Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Subaru Impreza problems
Owners filed 75 complaints about the 2005 Subaru Impreza with NHTSA between Feb 2005 and Jan 2025. The most-cited component is suspension (17).
Complaints
75
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension17
- Air bags12
- Fuel/propulsion system9
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Structure6
- Power train5
- Engine5
- Vehicle speed control4
- Service brakes3
- Steering3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Visibility3
- Tires2
- Electrical system2
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 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
7
3
0
2
3
4
2
6
7
13
4
3
1
3
1
2
2
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
17 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“The dealership is refusing to fix my car free of charge on a recall they confirmed would be able to do and now they are refusing to do it due to price and have made me wait two months for this to be the answer while also not giving me any sort of pay for the inconvenience of waiting for so long, while also having already ordering the parts and they have decided to decline my recall repair”
Air bags
12 reports3 crashes5 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARK MILLER SUBARU MIDTOWN AT (801) 268-3734 (3535 STATE ST, SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84115) WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED. SOON AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE CHARGED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.”
Fuel/propulsion system
9 reports
“TEMPORARILY EXPERIENCE SOME FUEL SEEPAGE AT ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE/HOSE DURING COLD ENGINE START UP IN EXTREMELY COLD OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES. VEHICLE OCCUPANTS MAY NOTICE THE SMELL OF FUEL. THE SAME ISSUE IS DESCRIBED IN SUBARU CAMPAIGN/RECALL WVK-21 ISSUED FOR 2002-2003 MODEL YEAR SUBARU IMPREZA VEHICLES. SERVICE BULLETIN 01-170-09 HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/ACM12948229/RCSB-09V468-1307.PDF”
Fuel system, gasoline
8 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL LINES AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,476. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 10/23/14 UPDATED 3/30/15 *JS”
Structure
6 reports2 crashes
“In April 2022 hood latch malfunctioned and caused hood to open while driving on interstate. Caused damage to Hood, Fenders, Windshield and Roof. I was able to get stopped safely without injury.”
Power train
5 reports1 crash
“THE KEY INTERMITTENTLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN THE GEARSTICK IS SET IN THE 'PARK' POSITION. THE CAR CAN BE TURNED OFF, BUT THE KEY CANNOT BE MOVED FORWARD INTO THE #1 POSITION (LOCK/OFF) AND CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION IN THE #2 POSITION (ACCESSORY). THIS SCENARIO RETAINS THE ELECTRICAL IN THE 'ON' POSITION WHICH POTENTIALLY DRAINS THE BATTERY AND FORCES THE DRIVER TO INDEFINITELY REMAIN WITH THE VEHICLE TO AVOID A DEAD BATTERY AND/OR VEHICLE THEFT. SUBARU HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE IN SERVICE BULLETIN 16-112-18R (NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10155220). THE SUMMARY IS AS FOLLOWS: 'THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES A DESIGN CHANGE TO THE CVT SELECT LEVER (SHIFTER) MECHANISM IN RESPONSE TO ISOLATED CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. THE CAUSE IS CONTAMINATION OF THE PARK-RANGE SWITCH INTERNAL COMPONENTS.' MANY CONSUMERS BELIEVE THAT IF THIS PROBLEM WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO REQUIRE A REDESIGN TO THE CVT (CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION), THEN IT IS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO REQUIRE A RECALL.' PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOUR INCIDENT REPORT FORM REQUIRES THE USER TO SELECT "ONE DATE" WHEN THE…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.