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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension17
  2. Air bags12
  3. Fuel/propulsion system9
  4. Fuel system, gasoline8
  5. Structure6
  6. Power train5
  7. Engine5
  8. Vehicle speed control4
  9. Service brakes3
  10. Steering3
  11. Engine and engine cooling3
  12. Visibility3
  13. Tires2
  14. 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
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
200511
20067
20073
20080
20092
20103
20114
20122
20136
20147
201513
20164
20173
20181
20193
20201
20212
20222
20230
20240
20251

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

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2025SuspensionODI 11638183

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2017Air bagsODI 11055749

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2015Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10748709

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10626371

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2022Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11483177

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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2021Power train, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11414627
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.