2015 Subaru WRX: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 52 complaints (34.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 23.1% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 11.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 9.6% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 3.8% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 1.9% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 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: 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
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.
Examples from the source records
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 10659348 · 2014-11-19 (November 19, 2014)
SON HAD JUST PURCHASED CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO AN AREA WHICH HAD AN UNPLOWED PARKING AREA TO TEST THE HANDLING OF THE CAR IN THE SNOW. CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING AND THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE STRONG SMELL OF THE CLUTCH BURNING. COULD NOT START THE CAR WITH THE CAR IN GEAR AND THE CLUTCH PUSHED IN. CAR WOULD ONLY START IN NEUTRAL. WHEN CAR STARTED COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO INTO GEAR. WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR PUSH STARTED AND DRIVEN APPROX. 0.2 MILES TO A SECURE AREA AND THEN HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CLUTCH WAS FOUND TO BE BURNED OUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 145 miles reported. Look up ODI 10659348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10663750 · 2014-12-12 (December 12, 2014)
AVOIDING A VEHICLE IN BLIND SPOT. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME HIT HIS BREAKS CAUSING THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME TO HIT HIS BREAKS, I CLIP THE RIGHT FRONT FASCIA INTO THE LEFT SEAT CORNER OF THE TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER DID NOT WORK. I PULLED OVER, TURNED MY VEHICLE OFF AND MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN TO THE FRAME AND IS A COMPLETE LOSS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10663750 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10679866 · 2015-01-30 (January 30, 2015)
I DO NOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE VERY OFTEN AS I DRIVE MY WORK TRUCK SIX DAYS A WEEK. I GOT INTO MY VEHICLE BEFORE GETTING ON THE FREEWAY AND REALIZED I NEEDED GAS BEFORE I LEFT. I GOT TO THE GAS STATION WITH MY GAS LIGHT ON AND PARKED. AFTER PAYING FOR GAS I REALIZED MY GAS CAP ACCESS DOOR WAS NOT OPEN, AS I THOUGHT I OPENED IT. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES OPENING THE DOOR WITH THE RELEASE LEVER ON THE FLOOR BY THE DRIVERS SEAT. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES OF CONFUSION I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT OVER RIGHT AWAY ( GOOD THING THEY ARE DOW…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10679866 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10689384 · 2015-02-19 (February 19, 2015)
HEADLIGHTS DISABLED. STARTED THE CAR, "HEADLIGHTS DISABLED" MESSAGE ON DASHBOARD. HEADLIGHTS WERE NON-FUNCTIONAL. THIS WAS IN VERY COLD WEATHER, APPROXIMATELY -10F. AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED WORKING AGAIN, MESSAGE ON DASHBOARD WENT AWAY. DEALER SERVICE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. IF ALL THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BECOME DISABLED WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM IS CREATED BY THIS ISSUE. NOTHING SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUDDENLY DISABLE ALL THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT WARNING. .....UPDATED 12/15/15 *BF
Owner-reported narrative. 18,980 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689384 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10689890 · 2015-02-23 (February 23, 2015)
THREE SEPARATE OCCURRENCES OF THE LED HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMING ON, TOTALLY DISABLING HEADLIGHTS, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, AND BLINKERS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS I PRIMARILY DRIVE TO WORK AT NIGHT AND HEADLIGHTS ARE OBVIOUSLY NEEDED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN COLD WEATHER, THE LAST OCCURRENCE AT -6F. STEPS TO REPLICATE ISSUE: 1) WARM CAR UP ABOUT 5 MINUTES. 2) DRIVE TO DESTINATION. TURN CAR OFF AND LET IT SIT 5-10 MINUTES. 3) START CAR BACK UP AND THE LED WARNING LIGHT APPEARS. WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON, YOU CANNOT TURN ON THE LIGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689890 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10705237 · 2015-04-12 (April 12, 2015)
DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT, A LIGHT CAME ON MY DASH THAT DISPLAYED, "HEADLIGHTS DISABLED." THE HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL FUNCTIONING, SO I IGNORED THE MESSAGE. FEW HOURS LATER, THE LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY FOR ~15 SECONDS AND THEN WENT AWAY. THE NEXT DAY, DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. I CAUTIOUSLY PULLED OVER, AND SET MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. I FLICKED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY AND THEY CAME BACK ON. DROVE FOR ANOTHER 10 MINS AND THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT TU…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10705237 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V162000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger
Reported: 2016-03-21 (March 21, 2016)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Consequence: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
NHTSA campaign record ↗17V625000 · Electrical System:Wiring
Reported: 2017-10-06 (October 6, 2017)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 WRX and WRX/STI vehicles, equipped with an optional factory-installed subwoofer in the trunk. Items in the trunk may cause the subwoofer wiring to contact the subwoofer metal frame, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Consequence: An electrical short may damage the subwoofer amplifier, and may result in the subwoofer overheating, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the subwoofer wire, install a wire retainer clip, and, as necessary, replace the subwoofer, free of charge. The recall began October 31, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTQ-76.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V522000 · Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights:Switch
Reported: 2022-07-21 (July 21, 2022)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
NHTSA campaign record ↗