Subaru Impreza Complaints

2,698 consumer complaints on file.

#11425205July 16, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield spontaneously cracked while parked .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424929July 15, 2021
SUSPENSION
The passenger side lower control arm failed due to corrosion. There was a previous recall to address this issue with an anti corrosion coating, but it did not prevent the control arm from corroding and failing. I had this addressed at the dealer, and they mentioned the issue was addressed. Recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425008July 15, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving in stop and go traffic on the highway for several minutes. Everything worked fine until one moment when I went to press the brake pedal down and the pedal would not move. I used all my strength to push it down for several seconds. It was locked in position. I could not move it all. My car slid into a semi truck in front of me at a very very low speed. After impact, everything worked again and I was able to pull the car to the side of the road. Initially, I believed the truck behind me had pushed my car causing the brake pedal to lock. I contacted the police and we examined my vehicle. There was no damage from the impact on the front of my car and there was no evidence I had been rearended. Two Subaru shops have examined the vehicle. One theory from the first shop is that an object in the road lifted the car off the road and caused the pedal to fail. The other shop has no theories. Neither shop found any issue with the brakes or the pedal and could not recreate the problem. Extensive repairs have been done to correct damage from a large rock in the road. The Subaru shop doing the repairs said the rock damage would not have affected the brakes. The car can be inspected at any time. My family is wary of driving the vehicle. The brake pedal failed once and the issue has yet to be explained to our satisfaction.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424502July 12, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
For the past few months, whenever I reach my destination, my key has been getting stuck in the ignition when I'm trying to park the car. This happens intermittently although it's becoming more frequent. I park the car, shift into "P", turn the key and it only turns partially . I have to keep shifting in & out of "P" until it finally turns the rest of the way and comes out. I've started to carry a second key with me. I have an appointment with a dealer next week.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424285July 11, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield spontaneously cracked. It began on the lower passenger side and ended in about the center of the windshield. The car was parked in a residential driveway at the time, and suffered no impact.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424277July 11, 2021
STEERING
New lease beginning in March 2021. The steering column is erratically loose, noticeable at highway speed in April 2021, accompanied by slight swerve. Subaru dealer (cityside) begrudgingly assessed and found it needed alignment Aligned. Steering column now again erratically loose, less so than before, but still disconcerting, and accompanied by slight swerve. Does not feel safe to drive at highway speed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11423602July 6, 2021
TIRES:SIDEWALL
Two of the four tires on the car have flaps / tears on sidewalls.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11423479July 5, 2021
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
I purchased this vehicle 06/23/2021. I drove it the first time long distance (Concord NH to Stoughton MA) with a passenger for the first time three days after purchase. The passenger air bag is off light came on and would not register my passenger. It worked on and off the entire ride, starting with it working and then would shut off, on the highway, while my passenger never moved from the seat. I called the dealership and they said they would look at it. They did nothing, they blamed it on the seats having been steam cleaned (that dampness messes with the sensors? as if that's a reasonable reason my airbag won't deploy?) I asked if they checked the connections and they just blanket answered that they'd need to see it with the light on, and that 'i'm sure the technician checked everything'. I'm unsure how to do that other than driving to the dealership with a passenger the next time it happened? Today I drove it, again with a passenger, and it worked only one way on the trip. I pulled over, tried to shut off the car and turn it back on, had my passenger get out and back in the vehicle, nothing would fix the light being on and the airbag indicator saying that the airbag was off. I'm extremely concerned and honestly don't understand why any vehicle would have a sensor that SHUTS OFF the airbag. There is already a recall for this issue in Suburu Foresters, years 2015-2018 I believe. I would also very much like this resolved in my model, it is extremely unsafe and I'd prefer not driving it at all but have no choice right now. I would be happy to have this inspected by someone. The internet suggested loose connections, or a faulty seatbelt, or the sensor itself which is connected to the passengers seat. This component has only been inspected by Ed Reilly Suburu on Manchester St., in Concord NH and they did not fix it. The vehicle only has 52,000 miles on it and is supposed to be one of the safest brands of vehicle to drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11423385July 4, 2021
