2002 Subaru WRX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other WRX years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 427 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Subaru WRX. That is the most of any WRX model year in the database (24 years). The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (266 complaints, 62%), typically at around 48,475 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 2 fires, 13 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 427owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Subaru WRX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 266 | 62% | 48,475 | “fuel smell” (34%) | $770 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 64 | 15% | 21,500 | “braking power” (11%) | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 25 | 6% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 4% | 29,750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 4% | 35,695 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 15 | 4% | 22,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 2% | 29,765 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 1% | 96,462 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 1% | 87,300 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 1% | 16,148 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 1% | 37,001 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 0% | 151,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 35,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 0% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 0% | 48,850 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 0% | 125,600 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 125,600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Subaru WRX recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 impreza wrx vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, minnesota, idaho, iowa, montana, colorado, wisconsin, new york, wyoming, michigan, alaska, new hampshire, vermont, and maine. During cold starts, typically under extremely cold temperatures, fuel leaks in the fuel delivery line could occur where the line connects with a rubber hose.
Risk: Fuel leaks, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel line free of charge. The recall began on december 31, 2009. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel line leak (EA09011) — opened Jul 2, 2009, closed Dec 14, 2009, led to recall 09V468000.
- Fuel line leak (PE09017) — opened Mar 10, 2009, closed Jul 2, 2009.
- Fuel line leakage in engine compartment (PE04002) — opened Jan 7, 2004, closed May 27, 2004.
- Extended stopping distances (EA03024) — opened Nov 19, 2003, closed Jul 12, 2005.
- Braking system/abs (PE03029) — opened Jul 8, 2003, closed Nov 19, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
A fuel line under the intake manifold located on the passenger side is leaking gas on cold starts. This is my second time dealing with this issue. As of now, it is only leaking gas when the engine is cold, but the leaking is starting to get worse and faster than before. The first time i had this…
I have the terrible gasoline smell in and outside of the car as a result of a recall that is not valid in the state of ohio. As subaru thinks ohio is not a cold weather state and has denied the recall on my vehicle. It smells the whole house. It is sickening. I have been putting up for it since i…
The body is deteriorating so fast. I laugh at the subaru commercial where the parents give their kids the old car. I would not trust the old subaru to keep my children safe. I've had to replace the frame, and am letting the body rust. The sickening smell of fumes like gas in the winter are…
Fuel rail on 2002 wrx is leaking heavily on the engine. This is a high fire hazard as well as noxious for passengers in the car as it smells heavily of fuel. Since i live in washington state subaru of america has not honored the recall they've put in other states for this exact issue. Subaru has…
There is a constant raw fuel smell when driving, to the point of making me feel sick, cant even drive my car without all the windows down, ive reasurched this issue with other models using the same engine & componints that are on the recall list, but i can not get any help from anyone at subaru…
Other Subaru WRX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 WRX | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 WRX | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 WRX | 8 | 1 |
| 2022 WRX | 25 | 1 |
| 2021 WRX | 13 | 1 |
| 2020 WRX | 17 | 1 |
| 2019 WRX | 30 | 2 |
| 2018 WRX | 43 | 2 |
| 2017 WRX | 53 | 1 |
| 2016 WRX | 31 | 3 |
| 2015 WRX | 52 | 3 |
| 2014 WRX | 6 | 10 |
| 2013 WRX | 7 | 11 |
| 2012 WRX | 2 | 12 |
| 2011 WRX | 4 | 11 |
| 2010 WRX | 1 | 12 |
| 2009 WRX | 41 | 10 |
| 2008 WRX | 65 | 7 |
| 2007 WRX | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 WRX | 14 | 3 |
| 2005 WRX | 19 | 4 |
| 2004 WRX | 42 | 4 |
| 2003 WRX | 60 | 1 |
| 2002 | 427 | 1 |
See all Subaru WRX problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Subaru WRX?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, service brakes, hydraulic, fuel system, other problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 266 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Subaru WRX?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Subaru WRX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other WRX model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.