3rd generation (GE/GH/GR/GV) · GE/GH (narrow body sedan/hatch); GR/GV (wide body WRX/STI) · 533 complaints, 393 with mileage
Owners filed 533 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008–2011 Subaru Impreza, and 393 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 26,900 and 85,000 miles. The median is 58,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (18.9% of complaints, typically around 62,000 miles), the airbag system (14.3% of complaints, typically around 8,000 miles), body structure (9.2% of complaints, typically around 64,500 miles).
19 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 101 | 18.9% | 62,000 | 42,100–85,000 |
| Air Bags | 76 | 14.3% | 8,000 | 200–60,000 |
| Structure | 49 | 9.2% | 64,500 | 51,000–101,000 |
| Service Brakes | 38 | 7.1% | 70,000 | 40,000–102,000 |
| Engine | 36 | 6.8% | 73,000 | 48,500–98,000 |
| Visibility | 33 | 6.2% | 19,000 | 4,100–36,000 |
| Electrical System | 30 | 5.6% | 60,000 | 38,400–97,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 28 | 5.3% | 13,500 | 5,960–25,500 |
| Unknown Or Other | 26 | 4.9% | 91,000 | 50,000–113,300 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 4.1% | 44,100 | 20,000–69,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 249 | 190 |
| 2009 | 149 | 113 |
| 2010 | 60 | 42 |
| 2011 | 75 | 48 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 58,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 18.9% of complaints (101 reports, 91 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 62,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 42,100 and 85,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 14.3% of complaints (76 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 8,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 200 and 60,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 9.2% of complaints (49 reports, 44 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 64,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 101,000 miles.
The brakes account for 7.1% of complaints (38 reports, 32 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 102,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 6.8% of complaints (36 reports, 31 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,500 and 98,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 6.2% of complaints (33 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 19,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,100 and 36,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2008 model year drew the most — 249 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 60. The median year sits at 112.
That makes 2008 an outlier: roughly 2.2 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
NHTSA records 19 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (14), the electrical system (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 533 complaints filed against this generation, 26 reported a crash; 15 reported a fire; 25 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 4.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 26,900 and 85,000 miles, with a median of 58,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 8,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Head gasket seepage remains a reported wear item on the naturally aspirated EJ 2.5L in the early years of this generation.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V003000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 20V002000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 20V001000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V297000 | 2019-05-10 | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch |
| 19V149000 | 2019-04-15 | Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch |
| 19V009000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V008000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V007000 | 2019-01-25 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V014000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V013000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V012000 | 2018-02-09 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V016000 | 2017-03-08 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V026000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V014000 | 2017-03-06 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 16V738000 | 2016-12-16 | Electrical System |
| 16V359000 | 2016-08-24 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 16V358000 | 2016-07-22 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 14V830000 | 2015-01-27 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
| 14V311000 | 2014-07-23 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings |