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U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Subaru IMPREZA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

57 owner complaints analyzed

14 distinct recall campaigns

38,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 36 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 57 complaints (29.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior915.8%
Electrical and battery issues47.0%
Steering behavior47.0%
Transmission and shifting35.3%
Fuel system concerns35.3%
Engine operation11.8%

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.

Air Bags
17
Electrical System
9
Fuel/Propulsion System
6
Power Train
6
Service Brakes
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Visibility/Wiper
4
Engine
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags17
Electrical System9
Fuel/Propulsion System6
Power Train6
Service Brakes5
Unknown Or Other5
Visibility/Wiper4
Engine3

Air Bags: 17; Electrical System: 9; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Power Train: 6; Service Brakes: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Visibility/Wiper: 4; Engine: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
12
25,000 to 49,999
11
50,000 to 74,999
5
75,000 to 99,999
7
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00012
25,000 to 49,99911
50,000 to 74,9995
75,000 to 99,9997
100,000 to 149,9991
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 21 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.

2010
1
2011
4
2012
2
2013
4
2014
9
2015
4
2016
11
2017
7
2018
2
2019
5
2021
2
2022
1
2023
1
2024
1
2025
1
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20101
20114
20122
20134
20149
20154
201611
20177
20182
20195
20212
20221
20231
20241
20251
20262

2010: 1; 2011: 4; 2012: 2; 2013: 4; 2014: 9; 2015: 4; 2016: 11; 2017: 7; 2018: 2; 2019: 5; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 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 10440403 · 2011-12-19 (December 19, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH. AFTER TRYING TO DECELERATE AND CONTINUOUSLY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO FOUR OTHER VEHICLES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES. ONE OTHER PASSENGER IN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS REPORTED INJURED AND BOTH WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED AND AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440403 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10562557 · 2014-02-02 (February 2, 2014)

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2011 STI MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE NOISE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I FOUND THAT THE THREE SPOT WELDS SECURING THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIREWALL, JUST UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, I SAW THE SPOT WELDS PULLING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS ALL…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562557 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10563580 · 2014-02-09 (February 9, 2014)

IN COLD WEATHER (APPROX. 10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR BELOW) UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE CAN BE HEARD AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AND HILL-HOLD WARNING LIGHT AT TIMES SIMULTANEOUSLY ILLUMINATE. EACH TIME I HAVE CYCLED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE NO LONGER ON. IN SUCH EXTREME TEMPERATURES THIS FORCES ME TO DECIDE BETWEEN CLEARING THE WARNING LIGHTS IN THIS MANNER AND HOPING THE VEHICLE WILL START AGAIN DUE TO THE STRAIN PLACED ON THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY IN SUCH CONDITIONS O…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10563580 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11446679 · 2022-01-07 (January 7, 2022)

Battery won’t hold a charge, randomly leaves driver stranded

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11446679 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10393868 · 2011-03-31 (March 31, 2011)

VEHICLE HAS SEVERE VIBRATION AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55MPH. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROAD FORCE BALANCED TWICE AND SOA TSB FOR STEERING COLUMN, STEERING WHEEL, CONTROL ARMS AND VARIOUS BUSHINGS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. THE CAR IS WORSE THAN EVER. VEHICLE ALSO "HUNTS" OR SHIMMYS ON DRY LEVEL HIGHWAYS CREATING AN UNSAFE OUT OF CONTROL FEELING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393868 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10672888 · 2015-01-16 (January 16, 2015)

I HAD LEASED MY 2011 IMPREZA 2.5I PREMIUM THROUGH METRIC SUBARU IN 2011, I EXTENDED MY 36 MONTH LEASE ANOTHER 5 MONTHS IN JUNE 2014 THROUGH CHASE BANK, AND WAS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE CAR THROUGH CHASE. ON OCTOBER 11, 2014, AFTER DOING A COURTESY MULTI-POINT INSPECTION, [XXX], THE SERVICE ADVISOR, ADVISED ME TO GET OUT OF THIS CAR AND INTO A NEW CAR WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, SHE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED REAR BRAKE PADS FOR $265 AND MY STRUTS WERE SWEATING AND I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THEM FOR $1,100. I LEFT THERE, MY BRAKES WERE NOW SQUEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10672888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10888367 · 2016-08-11 (August 11, 2016)

2011 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION CLUTCH. *SMD THE CONSUMER NOTICED ON COLD STARTS AND ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS COLD AND/OR RAINY THE THROW OUT BEARING WOULD HAVE A CONSISTENT SQUEAL. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP AND OPERATING TEMPERATURE WAS REACHED, THE NOISE WOULD SUBSIDE. AT 50,000 MILES, THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE CLUTCH WAS WORN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS NORMAL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CONSUMER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE 5TH GEAR GRINDING AND NOT BEING …

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10888367 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11075801 · 2018-03-02 (March 2, 2018)

WEARING MY SEAT BELT, I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL GOING 50 MPH AND REAR ENDED AN SUV IN FRONT OF ME AND SIDE SWIPED ANOTHER CAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. BOTH FRONT TIRES BUSTED, HOOD SMASHED IN, BOTH HEAD LIGHT BROKEN OUT, WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID CONTAINER COMPLETELY ON GROUND, MOTOR PUSHED BACK INTO THE TRANSMISSION, BENT FRAME, EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR WAS PUSHED BACK, DOORS JAMMED SHUT AND NOT A SINGLE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, NO POWDER CAME OUT, NOTHING. LUCKILY I WASN'T HURT BUT THE WAY MY CAR IS SMASHED I SHOULD OF BEEN B…

Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11075801 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10935053 · 2016-12-13 (December 13, 2016)

BEGINNING LAST WINTER, A STRANGE AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM STARTED WITH MY SUBARU. WHENEVER THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS COLD (BELOW FREEZING) AND THE GAS TANK IS THREE QUARTERS FULL OR MORE, THE GAS TANK LEAKS. IF THE CAR IS PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS OR MORE, THE GAS APPEARS AS A PUDDLE ON THE GROUND (ABOUT 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER) AND THE FUMES FILL THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. IF THE CAR IS PARKED IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE, THE FUMES MAKE THEIR WAY INTO OUR HOME OVERNIGHT. THE ODOR IS STRONG! THIS, IN MY OPINION, IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MY LAUNDRY ROOM I…

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10935053 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11257127 · 2019-09-21 (September 21, 2019)

THE GAS TANK IS SLOWLY LEAKING NEAR THE SEAM DUE TO CORROSION FROM SALT AND MOISTURE BEING CAUGHT UP IN THERE FROM THE SAME PLASTIC GAS TANK COVER WITH HOLES IN IT THAT CAUSED THE BRAKE LINE CORROSION RECALL. LEAKS WHEN IT IS OVER HALF FULL.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11257127 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10816933 · 2015-12-30 (December 30, 2015)

2011 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HATCH- MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER FAILURE-PRESSED CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR AND PUT IN FIRST GEAR. CLUTCH DID NOT RETURN AND STAYED TO FLOOR. HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER. CAR WAS MOVING AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF GEAR. CLUTCH WAS UNUSABLE TO GET OUT OF GEAR DUE TO FLUID LOSS. HAD TO STALL CAR TO SHUT OFF-VERY DANGEROUS...LUCKILY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY DURING OCCURRENCE-SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO 1ST GEAR THAT'S WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILED. AFTER FORUM RESEARCH FOUND OUT THERE IS A INTERNAL PLATE …

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10816933 at NHTSA ↗