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Airbag notification light sometimes turns to off even when a passenger is in passenger seat. This causes me great concern as if I were in an accident would my passenger be protected? Looks like Subaru issued a recall for the 2012 model but not for the 2014 model. Please help me keep my passenger in the front seat safe and have Subaru fix this known problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11422728June 29, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Slowing down to pull into a parking space when I put my foot on the brake to shift into park, the car lurched forward and accelerated over a parking barrier and into a brick wall. Unexplained acceleration. This was not driver error. I felt a few unexplained accelerations previously but thought it was a mistake on my end. In this instance, my foot was nowhere near the acceleration pedal. It was very very frightening. I am now waiting for the insurance adjusters. My car was damaged. I damaged the building and another car tat was parked inside the building. This is a significant safety issue. Consumer stated insurance provider stated it is a total loss and wants to take possession of the car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11422506June 27, 2021
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was driving on I-70 in Colorado going 60-65 mph uphill when all indicator lights came on and AT (Automatic Transition) Oil Temp light began flashing. Check Engine, Hill Assist, ABS, and Traction Control lights all came on steady on. Had to pull over and had significant power loss during driving. Googled what AT Oil Temp light meant and called a tow truck to take to my mechanic. Mechanic initially indicated it could be valve body problem which in his words is a "known issue with Subaru CVT engines." Code pulled was p2764. They ended up pulling the pan and draining fluid and found excessive metal built up on magnet in pan. This pan and headgasket were repaired less than 6k miles ago (October 2020) and at that time they said everything was in good shape so something drastic happened to CVT in less than a year. Mechanic unable to say what caused the excessive buildup in that time. Safety compromised as left on side of very busy highway waiting for tow - we were also concerned with whether or not car would overheat/catch on fire due to AT oil being over 200 degrees. Problem confirmed by our mechanic and indicated that we need a full transmission replacement. No other warnings prior to this event. Maintenance is current and in 2018 performed recall service indicated by Subaru for valve spring issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11422212June 24, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My windshield was broken one morning from edge of passenger side all the way through to the driver side deep enough to put my fingernail in when I came outside, no incidents or impact. Subaru dealership fails to replace it or acknowledge the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11421581June 20, 2021
POWER TRAIN
Two instances of CVT Transmission failure. First: Occurred at 102,926 miles, car only 8 years old. While driving, suddenly many warning lights came on and the car started shuddering. The lights were Check Engine, Oil Temp, Cruise Control, vehicle dynamics, and ABS. I drove my car to a transmission shop, who read the codes 2764 and and 0700. He replaced the TCC Solenoid and valve body on 11/18/2020. I drove the car for 6 more months to ~106,000 miles successfully, until... The Second Issue: On 6/6/21 while driving my car, it stopped accelerating. I couldn't go above 18 mph! This was a huge safety issue. I had to drive on major roads with a speed limit of 50mph going only 18mph, with my hazard lights on. I'm so fortunate it happened to be at 10pm on a Sunday night, or I could have gotten in an accident. Once I got home, I called AAA and had them tow my car back to my transmission mechanic (because I couldn't get to my mechanic without getting on the highway, which would obviously be unsafe at 18mph). My mechanic said it was an issue with the same solenoid again having shorted out, which means that it's actually a deeper issue with the CVT transmission burning through solenoids. The solenoid is just a symptom, not the root problem. Then, I finally googled Subaru solenoid issues, and I discovered this is a well documented problem, that has already been reported to your office, and yet Subaru has not yet issued a recall. Only an extended warranty, which only goes up to 100,000 miles so it doesn't help me!! My transmission wore out at 102,000 miles. Do you think it's a coincidence that Subaru made their warranty for 100,000? I'm lodging this complaint in hopes that your office sees the CVT transmissions are still a safety issue, and the warranty hasn't solved the problem. Please get Subaru to issue a recall! This is unacceptable behavior from a car manufacturer. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420972June 15, 2021
ENGINE, STEERING
2 differt items not sure if interconnected. Drove out of driveway and 3 blocks away the car was shaking violently and could not go more than 5 miles an hour. Was able to turn around and pull into driveway and the car died and would not start. Subarau dealer said it was the Engine Control Module and replaced it for free. There was a recall done on the 2012 Impreza for same problem and mine is a 2014 with only 35,990 miles. Should be a recall for this model year also. This would have been very dangerous if I was on the freeway and I would hate to have it happen to someone else. A week before the car died I was having problems with my key frequently getting stuck in the ignition when it was in park. Had to pull the car in and out of parking spaces and play with steering wheel constantly to release the key. This was happening a lot. When the car was at the dealer for the ECM, I also told them about the key getting stuck. They said the problem was the release switch and replaced the switch guide plate for $564. I saw on line that this also happened with the 2012 Impreza which were recalled for the keys getting stuck in the ignition but they told me I had to pay since there was no recall. Apparently this problem is still continuing with the newer models.