Subaru WRX Problems by Year
NHTSA has 977 owner complaints and 23 safety recalls on file for the Subaru WRX, across 24 model years (2002–2025). The 2002 model year has the most complaints (427). The most reported problem area overall is fuel system, gasoline.
Subaru WRX years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical WRX year: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2018. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2002 WRX: 427 complaints, 1 recall
- 2008 WRX: 65 complaints, 7 recalls
- 2003 WRX: 60 complaints, 1 recall
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2010 WRX: 1 complaint, 12 recalls
- 2012 WRX: 2 complaints, 12 recalls
- 2025 WRX: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Subaru WRX problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 318 | 7 | 0 |
| Power Train problems | 173 | 20 | 1 |
| Engine problems | 106 | 20 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 87 | 5 | 18 |
| Electrical System | 71 | 12 | 5 |
| Structure | 54 | 12 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 53 | 13 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 51 | 16 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 27 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 26 | 2 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 25 | 11 | 17 |
| Steering | 23 | 9 | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 10 | 4 |
| Suspension | 19 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 16 | 6 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 15 | 1 | 3 |
| Visibility | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| Wheels | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Seats | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| Tires | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Subaru WRX problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2002: fuel system, gasoline (266) · service brakes, hydraulic (64)
All Subaru WRX model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 WRX | 3 | 0 | 5★ | Electrical System | |
| 2024 WRX | 14 | 0 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 WRX | 8 | 1 | 5★ | Air Bags | |
| 2022 WRX | 25 | 1 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2021 WRX | 13 | 1 | 5★ | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 WRX | 17 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 WRX | 30 | 2 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2018 WRX | 43 | 2 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 WRX | 53 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 WRX | 31 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 WRX | 52 | 3 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 WRX | 6 | 10 | — | Service Brakes | |
| 2013 WRX | 7 | 11 | — | Power Train | |
| 2012 WRX | 2 | 12 | — | Engine | |
| 2011 WRX | 4 | 11 | — | Engine | |
| 2010 WRX | 1 | 12 | — | Service Brakes | |
| 2009 WRX | 41 | 10 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2008 WRX | 65 | 7 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 WRX | 0 | 3 | — | — | |
| 2006 WRX | 14 | 3 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2005 WRX | 19 | 4 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2004 WRX | 42 | 4 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 WRX | 60 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 WRX | 427 | 1 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Subaru: all Subaru models · Subaru VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru WRX years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2002 (427), 2003 (60), 2004 (42), 2008 (65), 2009 (41), 2015 (52), 2017 (53), 2018 (43) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical WRX year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Subaru WRX?
Fuel System, Gasoline, with 318 complaints across 7 model years.
How many recalls does the Subaru WRX have?
23 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.