- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
Vehicle safety record
2008 Subaru Impreza Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 209 complaints about the 2008 Subaru Impreza with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (70) and the engine & cooling (42). Those complaints describe 10 crashes, 4 fires and 9 injuries. It is covered by 15 recalls, the latest in January 2020 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2007 has 68 and the 2009 has 113.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Impreza year, for its age
#70 most complained-about 2008 vehicle
- Complaints
- 209
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes
- 10
- Fires
- 4
- Injuries
- 9
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2008 Subaru Impreza problems
Share of all 209 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2008 Subaru Impreza recalls 15
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- The risk
- The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
- The risk
- Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2006-2008 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), Tribeca, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-17.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
- The risk
- If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This notice is only for vehicles that were not covered by 16V-358 for Zone A.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia that were remedied under recall 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. The brake lines may experience brake line corrosion due to salt water splashing on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector.
- The risk
- Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQQ-52. Notes: This recall is specific to affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI customers who had their car remedied under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014. Subaru has determined that this remedy was inadequate due to incomplete repair instructions provided to dealers. Affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles that were not repaired under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311 prior to December 23, 2014 will continue to be processed under NHTSA recall no. 14V-311. Affected vehicles not currently, or formerly, registered in the salt belt states identified in this recall are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- The risk
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
- The problem
- Thule, inc. Is recalling 2,323 owner-installed roof-mounted fit kits, models 3068 and 3069, manufactured between january 1, 2008 and february 28, 2009 that are used with thule podium foot packs, models 460 and 460r. These fit kits were sold as aftermarket equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. The bolt(s) used to secure the foot to the vehicle was manufactured to a hardness that may cause the bolt(s) to be brittle and potentially break under stress.
- The risk
- This may result in the bolt(s) snapping off during use or without a load. The unsecured rack and load can then come loose while driving creating a potential road hazard, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Thule will mail a retro fit kit along with repair instructions to owners free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 13, 2009. Owners may contact thule toll-free at 1-800-238-2388.
- The problem
- Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
- The risk
- Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an engine compartment fire could occur.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will be replaced with a modified part. The recall began on october 20, 2008. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
What owners say
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
209 complaints about the 2008 Subaru Impreza
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 9.
There is a weakness in the cars firewall around the master cylinder where the weld inside is breaking and it is cracking all around the master cylinder and I am unable to shift the car. I have taken the car to two different shops and both say the same thing that the firewall is failing. The brake pedal is shifting when you push down on the slutch and could compromise your ability to safely find the brake pedal in a braking event. Secondly, in the event of a crash, the clutch/brake pedal assembly could move in a...
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direction not orginally designed causing injury to the legs/feet. If it breaks through all the way it will permanently damage the car beyond repair. I have gone online and read that this is happening to many many many people and their are class action lawsuits going on. I just want to be able to drive my car safely and not worry about killing myself or my kids and no one can fix it. IT NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL!! This is what I read online as soon as I looked it up: Some Subaru models have had issues with their firewalls, including the 2008-2010 Impreza and WRX. These issues can include broken welds that cause other parts of the clutch system to wear out. Some symptoms of a Subaru firewall issue include: Failed clutch, Failing pedal assembly, Sheet metal tearing, Heavy clutch pedal, and Squeaky clutch. Some Subaru owners have reported that the firewall is cracked where the master cylinder is attached, causing problems when shifting. Others have reported that spot welds under the cowl are either cracked or deformed, and that there are little spaces in the firewall where the master cylinder flexes. I just put $13000 into my car and now I can't even drive it because of this issue and it was not my fault. It is the fault of the manufacturer. PLEASE HELP ME!!
2008 WRX started to make a sqeeking noise when engaging the clutch. The spot welds came apart from firewall and my clutch has gone out twice. The pedal when shifting sticks and while driving I have to put the pedal under my foot and pull upwards for it to work. Very dangerous and the welds are faulty, it should be a recall items. Subaru can request for a inspection anytime as it is very much needed to be addressed.
I was driving to work and the car was running funny after a few blocks when I saw smoke pouring out of the car I pulled over ad got out and watched the car burn to the ground. I cant get to work and the car contained my personal.belongings.