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420804June 14, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was informed that the windshields in certain models are spontaneously cracking two inches from the bottom of the windshield - a tiny rock caused a 14 inch crack which is unheard of. Clearly, the windshield is terrible and Subaru doesn’t want to take responsibility for their faulty windshields. When I check Google, I am not the only one.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420816June 14, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake line is rusted at rear distribution block. We were driving the vehicle on a highway (~60mph). When the driver pressed the brake pedal, it did not respond and we had to pull the emergency brake. When the brake pedal is depressed, it takes much longer (and more pressure) to stop the vehicle than it did previously. We had it inspected by a mechanic who had the brake line at the rear distribution block is rusted out. The car is registered in Upstate NY where there is a lot of road salt. Our safety and the safety of the others was at risk because the brakes did not respond as expected making stopping time much longer. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420322June 9, 2021
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
The problem: like over 50% of adult Americans, I am female. I am 5' 3.5" tall (average for N. America, folks!) and weigh 109 lbs. I am also 66 years old and it's likely that despite my very active lifestyle (I'm a backpacker etc.), my bones are more brittle than a 25-y.o. man's. Your agency has failed in its duty to ensure the safety of ALL Americans. not just men and fat women. In order to reach the accelerator and see over the dashboard, i.e. in order to drive these vehicles which have passed your safety requirements, I sit in the death zone of the driver airbags and steering wheel column in all three vehicles I own: this 2009 Impreza, my 2000 Outback station wagon, and my 2012 Ford F350 Winnebago RV. Please don't tell me that I should buy one of the very few vehicles that might fit me better. I live on a mountainside in Alaska and need winter traction and handling. Why should my vehicle choices be narrowed because you have failed to recognizew that I exist? As a retired federal scientist and policy wonk with a law degree, I am appalled at your agency's callousness towards me and other average height drivers. How long will it take my government, staffed by people whose salaries I pay, to recognize that the male body is not the default for all humans? I am letting my Senator, Lisa Murkowshi, know that it's well past time for the NHTSA to protect me as well as it protects my husband.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420067June 8, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Spontaneous windshield large crack while parked at worksite parking place on 06/07/2021. My safety was put at risk because I had to drive back home not knowing if the windshield would explode. I called the dealer (Herb Gordon Subaru in Silver Spring Maryland)right away (around 5:30 pm) and they gave me an appointment for repair with an $800 estimate. They did not inform me of Subaru issued with windshields. This is a recently purchased pre-owned Certified vehicle on 3/22/2020. Called the insurance company and advised me to go in person talk to the dealership which I will today 6/8/2021. No warnings nor I noticed any thing hitting the windshield.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420171June 8, 2021
SUSPENSION, STEERING
The passenger side lower control arm was rusting out without my knowledge and while driving, a part of it broke in half which caused my front passenger side while to turn the wrong way and ripped apart the CV Axle causing me to swerve to the left and promptly stopping the vehicle causing cars behind me to swerve out of the way. Thankfully, I was in the far left lane which avoided me smashing into another car. After research, I found a recall that included my car's make, model, year, and VIN range but was not applied to my car due to it not being registered in a "salt state". Had this car been treated in the first place like other same model cars were, it would not have had this issue. The car was purchased and has been in the Northern Virginia area for its whole life. Virginia is not a salt state, however, this car has been in and out of WV, MD, PA & DC which are all salt states. This car was originally purchased in Alexandria, VA which borders Washington DC. The NHTSA Campaign Number is: 11V464000 (SUBARU’S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER WVX-34). I reached out to Subaru Dealerships in my area which helped me open a case with Subaru of America. My case representative said that Subaru of America is not authorized to add vehicles to a recall and that only the NHTSA can do that. I emailed the NHTSA who then recommended that I submit a formal complaint with the NHTSA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11419873June 7, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My horn suddenly stopped working. I googled extensively this issue and it is very common among Subaru owners of many different model years. This is a crucial safety concern since most people rarely use their horn, but when you need it, for example, a deer in the road or an inattentive driver crossing a centerline, you REALLY NEED IT! It seems to me Subaru is guilty of planned obsolescence. My car reached 144K miles and suddenly the dash is ablaze with idiot lights, multiple colors, some flashing, some not. My local mechanic gave me an estimate of $2,000 to fix everything. A Subaru dealer, $2900. I realize many items are wear and tear, but the horn, it should not suddenly quit working. I do not live in NYC and rarely use it. My local mechanic said $200 to fix the horn. Subaru dealer said $800. It is not a simple fuse. An expensive part within the steering wheel needs to be replaced. Thank you for reading my complaint. Sincerely,[XXX][XXX], New Haven, VT [XXX] [XXX]. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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