2008 Subaru Impreza Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Subaru Impreza.

20072009
Complaints
249
Crashes
11
Fires
6
Injuries
14
Fatalities
Recalls
16

Worst 2008 Subaru Impreza Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#151 complaints

POWER TRAIN

Avg mileage:73,250 mi
#224 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:38,646 mi
Crash-related:5
#318 complaints

STRUCTURE:BODY

Avg mileage:72,988 mi
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Subaru Impreza.

POWER TRAIN
51
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,250
AIR BAGS
24
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
38,646
STRUCTURE:BODY
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
72,988
VISIBILITY
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
24,089
SERVICE BRAKES
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
89,803
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
310
ENGINE
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,246
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
48,067
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
4
Avg Miles
54,931
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
41,973
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
61,278
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
33,297
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
81,164
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
11,475
STRUCTURE
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
29,514
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
20,000
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
101,328
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
36,000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
12,000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
9,191
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
59,500
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
82,950
SEAT BELTS
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
3,050
SUSPENSION
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
99,000
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,000
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
90
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
1,800

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Impreza. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2008 Subaru Impreza

16 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,695,324 vehicles.

20V001000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~258,813 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V001000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~258,813 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V003000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~111,562 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V003000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~111,562 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V002000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~127,547 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V002000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~127,547 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V297000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
~511 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

19V149000EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
~1,303,530 affected

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.

17V026000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~69,529 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

17V016000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~62,764 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2006-2008 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), Tribeca, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

+ 6 more recalls

Other Subaru Impreza Years

Wider context: See the full Subaru Impreza reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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