2005 Subaru WRX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other WRX years
- About as many complaints as other years 12th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Subaru WRX. That ranks 12th out of 24 WRX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (6 complaints, 32%), typically at around 59,900 miles. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

- 19owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 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 | 6 | 32% | 59,900 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 26% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 21% | 48,800 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 11% | 145,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 11% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% | 27,125 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 5% | 33,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Subaru WRX recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2004-2005 Impreza and WRX vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.
Risk: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the passenger inflator and if necessary, install a new inflator kit, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 14, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-23.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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 Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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 Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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 Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
As i was driving this morning started smelling strong raw fuel odor. *tr
2005 sti, 42,000 miles..... Cold mn weather caused my fuel system under the hood leak gas all over. Inside of car smelt of gas very very bad. Popped the hood, even stronger gas smell, located fuel leaks under the intake manifold drivers side. Towed it to nearest subaru dealer do to fear of fire…
During cold weather, there is a strong fuel smell in the cabin. Rubber fuel lines on the passenger side leak, causing fuel to puddle on top of the engine block, creating an extreme fire hazard. *tr
After investigating a small leak it was discovered that my front sway bar mount connected to my lower control arm( recall number "wvx-34 lower control arm) mount had snapped and separated. This could have cause serious injury to myself, family and others driving around me at the time is snapped…
Fuel smell inside passenger compartment in outside temperatures <20 degrees f. This is apparently a known problem, and a tsb was issued for 2002 and 2003 subaru wrx for a fuel leak, but not for the 2005. Have been told the owner is responsible for repair costs. Online search finds many identical…
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 | 19 | 4 |
| 2004 WRX | 42 | 4 |
| 2003 WRX | 60 | 1 |
| 2002 WRX | 427 | 1 |
See all Subaru WRX problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Subaru WRX?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, fuel/propulsion system, suspension problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Subaru WRX?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 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 2005 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.