Subaru Impreza 2008–2011 problems by year and mileage
3rd generation (GE/GH/GR/GV)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026552 complaints, 441 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2008 Subaru Impreza
Close- Median failure report
- 58,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 281
- Recalls naming this year
- 14
Most reported on the 2008
- Transmission and driveline119 reports · median 67,000 mi
- Body structure58 reports · median 70,000 mi
- Airbag system44 reports
14 recall campaigns name the 2008: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Exterior lighting — brake lights. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2009 Subaru Impreza
Close- Median failure report
- 64,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 161
- Recalls naming this year
- 14
Most reported on the 2009
- Transmission and driveline66 reports · median 65,000 mi
- Body structure36 reports · median 78,000 mi
- Brakes25 reports
14 recall campaigns name the 2009: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Exterior lighting — brake lights. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2010 Subaru Impreza
Close- Median failure report
- 49,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 48
- Recalls naming this year
- 15
Most reported on the 2010
- Problems owners could not categorise10 reports
- Engine7 reports
- Airbag system6 reports
15 recall campaigns name the 2010: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Exterior lighting — brake lights. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2011 Subaru Impreza
Close- Median failure report
- 38,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 62
- Recalls naming this year
- 14
Most reported on the 2011
- Airbag system17 reports
- Electrical system9 reports
- Fuel and propulsion system7 reports
14 recall campaigns name the 2011: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Exterior lighting — brake lights. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2009 reports latest and the 2011 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2009 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2008–2011 Subaru Impreza reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 58,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 112,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 441
- Recalls
- 20
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline35.7% of complaints · median 65,000 mi
- Body structure17.8% of complaints · median 70,000 mi
- Airbag system14.9% of complaints · median 12,000 mi
Owners filed 552 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008–2011 Subaru Impreza; the transmission and driveline leads with 35.7% of them, and half of the 441 that record an odometer reading came by 58,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 28,000 and 85,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2008–2011 Subaru Impreza last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2008–2011 Subaru Impreza, half of the 441 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 58,000 miles and 90% by 112,000 miles.
10 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 2 past 200,000 — each one proof that an Impreza reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Subaru Impreza 2008–2011 · 441 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 59 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 2 complaints (0.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 5,500
- 25%
- 28,000
- Median
- 58,000
- 75%
- 85,000
- 90%
- 111,834
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 59 | 13.4% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 34 | 7.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 23 | 5.2% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 34 | 7.7% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 44 | 10.0% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 30 | 6.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 43 | 9.8% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 40 | 9.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 29 | 6.6% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 38 | 8.6% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 17 | 3.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 18 | 4.1% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 9 | 2.0% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 9 | 2.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 4 | 0.9% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 4 | 0.9% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 2 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 2 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
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.
Common Impreza problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Subaru Impreza 2008–2011
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Engine and its cooling system48 reports12,0005,000–28,000Engine and its cooling system: 48 reports, median 12,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 28,000 miles.
- Airbag system82 reports12,000500–60,000Airbag system: 82 reports, median 12,000 miles, middle half 500 to 60,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline197 reports65,00046,000–88,000Transmission and driveline: 197 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 88,000 miles.
- Body structure98 reports70,00052,000–100,000Body structure: 98 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 52,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Brakes82 reports72,00047,000–96,000Brakes: 82 reports, median 72,000 miles, middle half 47,000 to 96,000 miles.
- Engine46 reports74,00057,000–96,000Engine: 46 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 57,000 to 96,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise48 reports80,00060,000–113,000Problems owners could not categorise: 48 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 113,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 197 | 35.7% | 65,000 | 46,000–88,000 |
| Body structure | 98 | 17.8% | 70,000 | 52,000–100,000 |
| Airbag system | 82 | 14.9% | 12,000 | 500–60,000 |
| Brakes | 82 | 14.9% | 72,000 | 47,000–96,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 48 | 8.7% | 12,000 | 5,000–28,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 48 | 8.7% | 80,000 | 60,000–113,000 |
| Engine | 46 | 8.3% | 74,000 | 57,000–96,000 |
| Electrical system | 33 | 6.0% | 81,000 | 39,000–128,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 32 | 5.8% | 60,000 | 28,000–85,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 31 | 5.6% | 20,000 | 4,000–36,000 |
System by system, in words
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 58,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 35.7% of complaints (197 reports, 184 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 88,000 miles.
