)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026763 complaints, 540 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 25,000 and 112,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 9 complaints (1.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 6,000
- 25%
- 25,000
- Median
- 63,455
- 75%
- 112,000
- 90%
- 148,100
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 73 | 13.5% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 46 | 8.5% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 33 | 6.1% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 32 | 5.9% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 35 | 6.5% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 27 | 5.0% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 44 | 8.1% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 30 | 5.6% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 22 | 4.1% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 33 | 6.1% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 25 | 4.6% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 23 | 4.3% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 19 | 3.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 16 | 3.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 29 | 5.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 11 | 2.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 13 | 2.4% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 5 | 0.9% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 5 | 0.9% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 10 | 1.9% |
| 200,000+ | 9 | 1.7% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 763 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2007 Subaru Impreza, and 540 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 25,000 and 112,000 miles. The median is 63,455 miles.
The most-reported areas are the fuel system (16.5% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles), the suspension (12.3% of complaints, typically around 112,000 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (10.7% of complaints, typically around 13,000 miles).
11 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Fuel system60,000median 60,000 miles, middle half 36,000 to 80,000
- Suspension112,000median 112,500 miles, middle half 56,000 to 156,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit13,000median 12,692 miles, middle half 8,000 to 30,000
- Airbag system60,000median 60,000 miles, middle half 17,000 to 140,000
- Transmission and driveline16,000median 16,500 miles, middle half 5,000 to 65,000
- Fuel and propulsion system104,000median 104,000 miles, middle half 79,000 to 141,000
- Engine and its cooling system55,000median 55,350 miles, middle half 37,000 to 82,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 126 | 16.5% | 60,000 | 36,000–80,000 |
| Suspension | 94 | 12.3% | 112,000 | 56,000–156,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 82 | 10.7% | 13,000 | 8,000–30,000 |
| Airbag system | 78 | 10.2% | 60,000 | 17,000–140,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 58 | 7.6% | 16,000 | 5,000–65,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 58 | 7.6% | 104,000 | 79,000–141,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 45 | 5.9% | 55,000 | 37,000–82,000 |
| Body structure | 37 | 4.8% | 118,000 | 51,000–146,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 29 | 3.8% | 12,000 | 4,000–45,000 |
| Engine | 22 | 2.9% | 90,000 | 67,000–120,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 63,455 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The fuel system accounts for 16.5% of complaints (126 reports, 103 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 36,500 and 80,400 miles.
The suspension accounts for 12.3% of complaints (94 reports, 80 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 112,500 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 56,307 and 156,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 10.7% of complaints (82 reports, 38 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,692 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,800 and 30,160 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 10.2% of complaints (78 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,585 and 140,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.6% of complaints (58 reports, 47 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 16,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,247 and 65,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 7.6% of complaints (58 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 104,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 79,000 and 141,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2002 model year drew the most — 339 complaints — while 2003 drew the fewest at 64. The median year sits at 89.
That makes 2002 an outlier: roughly 3.8 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 11 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (10), the suspension (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 763 complaints filed against this generation, 57 reported a crash; 11 reported a fire; 48 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 7.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 25,000 and 112,000 miles, with a median of 63,455. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the fuel system and the suspension are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The fuel system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 60,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Head Gaskets (ej25 Sohc) 2002–2006
External head gasket oil/coolant seepage continues on the naturally aspirated 2.5L; Subaru's interim fix was a cooling-system conditioner, with gasket replacement as the durable repair.
Turbocharger Oil Supply (wrx/Sti) 2002–2007 (turbo models)
The banjo-bolt oil feed filter to the turbo clogs with oil coking and debris, starving the turbo bearing and causing turbo failure that can send debris downstream into the engine.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 339 | 227 |
| 2003 | 64 | 54 |
| 2004 | 113 | 85 |
| 2005 | 95 | 81 |
| 2006 | 68 | 43 |
| 2007 | 84 | 50 |
Recalls (11)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 23V076000 | 2023-03-15 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 20V003000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 20V002000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 20V001000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V016000 | 2017-03-08 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V026000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V014000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V359000 | 2016-08-24 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V358000 | 2016-07-22 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 15V323000 | 2015-06-17 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 11V464000 | 2011-12-31 | Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm |
What owners reported
With my alloy wheels on two of my Subaru cars, the snow gets lodged in the break pads\rotors and it takes pumping the breaks to force the snow out before the breaks will engage. Subaru denies it is a problem. This happens every winter on both cars, but i have learned to be extra cautious coming to a stop in already…
2002 · 15 miles · Wheels
Headlight lenses are fogging up on the outside lmiting the amount of light radiated at night. I have checked numerous other similar model cars and they all have the same problem in some degree. Subaru refuses to take action under the warranty and maintains that the problem is "normal wear and tear in the environment".…
2002 · 1,500 miles · Exterior lighting
Vehicle has problems shifting gears when driving.*Mr while driving the vehicle would not go into gear . As a result the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. The vehicle was new with only a few thousand miles. The vehicles transmission has been replaced once under warranty but now that the…
2002 · 2,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
My car's ABS engages when going over bumpy/uneven surfaces resulting in nearly complete braking loss. The pedal goes almost all the way to the floor and doesn't want to stop at all. This can be very scary, especially if you aren't aware that the road is uneven. I've had to get used to this happening and adjust my…
2002 · 5,000 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
Built from 540 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page