Subaru Impreza Complaints

2,698 consumer complaints on file.

#10672345January 14, 2015
AIR BAGS, SEATS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING DOWN MOUNTAIN AFTER DAY OF SKIING. ROADS WERE TREACHEROUS AND ICY. 20 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHTS TURNED ON, INDICATING THAT AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF A COLLISION. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I WAS WEARING A DAMP BATHING SUIT WHILE DRIVING AND THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED, INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, I WAS DRIVING ON A HOT DAY WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. I WAS SWEATING QUITE A BIT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY SUBARU IMPREZA TURNED ON YET AGAIN. THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT SIMPLY RESET THE SENSOR, NOT SOLVING THE ISSUE OR COMPREHENDING THE SEVERITY OF THIS ISSUE. THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR IN THE SEAT MUST HAVE FAULTED AND TURNED OFF THE AIRBAGS WHEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW/WATER/SWEAT ON MY REAR CAUSED A FAULT IN THE ELECROSTATIC SENSOR. THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR IS AN ELECTROSTATIC SENSOR THAT WILL FAULT WHEN IT SENSES AN ARBITRARY AMOUNT OF MOISTURE. AN INTERNAL MEMO IN AUGUST 2012 FROM SUBARU TO IT'S DEALERS IN NORTH AMERICA ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT NOT SOLVED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE SEAT IS WET. FROM SUBARU'S INTERNAL MEMO: "WHEN WATER OR ANYTHING WITH HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT IS SPILLED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION, THE AIRBAG IS DESIGNED TO REMAIN OFF UNTIL THE SEAT CUSHION IS DRY". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10672422January 14, 2015
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
I OWN A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI, UPON STARTING VEHICLE, IDLE, AND DRIVING THERE'S STRONG FUEL SMELL UNDER THE HOOD AND INSIDE THE CABIN. I HAVE POPPED THE HOOD AND CONFIRMED IS COMING FROM BACK PASSENGER SIDE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE THE FUEL LINES, RAILS, AND INJECTORS ARE. I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS TO BE RELATING TO SOA'S RECALL FOR THE 02-03 IMPREZA WRX'S HARD FUEL LINE / RUBBER HOSE LEAKING ISSUES. I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO APPEARS EXTREME COLD WEATHER NOT THE CAUSE. LEAKING FUEL IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671710January 12, 2015
STEERING
ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR. SPECIFICALLY, ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC THE O-RING FAILED IN THE STEERING PUMP RETURN HOSE. THIS CAUSED AN AIR LEAK IT IS A GOOD THING I WAS ONLY GOING SLOWLY. THE CAR HAD LOW MILEAGE. THE O-RING THAT FAILED WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND BECAME WARPED DUE TO ENGINE HEAT OVER 9 YEARS. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH AND DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR. I AM SURE THAT MY CAR WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE O RING FAILURE. CHECK AT YOUTUBE. IN MY OPINION THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671803January 12, 2015
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THERE IS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF UNBURNED FUEL IN THE CABIN ON COLD DAYS (BELOW 10F). THE FUEL SMELL DISSIPATES WHEN THE CAR WARMS-UP. THE SMELL HAS CAUSED PASSENGERS IN THE CAR TO BECOME SICK AND IS A SERIOUS DISTRACTION TO DRIVING. WHEN I CONTACTED TWO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALERS, THEY ACTED LIKE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND BOTH WANTED TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART. HOWEVER, A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS THIS IS A PREVALENT ISSUE FOR THE SUBARU IMPREZA IN COLD WEATHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10671535January 10, 2015
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
STRONG FUEL SMELL IN CABIN, DEALER CONFIRMED LEAKING FUEL HOSES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671598January 10, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
