2017 Subaru IMPREZA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
125 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
14,953 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 125 complaints (24.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 9.6% |
| Braking behavior | 11 | 8.8% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 4.0% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 3.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.8% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 31 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 25 |
| Unknown Or Other | 22 |
| Electrical System | 21 |
| Engine | 14 |
| Air Bags | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 7 |
| Power Train | 5 |
Exterior Lighting: 31; Visibility/Wiper: 25; Unknown Or Other: 22; Electrical System: 21; Engine: 14; Air Bags: 10; Service Brakes: 7; Power Train: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 37 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 16 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 60 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 31 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2017: 17; 2018: 13; 2019: 14; 2020: 17; 2021: 12; 2022: 2; 2023: 31; 2024: 10; 2025: 7; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 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 10968330 · 2017-03-24 (March 24, 2017)
EYESIGHT SYSTEM KEEPS TURNING ITSELF OFF. REAR CAMERA HAS FAR MORE PROBLEMS AFTER FEDERAL REAR CAMERA RECALL. CAMERA OFTEN DOESN'T APPEAR AND LEAVES ME WITH A BLANK SCREEN. EYESIGHT SYSTEM SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY AND RESETS AFTER A RESTART. NOTHING ELSE CHANGES BUY A RESTART, AND PROBLEM IS SOLVED. SOUND ALSO CEASES TO COME OUT OF THE RADIO, TOTAL SILENCE, REGARDLESS OF INPUT AND VOLUME SETTING. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS RANDOM. CAR'S BATTERY RUNS DOWN AT TIMES, AS THE SCREEN STAYS ON ON THE RADIO, EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF. TWICE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE N…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10968330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11013722 · 2017-08-08 (August 8, 2017)
RADIO CONTROLS "FROZE" BEFORE I EVEN DROVE IT OFF THE DEALER'S LOT. COULD NOT SELECT AF OR FM. SATELLITE RADIO, HOWEVER, WORKED. FIX WAS EITHER TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY OR REMOVE AND REINSERT A FUZE. DEALER MECHANIC SHOWED ME HOW TO USE THE FUZE METHOD. CAR WAS STATIONARY AND HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR 5-10 MINUTES. I DID NOT TEST TO SEE IF OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS WERE IMPACTED AS WELL.
Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 11013722 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11097739 · 2018-05-24 (May 24, 2018)
ON MARCH 22, 2018, MY 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA SPORT WAGON, WITH APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS TRAVELING AT 8 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT ' MAKING A RIGHT. 3/4 OF THE WAY THRU THE TURN I FELT A VIOLENT JARRING OF MY CAR ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG SLAMMED THE LEFT SIDE OF MY UPPER BODY NECK AND HEAD. I SAW THAT MY DIRECTION OF TRAVEL DID NOT CHANGE I STARTED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND APPLY THE BRAKES. HAD NO BRAKES. A…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11097739 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11111911 · 2018-07-17 (July 17, 2018)
UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND PREPARING TO START I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT PROCEEDED TO TRAVEL TO THE FIREWALL WITH NO RESISTANCE. I THEN PUSHED THE START BUTTON AND THE INSTRUMENTATION LIT UP. I COULD NOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR SHUT THE DOOR. I PONDERED WHAT TO DO NEXT IE, CALL A TOW TRUCK, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND DECIDED TO RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE. UPON ENTERING EVERYTHING RETURNED TO NORMAL. AFTER THIS OCCURRED I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11111911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11064197 · 2018-01-22 (January 22, 2018)
MY CAR STALLED 3X YESTERDAY, 1/21/2017 WHILE DRIVING. I WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ABOUT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11064197 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11064614 · 2018-01-24 (January 24, 2018)
I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT THE LIGHT WHEN CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. BROUGHT IT TO LIBERTY SUBARU DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND TECH RELEASE IT AS SAFE TO DRIVE AFTER THEY CLAIMED TO FIX THE MAIN RELAY. A MINUTE AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP CAR STALLED AGAIN NEAR THE TRAIN TRACKS. THE 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA IS HAZARDOUS, UNSAFE, AND LIFE THREATENING. THIS TIME LIBERTY SUBARU SAID THEY HAVE TO REWIRE THE ENGINE. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR WITH MY CHILDREN. IT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME, MY FAMILY, AND OTHER DRIVERS.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11064614 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11083767 · 2018-04-07 (April 7, 2018)
WITH STEERING WHEEL HELD STRAIGHT OR TURNING, IN TOWN OR HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEELS WILL PULL LEFT OR RIGHT AS ROAD SURFACE VARIES CAUSING CAR TO MOVE IN LANE, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE CORRECTED. IT IS AS IF THE CAR WANTS TO STEER ITSELF. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE SINCE LEASING THE VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11083767 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11433154 · 2021-09-16 (September 16, 2021)
I bought a "Subaru Impreza" 2017, and in the span of 4 years, had numerous issues, including: -dead battery -car suddenly stopping on highway: no electroninc warning whatsoever -over 6 possibly lethal recalls (mainly pertaining to car electronics andbrakes), which might cause car to stop moving/responsing to steering/braking at any moment, which I send in for repair ASAP. Afterwards, I was assured all the electronics and brake components had been checked, and I would be safe to drive everyday for work. -This week, after all these "repaired" re…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11433154 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11013765 · 2017-08-08 (August 8, 2017)
CAR WILL NOT MOVE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER HITTING THE GAS AND AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. COASTING TO A RED LIGHT STOP DOWNHILL, WHEN I START TO MAKE LEFT TURN INTO TRAFFIC CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO GAS PEDAL FOR 2-4 SECONDS AND WHEN IT STARTS MOVING IT FEELS LIKE ITS IN A HIGH GEAR BUCKING LIKE A MANUEL TRANSMISSION. IT IS A CVT . LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I ROLLED INTO THE INTERSECTION ALMOST TO GET HIT BY A TRUCK, LUCKILY IT SWERVED TO AVOID ME. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR. ENCLOSED IS A PICTURE OF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON WHILE I AM DRIVING, EXTREM…
Owner-reported narrative. 850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11013765 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11589288 · 2024-05-17 (May 17, 2024)
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate without warning. The contact then stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle stalled upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with the traction control symbol flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. An attempt to jumpstart the vehicle also failed to start the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was initially diagnosed with defective spark plugs and contamina…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11589288 at NHTSA ↗