Subaru WRX
Owners filed 974 complaints across 24 model years of the Subaru WRX. The 2002 drew the most (427); the 2010 the fewest (1).
Model years24
Complaints974
Recalls109
Fires12
Deaths1
Every Subaru WRX model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2022 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2020 | 17 | 1 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2019 | 30 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2017 | 53 | 1 | 2 | 8 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2016 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2015 | 52 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2014 | 6 | 10 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2013 | 7 | 11 | — | 1 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2012 | 2 | 12 | — | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2011 | 4 | 11 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2010 | 1 | 12 | — | — | Structure › Body | Routine | |
| 2009 | 41 | 10 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2008 | 65 | 7 | 1 | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2006 | 14 | 4 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2005 | 19 | 5 | — | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Routine | |
| 2004 | 42 | 5 | — | 1 | Fuel System, Gasoline | Fatalities reported | |
| 2003 | 60 | 2 | 2 | 13 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 2002 | 427 | 2 | 2 | 17 | Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings | Above average |
Which Subaru WRX years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2002 is the weakest year on record, with 427 complaints concentrated in the fuel system, gasoline › delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. It carries 2 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.