AS I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE MY 17 YEAR OLD SON OUT FOR A DRIVING LESSON. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE BLEW AS WE WERE LEAVING OUR DRIVEWAY. THANKFULLY WE WERE NOT GOING FAST AND HAD ENOUGH BRAKING TO STOP AT WHICH POINT I TOOK OVER AND USED THE PARKING BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK TO OUR HOUSE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THE RIGHT REAR BREAK LINE CORRODED AND LEAKING AS IT EXITS THE INTERNAL FRAME OF THE VEHICLE JUST PRIOR TO A JUNCTION IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND VISITING THE DANBURY SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT I FOUND OUT THAT MANY SUBARU VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR REASON. UNFORTUNATELY MY '05 IMPREZA IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH THE ACTIVE RECALL DESCRIBES MY VEHICLES PROBLEM EXACTLY. IN FACT THIS CAR WAS REGISTERED IN VT IT'S WHOLE LIFE UP UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I PURCHASED IT AND REGISTERED IT IN CT. I BELIEVE THIS CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. A CAR THAT IS 10 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 86K MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE THE BRAKE LINES BREAKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671308January 9, 2015
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS, SUSPENSION, STEERING
TOOK MY CAR IN FOR TIRES AND ALONG WITH BAD WHEEL BEARING, I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS ALMOST ROTTED OUT. AS I LIVE IN A COLD SNOWY AREA AND I OFTEN DRIVE MY GRANDCHILDREN AROUND IN THIS VEHICLE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS? I SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL, YEAR, MAKE THAT HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAINT. I AM ALSO VERY UPSET THAT I WAS SOLD THIS CAR IN 01/12 AND WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FRONT CONTROL ARM RECALL. 5 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR, I HAD TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 2 DAYS, THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED FROM A SUBARU DEALER, WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED OF THIS PROBLEM AT THAT TIME EITHER? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671205January 8, 2015
WHEELS, TIRES
WARNING LIGHT FLASHES FOR 30 SECONDS THEN STAY ON. CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE. ALL WERE GOOD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670932January 8, 2015
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE UNDER FREEZING TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE CAR SMELLS STRONGLY OF FUEL WHILE RUNNING. SOMETIMES IT TAKES HALF AN HOUR OR MORE TO JUST WHAT I CONSIDER BREATHABLE AIR IN THE CABIN. IT WAS -20 DEGREES OUTSIDE SO OPENING WINDOWS IS NOT AN OPTION AND DRIVING IN GAS FUMES IS NOT SAFE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671093January 8, 2015
VISIBILITY/WIPER
IMPREZA WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN THE DEFROSTER WAS TURNED ON IN COLD WEATHER THE CAR WAS PARKED IN HOTEL PARKING LOT IN BOISE ID. IT WAS SNOWING OVERNIGHT AND THERE WAS ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO OF ICE ON THE CAR WINDSHIELD. TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS ABOUT 20F. WE SCRAPED OUT THE ICE ON THE SCREEN AND TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER (BOTH FRONT AND BACK). WHILE DRIVING ONCE ALL THE ICE WAS MELTED, WE NOTICED A CRACK STARTING FROM THE RIGHT BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE). SUBARU DEALERS WERE NOT HELPFUL AND DIAGNOSED IT DUE TO ROCKS IMPACT, INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD THROUGH WARRANTY. THE CRACK HAS BEEN SPREADING EVER SINCE AND REQUIRES A REPLACEMENT (WITHIN 2500 MILES), COSTING $658. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670685January 7, 2015
ENGINE
SINCE OIL CHANGE NUMBER 1, THE ENGINE OIL WAS DOWN A LITTLE OVER A QUART. THIS VEHICLE REQUIRES FULL SYNTHETIC OIL 0/20. AT EVERY OIL CHANGE THE OIL IS A QUART OR MORE LOW. A FEW TIMES THE OIL LIGHT HAS GONE ON WELL BEFORE THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. A NEW CAR SHOULD NOT BE BURNING OIL, ESPECIALLY FULL SYNTHETIC OIL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670181January 5, 2015
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
DURING COLD TEMPERATURES THERE IS A GAS LEAK. CAR IS AN IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR WRX FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT MY CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670306January 5, 2015
