2002 Subaru IMPREZA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
292 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
63,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 195 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 45 of 292 complaints (15.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 67 | 22.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 35 | 12.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 17 | 5.8% |
| Steering behavior | 13 | 4.5% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 0.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 45 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 42 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 40 |
| Suspension | 40 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 12 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
| Steering | 8 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 45; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 42; Fuel System, Gasoline: 40; Suspension: 40; Visibility:Windshield: 12; Structure:Body: 10; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Steering: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 28 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 44 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 42 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 24 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 24 |
Under 25,000: 28; 25,000 to 49,999: 44; 50,000 to 74,999: 42; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 24
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 97 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 50 |
| 2003 | 27 |
| 2004 | 44 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 19 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2001: 7; 2002: 50; 2003: 27; 2004: 44; 2005: 26; 2006: 20; 2007: 11; 2008: 19; 2009: 12; 2010: 7; 2011: 14; 2012: 8; 2013: 6; 2014: 3; 2015: 10; 2016: 6; 2017: 7; 2018: 3; 2019: 7; 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 67 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 35 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002828 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)
ABS FAILED RESULTING IN CAR CRASH. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 11,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002828 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008794 · 2002-05-02 (May 2, 2002)
WHEN BRAKING HARD, IF A SMALL BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED ABS WILL OFTEN ACTIVATE AND FAIL CAUSING LOSS OF STOPPING POWER. RELEASING THE BRAKE AND RE-APPLYING WILL RESTORE STOPPING POWER BUT NOT BEFORE GIVING THE DRIVER A GOOD SCARE. I HAVE NOT HIT ANYTHING YET BUT I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS, EVEN TAKING TO THE GRASS TO AVOID A COLLISION. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE. *TS *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS****761464
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008794 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052757 · 2004-01-09 (January 9, 2004)
I HAVE A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX SEDAN WHICH HAS AN APPARENT FUEL LEAK IN COLD WEATHER. SUBARU HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLITAIN OUT ON THIS PROBLEM TO FIX IT (THEY DO KNOW ABOUT IT), BUT IT HAS YET TO BE MADE A RECALL. I FIRST EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN IT WAS VERY COLD OUTSIDE, AND THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. I ASKED SOME OF MY FRIENDS WHO ALSO DRIVE WRX'S IF THEY HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THE PROBLEM RECENTLY AS WELL. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THE TSB …
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052757 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052820 · 2004-01-11 (January 11, 2004)
SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULITEN ABOUT MODEL YEAR 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX'S HAVING A LEAKY FUEL LIKE WHERE IT ENTERS THE INJECTORS. THIS BULLITEN IS NOT COVERED IF THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRENTY. YET THE FUEL LEAK IS SO BAD THAT WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS TURNED ON THERE IS A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL COMIN FROM THE VENTS. I FEEL THAT THIS BULLITEN SHOULD BE A RECALL AND NOT A BULLITEN. THIS KIND OF PROBLEM CAUSES A HUGE SAFETY RICK AND IF A CAR WERE TO CATCH FIRE FROM THE LEAKY FUEL IT COULD NOT ONLY DESTROY THE CAR BUT ALSO HUR…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,006 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052820 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005965 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024843 · 2003-06-24 (June 24, 2003)
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. DEALER FIXED IT TWICE. LAST WEEK TRANSMISSION BROKE, AND VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. SO HE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 37616 MILES. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024843 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057561 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A SUDDEN STOP. OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE INCLUDE THE STEERING PUMP, BRAKES AND THE WINDSHIELD.*AK *MR
Owner-reported narrative. 401,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163633 · 2006-07-27 (July 27, 2006)
STEERING ROLL CONNECTOR FAILED. CAUSES HORN, CRUISE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG TO STOP FUNCTIONING. PART IS POORLY DESIGNED, WIRES ARE HELD IN PLACE BY PAPER. THIS SUBSYSTEM IS UNSAFE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163633 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088885 · 2004-08-31 (August 31, 2004)
2002 SUBARU WRX - I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR 30,000 MILE SERVICE, CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, NO COMPLAINTS. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK, I NOTICED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, AND I WAS SOMETIMES MISSING THE SHIFT - GRINDING GEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS IN ANY CAR BEFORE. THE PROBLEM IS MORE SEVERE AT HIGHER SPEEDS, AND IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE LAST 5000 MILES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE, THE FIRST TIME THEY "COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG", THE SECOND TIME THEY NOTED THAT THE "SENCROS"…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088885 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10107505 · 2005-01-18 (January 18, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. THE DRIVER TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10107505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10252737 · 2008-12-24 (December 24, 2008)
I HAD A REPLACE MY BATTERY. MY BATTERY IS NEW AND MY CAR WON'T START WITHOUT JUMP STARTING IT. IT IS A NEW BATTERY. I BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS A LOOSE CONNECTION. THEY CONNECTED THE WIRES. I WAS CHARGED FOR DIAGNOSTIC. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10252737 at NHTSA ↗