For the last few years, the reverse lights would intermittently work when the six-speed manual transmission was put into reverse. Lately, the lights fail to work more often than actually work. I have read other Subarus have a common reverse light switch failure and I think more of the older cars use a similar switch and design to recalled models.
Fuel pump connector burnt , gasoline in connection and pump stopped working. No start.
The spot welds under windshield cowl broke causing the bracket holding clutch pedal assembly to break. Because of these issues, I can only engage my reverse gear half the time and while shifting gears in motion, it tends to be a bit difficult. I've almost crashed a couple times because of this issue. My car is a 2008 subaru wrx sedan with only 74,000 miles and I'm currently making payments on the car. Money is really tight due to me being a full time college student and full time worker so I'm not sure how to go...
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about this really big problem. My car is everything to me right now and if it fails on me, I have no means of transportation. I also have no modifications to the vehicle other than wheels, and a blow off valve. The vehicle tends to give me the most difficulty engaging reverse every morning.
Subaru is unable to repair my vehicle for almost a month, I use my vehicle for work and this recall is potentially deadly.
Spot welds on firewall that support the pedal assembly have cracked/broke causing the brake pedal to flex and move while pushing down on the clutch.
Blew 3 valve gaskets within two weeks after buying car. Blew 2 tires within 2 months of having the car. They 'fixed' an oil control valve and then it needed another. Sway bar links needed replaced, cv joints need replaced, brake pads are extremely low. Ac doesn't work. Had to buy all new tires.
Takata recall- I was driving in the slow (right side) of the freeway going about 68 mph (between 65-70), there was a small amount of traffic. There was an extra lane (temporary 3 lane for entrance, but normal 2 lane freeway) to my right and I began merging (or possibly swerved from looking over shoulder...And a bee flew into me while I was driving also causing me to swerve a bit). I ended up in the fast (left) lane that was going slower due to an unknown reason...Which caused me to slam on the breaks, but I rear...
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ended the car in front of me at an angle (my driver side front to their passenger side back) because I swerved back into the luckily empty spot next to me, but it wasn't fast enough to not hit the car in front of me. I didn't see my exact speed when I hit the car but I was going over the documented (on previous page) speed that the airbag should have deployed with the amount of impact our cars struck...This vehicle was going less than 20 mph and I was going somewhere between 50-60 mph and the impact was all on the front driver side so from what I've been reading that the airbag should have gone off....Especially since I had the recall fixed/serviced in december 2018, where I had to bring the car back to the dealership about an hour later because some "hosing" wasn't correctly reinstalled. So I'm curious if anything else wasn't installed correctly that caused the airbag not to go off. I had just taken full coverage off my insurance to save money three days prior to the accident because I am in the moving process-now with no coverage to my damage (which my insurance quoted around 2900$ had I had full coverage still), as well as medical insurance for myself and I spent about 8 hours in the er. Which also won't be covered. I am not 100% certain of how the accident occurred because I wasn't sure why traffic was slowed so suddenly; the airbags should have gone off?
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru impreza. The contact stated that the clutch pedal became very wobbly and almost detached. The contact stated that the manufacturer sent him a technical service bulletin extending the clutch attachment component; however, the dealer (subaru superstore of chandler, 1050 gilbert rd, chandler, az 85286) never had the parts to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000. The vin was unknown.
3 Of 7 spot welds have failed for pedal assembly support bracket. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru impreza. The contact stated that the check engine indicator illuminated and the traction control system failed due to the design of the engine valves. As a result, the contact was unable to drive the vehicle in snowy weather. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine air valves failed. The contact replaced the engine air valves himself, but it did not correct the traction control system failure. The vehicle was also taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine valves needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru impreza. The contact stated that the check engine indicator illuminated and the traction control system failed. As a result, the contact was unable to drive the vehicle in snowy weather. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine air valve failed. The contact replaced the engine air valves himself, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was also taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine valves needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the engine valve design caused the traction control system to fail. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 58,000.
My sons vehicle started off with a squeaking noise when he depressed the clutch. This went on for a couple of months he is now having difficulty shifting the car into gear and it nearly caused an accident the other day. When the vehicle is stationary, and the clutch is totally depressed it is extremely difficult to get the car into gear. When driving it is less difficult, but still very tricky to get into gear. We also noticed that when the clutch is depressed, if you raise the hood, you can see the firewall...
