Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Subaru Impreza problems

Owners filed 296 complaints about the 2002 Subaru Impreza with NHTSA between Aug 2001 and Aug 2022. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (88).

Complaints
296
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel system, gasoline88
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic56
  3. Suspension49
  4. Power train26
  5. Structure22
  6. Engine and engine cooling21
  7. Visibility17
  8. Steering8
  9. Fuel/propulsion system8
  10. Vehicle speed control7
  11. Electrical system6
  12. Fuel system, other4
  13. Engine3
  14. Seats3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20018
200253
200327
200444
200526
200620
200711
200819
200912
20107
201114
20128
20136
20143
201510
20166
20177
20183
20197
20202
20212
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel system, gasoline

88 reports1 fire1 related recall
“DURING COOL WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM COLD STARTUP THE ENGINE HAS HEAVY FUEL/GAS SMELL WHICH IS TRANSPORTED INTO THE VEHICLE CABIN CAUSING UNHEALTHY BREATHING CONDITIONS FOR ANY OCCUPANTS. CALLED SUBARU COOPERATE AND THE DEALER, THEY STATED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR A LEAKING FUEL RAIL BUT NOT ON OUR MODEL. AFTER MUCH INTERNET SEARCHING IT APPEARS THE RECALL SHOULD BE FOR ALL SUBARUS WITH THE SAME ENGINE AS THE PROBLEM IS ENGINE RELATED AND NOT MODEL RELATED. THE ORIGINAL RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL SUBARUS WITH THE SAME ENGINE CONFIGURATION. THE COMPANY IS GETTING OFF EASY WITH A LIMITED RECALL OF LESS THAN 6000 VEHICLES NATION WIDE WHEN THERE ARE CLEARLY MANY MANY MORE OUT THERE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10551175

Service brakes, hydraulic

56 reports6 crashes
“IT WAS RAINING. I WAS TURNING LEFT AT A LIGHT, SAW ANOTHER CAR COMING TOWARDS ME. I APPLIED BRAKES AND THERE WAS A HESITATION OF BRAKING POWER DUE TO THE ABS SYSTEM. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING IN LOW TRACTION CONDITIONS OR OVER BUMPS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE SAME YEAR SIMILAR MODEL HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS COMPUTER AND THAT THEY REPLACE THE ABS COMPUTERS FOR THAT ONE BUT THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T FOR MY CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10250511

Suspension

49 reports1 crash1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle felt as if there was a flat tire on the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the front driver's side tire was about to detach. Additionally, the driver’s side front lower control arm was fractured. Prior to the failure, the contact had driven over a railroad track and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 16, 2021SuspensionODI 11443990

Power train

26 reports1 crash1 related recall
“PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWORDS.... SAME EXACT DAY IN WAS AT A STOP LIGHT ON A INCLINE AND MY CAR ROLLED BACKWORDS FASTER THEN IT SHOULD WHILE IN DRIVE. CAR HAS 101000 MILES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2019Power trainODI 11288238

Structure

22 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A BURNING OIL ODOR. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT A LOUD VIBRATING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST FROM THE CONVECTOR REAR MUFFLER, GASKET BOLT, AND DRY BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED AND THE HEAD GASKETS WERE FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED AN OIL LEAK. ALL THE PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2017Power train, Structure, EngineODI 10948493

Engine and engine cooling

21 reports1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER PENETRATED THE RADIATOR CAUSING IT TO FAIL. THE FRONT SUBFRAME, FRONT DRIVER LOWER CONTROL ARM, BUSHINGS, AND BALL JOINT WERE ALL CORRODED DUE TO THE WATER DAMAGE. THE CONTROL ARM BROKE IN MULTIPLE PIECES AND RESULTED IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT ALL OF THE PARTS BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 139,000. UPDATED 12/01/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER/PUDDLE SHORTED OUT THE ENGINE FANS WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE ROTTED SUBFRAME. UPDATED 12/08/10”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2010Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, StructureODI 10328927
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.