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Research · Compact Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2012 Subaru ImprezaRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 243 owner complaints for the 2012 Subaru Impreza. Most complaints involve air bags (105) and engine (55). The EPA rates it 19–30 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
19–30mpg
EPA · 8 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Feb 2019
Owner complaints
243
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,150est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

Exterior lightingReported Feb 28, 2019NHTSA 19V149000

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 1, 2018NHTSA 18V772000

Electrical system

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.

Electrical systemReported Oct 13, 2016NHTSA 16V738000
See all 6 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

243 complaints filed with NHTSA · Dec 2011 – Sep 2026
  1. Air bags105
  2. Engine55
  3. Electrical system30
  4. Power train26
  5. Seats15
  6. Service brakes13
  7. Vehicle speed control11
  8. Steering10
  9. Wheels7

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

By model year

Complaints for each Impreza model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
199626
199734
199830
199922
200041
200111
2002296
200364
200496
200575
200656
200768
2008209
2009113
201046
201158
2012243
2013251
2014108
201579
201675
2019194
202432
20255
20261
Crashes reported
10
Fires reported
4
Injuries reported
6
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

105 reports7 crashes1 fire
“The Airbag warning light has been lit within the dashboard. The front passenger seat airbag is faulty and is not able to correctly sense when a passenger is within the seat or not, which disables the airbags. This can be deadly to the passenger if in an accident. The issue seems to be in the ODS passenger seat mat that determines when the airbag is active or not. If moisture is able to get within the mat, then it can short the circuit and cause airbags to not deploy. My car was "supposed" to already been fixed with the issue in 2015 on the recall #WQT55, NHTSA Campaign 15V419000, but I don't believe the underlying issue was fixed correctly or the same part has failed again. Looking further into recalls, the exact same issue is happening again with Subarus with #WRA-24 and NHTSA campaign 24V227. The dealer has asked me to pay over $1700 on to replace this part. Subaru America should fully cover the cost of any Passenger ODS issue especially when there have already been two recalls with the exact same issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2025Electrical system, Air bags, SeatsODI 11634194

Engine

55 reports2 crashes1 fire
“The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where the gas cap was replaced; however, the warning light returned. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for a diagnostic test and the contact was informed that the timing belt cover, cam carrier, and O2 sensors needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to cover a partial cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2023EngineODI 11510843

Electrical system

30 reports1 crash4 fires
“The fan controls in the center of the dash failed. Fan speed 1&2 work, but 3&4 do not. After pulling the center dash controls out, I found that the plug connecting the fan speed controls to the wiring harness was burnt. This is a concern cause it could have burned other components or caused a fire.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2025Electrical systemODI 11682604
All 2012 Impreza problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

8 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl · 2.5L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Manual 5-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Impreza AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
273530$2,150296
Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
273530$2,150296
Impreza AWD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
243328$2,300317
Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport AWD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
243327$2,400329
Impreza AWD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
192521$3,800423
Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport AWD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
192521$3,800423
Impreza AWD
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
172319$4,200468
Impreza Wagon/Outback Sport AWD
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
172319$4,200468
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Subaru Impreza SW AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
4 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
9.9%
Overall
4 / 5
Subaru Impreza 4 DR AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
4 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
9.9%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 28, 2026Vehicle 6238Vehicle 6237
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2012 Impreza questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Subaru Impreza have?

6 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2012 Subaru Impreza problems?

Owners filed 243 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (105), engine (55), electrical system (30). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2012 Subaru Impreza get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Subaru Impreza at 19–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (8 versions rated).

How safe is the 2012 Subaru Impreza?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2012 Subaru Impreza 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 28, 2026