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U.S. public vehicle records

2015 Subaru WRX problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

52 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

31,250 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 40 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 52 complaints (34.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting1223.1%
Engine operation611.5%
Electrical and battery issues59.6%
Steering behavior23.8%
Braking behavior11.9%

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.

Engine
18
Power Train
18
Electrical System
6
Exterior Lighting
5
Fuel/Propulsion System
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Structure:Body
4
Air Bags
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine18
Power Train18
Electrical System6
Exterior Lighting5
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Unknown Or Other5
Structure:Body4
Air Bags3

Engine: 18; Power Train: 18; Electrical System: 6; Exterior Lighting: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Structure:Body: 4; Air Bags: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
19
25,000 to 49,999
3
50,000 to 74,999
8
75,000 to 99,999
8
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00019
25,000 to 49,9993
50,000 to 74,9998
75,000 to 99,9998
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 19; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 12 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.

2014
4
2015
9
2016
6
2017
2
2018
7
2019
5
2020
3
2021
9
2022
3
2023
3
2024
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20144
20159
20166
20172
20187
20195
20203
20219
20223
20233
20241

2014: 4; 2015: 9; 2016: 6; 2017: 2; 2018: 7; 2019: 5; 2020: 3; 2021: 9; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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 10592779 · 2014-05-20 (May 20, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND WITH A STRONG BURNED CLUTCH ODOR. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592779 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10633538 · 2014-09-16 (September 16, 2014)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS IN MANUAL MODE. LEFT STOP SIGN AND USED THE UPSHIFT PADDLE SHIFTER TO CHANGE GEARS. CAR WOULD NOT UPSHIFT. HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN THIS 6200 MILES SINCE PURCHASED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10633538 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10747992 · 2015-08-11 (August 11, 2015)

2015 WRX 2.0L MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS I HAVE HAD (3) DISTINCT PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENGINE/THROTTLE/IDLE. 1) GHOST BLIP: WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AROUND 5-15 MPH, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL COAST TO A STOP IDLE WILL INEXPLICABLY SPIKE FROM ~700RPM (IDLE) --> ~1.2-1.5K RPM (FOR A SECOND OR TWO...LIKE A GHOST BLIPPED THE THROTTLE). NO PRESSURE APPLIED TO ACCELERATOR. 2) ROUGH IDLE: WHILE SITTING AT A STOP, IN NEUTRAL, ~700RPM (IDLE) --> WILL DIP TO ~650-600RPM FOR A FRACTION OF SECOND & REOCCUR EVERY 2-…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10747992 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10823831 · 2016-02-02 (February 2, 2016)

ON MY 24K SERVICE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED IN AT BRIGGS SUBARU OF LAWRENCE, FOR TYPICAL RECOMMENDED SERVICE. AFTER LEAVING THE SERVICE CENTER ONCE THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED, A SHORT WHILE DOWN THE ROAD, I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR TO CONTINUE. I HAD TO CALL THE SERVICE CENTER, AND THEY HAD TO PAY FOR THE TOW BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. WHERE A SERVICE TECH JOINED ME OUTSIDE, HE THEN PROCEEDED TO START THE VEHICLE, WHILE IN NEUTRAL; REVVED THE RPM TO ROUGHLY…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10823831 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11385687 · 2020-12-30 (December 30, 2020)

VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL, OIL CAME OUT THROUGH WHERE THE DIP-STICK IS PLACED. FOUND OIL ON THE EXHAUST TIPS. MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING. REQUIRES NEW COILS AND SPARK PLUGS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THEM. REQUIRED A NEW BATTERY, HOWEVER, REPLACING THE BATTERY DID NOT KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM TURNING OFF BY ITSELF. O2 SENSOR, BANK 1 SENSOR 2, IS ALSO MALFUNCTIONING.

Owner-reported narrative. 115,525 miles reported. Look up ODI 11385687 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11417670 · 2021-05-18 (May 18, 2021)

Battery lasted only less than 2 year s

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11417670 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11114969 · 2018-07-31 (July 31, 2018)

DRIVING ON STRAIGHT ROAD. STEERING WHEEL STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE CROSSED OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC AND CRASHED INTO SIGN AND DRAINAGE CULVERT. WAS TOTALLED FROM THE DAMAGE.

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11114969 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11413825 · 2021-04-25 (April 25, 2021)

WHEN I TAKE SHARP TURNS (LIKE PARALLEL PARKING OR BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY) MY STEERING COLUMN CLUNKS. MAINLY LEFT TURNS ... BUT IT DOES HAPPEN TIME TO TIME WITH RIGHT TURNS.

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11413825 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10854633 · 2016-04-10 (April 10, 2016)

IN A 2015 SUBARU WRX WITH A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION PURCHASED 03/2015 AND DELIVERED TO PURCHASE DEALER 04/2015. REPORTED TO SUBARU DEALER 02/19/2016 A ROUGH IDLE WITH ENGINE RPMS RECORDED BETWEEN 400 AND 1K. ROUGH IDLE TRIPPED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER FUELING AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0420 REPORTED A FAULT IN CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SOFTWARE UPDATE TO COMPUTER PERFORMED RESOLVED ISSUE TEMPORARILY. 04/10/2016 AT 9.7K MILES ROUGH IDLE ISSUE RETURNED RPMS OF 400 TO 1K AGAIN AFTER FUELING. IN NEUTRAL 30-60 SECONDS…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10854633 at NHTSA ↗