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flexing quite a bit where the clutch master cylinder is located. We replaced the clutch slave cylinder and it did not help the issue. In my reading online, I have noticed many complaints from people related to the factory welds holding the clutch assembly to the firewall are failing. It seems to be a widespread issue for subaru imprezas 2008-2014. I would expect this to be a factory recall. My son can no longer use the car and we are unsure on how to fix the issue. Thank you for your assistance..
Fuel leak , tank need to be replaced. Find the leak in my garage
The fire wall broke and the pistons had nothing but problems then it blew the crank
Both headlights going out at the same time. This has happened about ten times over the last four years and now I have no headlights. I have tried three different headlights in the last month, the first two worked briefly and the last one from subaru did not work at all. From 2005 - 20011 subaru has recalled other models for the same problem but as I was told, "the impreza is the cheap car"
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru impreza. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle lost power. There were no warning indicators illuminated during the failure. The contact stated that the failure occurred every 20,000 miles. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (grand prix subaru, 500 s broadway, hicksville, ny 11801) and the engine block was replaced. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact to purchase a new vehicle. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Problem began with a squeaking sound and would click when depressing clutch. Then the clutch pedal would stick and not come back up. Clutch pedal unable to completely engage making it difficult to get the car into gear. Movement in clutch/brake pedal causing hazard while driving due to displacement. Welds in clutch/brake assembly at the firewall are broken.
Takatata airbag recall I received a letter stating the tk holdings inc. Was filing a chapter 11 and doing an airbag recall that may affect my car. I looked it up on airbagrecall.Com and was then directed to this website. There is no exterior damage to the car nor was it damaged at all while driving. This is all to check if I need my airbags replaced.
Takata airbag. Took the vehicle to the subaru of richmond located at 9177 west broad street 23294, where tried to get the airbag replaced. The airbag sensor was flashing and they said they wouldn't replace the airbag with the sensor blinking, saying that the airbag sensor and the airbag recall had no correlation. They then proceeded to try and charge $1700 for the sensor to get fixed.
Having same issue as most with 08 wrx . Firewall brackets have come loose and clutch will not actuate properly.
What is the issue? Basically the firewall is so thin that it flexes terribly every time the clutch or brake pedal is pressed. The big problem is the way the clutch/brake assembly is secured to the thin firewall. It only has 6 small spot welds that rip off the firewall after time. This makes it so you can't get in and out of gear. Clutch becomes useless. Who? 2008-2014 Gh/gr impreza (2.5I/obs/wrx/sti). I don't think the issue can be linked to a certain batch of vehicles, certain climate/location, or certain year. This has happened all over the world, all years 08-14, and all models (within the gh/gr chassis).
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 subaru impreza. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Subaru Impreza: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 243 | 6 | F |
| 2011 | 58 | 14 | C |
| 2010 | 46 | 15 | C |
| 2009 | 113 | 15 | D |
| 2008 | 209 | 15 | F |
| 2007 | 68 | 9 | C |
| 2006 | 56 | 10 | C |
| 2005 | 75 | 6 | C |
| 2004 | 96 | 8 | D |
2008 Subaru Impreza vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Subaru Impreza | 209 | 15 | F | |
| 2008 Toyota Prius | 1,498 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Honda Civic | 916 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Toyota Corolla | 345 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Hyundai Elantra | 316 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Mazda MAZDA3 | 303 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Volkswagen Jetta | 190 | 6 | C | Compare |
| 2008 Nissan Sentra | 167 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2008 Volkswagen Golf | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2008 Subaru Impreza
Does the 2008 Subaru Impreza have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 15 recalls for the 2008 Subaru Impreza: inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); switch (April 2019) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Subaru Impreza?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (70), engine & cooling (42), airbags (41).
How many complaints has the 2008 Subaru Impreza had?
209 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on September 18, 2007 and the latest on May 20, 2024. Of these, 10 describe a crash and 4 a fire, and together they report 9 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2008 Subaru Impreza a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 17 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Subaru Impreza year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Subaru Impreza years have the most complaints?
2002 (296), 2013 (251), 2012 (243). See every Subaru Impreza year compared.
What should I do if my 2008 Subaru Impreza has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data