2017 Subaru WRX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other WRX years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru WRX. That ranks 4th out of 24 WRX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (14 complaints, 26%), typically at around 37,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 53owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 14 | 26% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 12 | 23% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 21% | 42,422 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 11% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 8% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 8% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 8% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 6% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 6% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% | 34,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 4% | 30,325 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 2% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Subaru WRX recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:back up lights:switch
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
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.
Experienced catastrophic engine failure with no known cause. The car had been inspected and had an oil change 3,000 miles prior to the incident. Thankfully, I had already exited the thruway and was on a quiet backroad but if this had happened 15 minutes earlier on the thruway this could have been a…
Car all the sudden stall/ lock up tires at high way speeds due to sudden no warning engine failure causing a massive safety concern My car locked up during a normal drive up a slowly passing a semi when my car died no power steering no engine power transmission locking due engine failure Car was…
Hit a deer. Airbags did not deploy, however I have reasonable suspicion to believe my head hit the A pillar during impact.
Going about 55mph, I struck a deer head on. It struck towards the center, but more so on the passenger side. During the impact, no airbags deployed, however, based off IIHS videos, it seems likely that they should have. Additionally, I have reasonable suspicion to believe I hit my head on the…
Likely secondary air injection pump and/or its related relays, CEL P2444 came on 3 separate times. November 2024, brought it in to get replaced under warranty, came on again the day after picking her up in December 2024 due to faulty pump, didnât get to bring her back in until March 1st 2025…
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 | 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 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 2017 Subaru WRX?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Subaru WRX?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 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 2017 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.