2008 Subaru Wrx Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Subaru Wrx.

20062009
Complaints
119
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Fatalities
Recalls
7

Worst 2008 Subaru Wrx Problems

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

#144 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:72,824 mi
#225 complaints

Body Structure

Avg mileage:79,317 mi
#324 complaints

Brakes

Avg mileage:88,775 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Subaru Wrx.

Transmission / Drivetrain
44
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
72,824
Body Structure
25
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
79,317
Brakes
24
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
88,775
Unintended Acceleration
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Clutch Assembly:Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle)
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

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

Recalls for 2008 Subaru Wrx

7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,463,365 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.

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.

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.

14V830000Hydraulic Brakes
~200,064 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia that were remedied under recall 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. The brake lines may experience brake line corrosion due to salt water splashing on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector.

14V311000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
~461,338 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.

Other Subaru Wrx Years

2008 Subaru Wrx — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2008 Subaru Wrx reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2008 Subaru Wrx has 119 NHTSA complaints, 0 crash-related, and 7 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Transmission / Drivetrain with 44 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2008 Subaru Wrx?
Top reported problems: Transmission / Drivetrain (44 complaints, avg 72,824 mi); Body Structure (25 complaints, avg 79,317 mi); Brakes (24 complaints, avg 88,775 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Subaru Wrx?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 78,686 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
Does the 2008 Subaru Wrx have any recalls?
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,463,365 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2008 Subaru Wrx?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (transmission / drivetrain) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

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

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