A single system taking 35.7% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Body structure accounts for 17.8% of complaints (98 reports, 91 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 100,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 14.9% of complaints (82 reports, 33 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,000 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 500 and 60,000 miles.
The brakes account for 14.9% of complaints (82 reports, 75 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 47,000 and 96,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 8.7% of complaints (48 reports, 44 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,000 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 5,000 and 28,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 8.7% of complaints (48 reports, 30 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 113,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2008–2011 Impreza
Head Gaskets (EJ253) 2008–2011
Head gasket seepage remains a reported wear item on the naturally aspirated EJ 2.5L in the early years of this generation.
Before you buy a 2008–2011 Impreza: the 3-minute check
Generated from 441 mileage-tagged complaints, 20 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 20 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for airbag system repair records. Reports on this area come at a median of 12,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check head gaskets (EJ253) on 2008–2011 cars. Head gasket seepage remains a reported wear item on the naturally aspirated EJ 2.5L in the early years of this generation.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 28,000 and 85,000 miles, with a median of 58,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and body structure are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 65,000, 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.
Impreza problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi51% below | At 90k mi76% below | At 120k mi93% below | At 150k mi98% below | At 200k mi100% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 46,000–88,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Body structure | 52,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 500–60,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 47,000–96,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 5,000–28,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 60,000–113,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 57,000–96,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Subaru Impreza 2008–2011 · 441 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 51% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 76% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 93% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 100%: the remaining 0.5% of reports (2) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2008–2011 Subaru Impreza recalls (20)
NHTSA records 20 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 (14), the electrical system (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
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.
Jan 2020 · 2008–2011 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Jan 2020 · 2008–2011 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Jan 2020 · 2008–2011 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7…
Apr 2019 · 2008–2011 · Electrical SystemThe engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition…
What can happen. The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer…
Feb 2019 · 2008–2011 · Exterior LightingBrake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake…
What can happen. Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's…
Jan 2019 · 2010–2011 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2019 · 2010–2011 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2019 · 2010–2011 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2018 · 2009 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2018 · 2009–2010 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2018 · 2009–2011 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana…
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2017 · 2008–2009 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.…
Jan 2017 · 2008 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2006-2008 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), Tribeca, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Subaru owners may…
Jan 2017 · 2008–2011 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.…
Oct 2016 · 2008–2011 · Electrical SystemIf the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air…
What can happen. If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
May 2016 · 2008 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may…
May 2016 · 2008–2011 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may…
Dec 2014 · 2008–2011 · Service Brakes, HydraulicBrake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts…
What can happen. Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015. Owners may…
Jun 2014 · 2008–2011 · Service Brakes, HydraulicBrake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana…
What can happen. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be…
Sep 2008 · 2008 · Engine and Engine CoolingVibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would…
The defect. Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 Impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
What can happen. Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 552 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 20 (3.6%)
- Fires
- 13
- Injury reports
- 15
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Impreza problems by model year
The 2008 drew the most complaints of this generation, 281, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2010 the fewest, 48. A typical year drew about 112.
That makes the 2008 stand out at roughly 2.5 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 281 | 228 | 58,000 | Transmission and driveline (119) | 14 |
| 2009 | 161 | 136 | 64,000 | Transmission and driveline (66) | 14 |
| 2010 | 48 | 36 | 49,000 | Problems owners could not categorise (10) | 15 |
| 2011 | 62 | 41 | 38,000 | Airbag system (17) | 14 |
What Impreza owners reported
The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle and the vehicle was able to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact replaced the battery, and the vehicle was taken to the…
2010 · 90,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the transmission failed to properly shift. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and shut off the vehicle. Once the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle started operating…
2009 · 54,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V738000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and…
2011 · 84,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owned a 2010 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 60 MPH, he stated that he heard a loud bang from the engine compartment and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The son stated that an unknown warning light had illuminated. The son safely stopped the vehicle, exited…
2010 · 180,000 miles · Engine
Built from 441 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Impreza generations
- Impreza 2002–2007 901 reports with mileage, most about the fuel system
- Impreza 2012–2016 499 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system
- Impreza 2017–2023 228 reports with mileage, most about visibility/wiper