VISIBILITY/WIPER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
REAR WIRES IN HATCH BOOT COMPLETELY SEVERED. NO THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, WIPER, OR DEFOGGER BECAUSE OF ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669737January 2, 2015
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
I TOOK MY 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA FOR ITS YEARLY NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION. AT THIS TIME WE WERE TOLD THE SUBFRAME IS RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR. AND IT IS UN SAFE TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR. THE CAR IS OTHERWISE IN GREAT SHAPE. IT DOES HAVE 170,000 MILES BUT OTHER THAN THAT THE CAR HAS GIVEN US NO PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669278December 31, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE CLUTCH BRACKET ON THE FIREWALL HAS ONLY 4 SMALL TACK WELDS FROM THE FACTORY. THIS BRACKET TAKES ALL THE FORCE OF YOUR LEG PUSHING IN THE CLUTCH EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE A GEAR. IT APPEARS TO BE VERY COMMON ON THE SUBARU WRX STI FOR THESE SMALL TACKS TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL AND CAUSE ACCELERATED CLUTCH WEAR AND EVENTUALLY CLUTCH FAILURE. MY CLUTCH FAILED AND THE DEALER IS NOW TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR FOR THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT WILL NOT BE COVERED BY SUBARU. TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND CHECKING THE STI FORUMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SUBARU HAS PAID FOR FOR SOME PEOPLE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THIS FOR ME. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10668724December 29, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES, POWER TRAIN
I OWN A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WITH A STOCK CLUTCH. FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS I HAVE BEEN HEARING CREAKING AND/OR CLICKING NOISES WHEN ENGAGING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IN APRIL OF 2013 CHATHAM SUBARU IN GA REPLACED MY CLUTCH DUE TO THE METAL CLUTCH FORK WEARING THROUGH AT THE PIVOT POINT WITHIN THE BELL-HOUSING. THEY ALSO NOTED A VERY HARD CLUTCH PEDAL AND SPONGY BRAKES BEFORE THE REPAIR. THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH, FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE, FORK AND MASTER CYLINDER (I REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN) ALL OF WHICH I PAID FOR. INITIALLY THE CLUTCH FELT GREAT (BRAKE FEEL WAS UNCHANGED), BUT HAS SINCE BEGAN TO HARDEN AGAIN. I BEGAN TO LOOK ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE SPOT WELDS THAT BREAK BETWEEN THE FIREWALL AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED TO (HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/?GWS_RD=SSL#Q=WRX+SPOT+WELDS). I REMOVED THE NECESSARY ITEMS TO INSPECT THE WELDS AND THEY DID UNFORTUNATELY FAIL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10668509December 27, 2014
ENGINE
OIL KEEPS RUNNING DRY BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE. IT HAS BEEN REQUIRING ABOUT 1 QUART EVERY 3,000 MILES. THIS HAS THE ABILITY FOR THE ENGINE TO RUN WITHOUT OIL AND SEIZE. THIS CAN CAUSE DRASTIC DAMAGE AND INJURY ALONG WITH GREATER WEAR. I HAVE BEEN MITIGATING IT WITH KEEPING OIL IN THE TRUNK BUT NO GUARANTEES THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE IT. THE OIL ALSO RUINED MY TRUNK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10668512December 27, 2014
AIR BAGS
PASSENGER AIRBAG RANDOMLY TURNS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS IN THE CAR. TOOK TO A DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T REPEAT. WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY JUST A WEIGHT ISSUE. IF THE AIRBAG DOESN'T GO OFF WITH A PASSENGER THERE IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10668306December 26, 2014
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE FIRE WALL IS CRACKED AND THE WELDS ARE BROKEN WHICH IS CAUSING MY CLUTCH TO NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10668232December 25, 2014
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NOTICEABLE GAS FUMES AROUND REAR OF CAR AFTER RETURNING FROM A DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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