Most common 2002 Subaru Impreza problems
Share of the 292 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Subaru Impreza complaints by model year
Best Impreza years: 2023, 2021, 2022. Years to avoid: 2012, 2013, 2019, 2018, 2017. Compare all years →
2002 Subaru Impreza recalls (6)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from September 5, 2000 through November 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont,…
Remedy: Subaru will handle their vehicles and Saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 impreza wrx vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, minnesota, idaho, iowa, montana, colorado, wisconsin, new york, wyoming, michigan, alaska, new hampshire, vermont, and maine.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel line free of charge. The recall began on December 31, 2009. Owners May contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Latches/locks/linkages › Tailgate › Latch
Subaru is recalling 36,791 my 2002-2003 impreza wagons. The stud bolt(s) of rear gate stay May have been tightened with insufficient tightening torque and a gap May have resulted between the rear gate panel and stud bolt base.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to see if there is any gap at the stud bolt of the rear gate stay installation. If a gap is found, the stud bolt will be removed to check for damage to the welding nut.
Seats
On certain sedan and wagon model vehicles, the left front bolt that retains the forward part of the driver's seat to the seat slide rail May loosen. If the seat slide rail bolt loosens, it will eventually fall out, and the seat May separate from the seat slide.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new left hand driver's seat rail mounting bolt. The recall began on August 20, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, May not engage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification January 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during November 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2002 Subaru Impreza:
Front suspension control arm failure
On September 6, 2011, Fuji Heavy Industries USA, Inc, on behalf of Subaru of America, Inc notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) it would be conducting a safety recall of certain model year (MY) 2002 through 2007 Subaru Impreza, MY 2003 through 2008 Subaru Forester, and MY 2005 through 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold or currently registered in one the salt belt states including the District of…
Fuel line leak
Complainants report fuel leakage most frequently in winter during initial cold engine startup.owners will either notice a fuel odor inside the occupant compartment or fuel odor/leakage at the fuel lines on the right side atop the engine.
Fuel line leakage in engine compartment
Subaru reports that the fuel odor is caused by fuel seepage during cold start of the engine under extremely cold temperatures. The leak occurs in a fuel line in the engine compartment.it reports that the failure is due to the misaligned angle between two fuel delivery lines which resulted in such fuel seepage during the first few seconds of cold engine start during these cold temperatures.Subaru reports that the two…
Fuel line leak
The design of the fuel line (metal rail/rubber hose interface) is susceptible to fuel odor and/or seepage in extreme cold temperature conditions.owners most often noticed fuel odor in the occupant compartment area during initial cold engine start-up.once the engine is warmed, the odor/seepage issue dissipates.from Subaru's data, odi notes that the incident rates are higher in states with colder temperatures.there…
What 2002 Subaru Impreza owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 99 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the front passenger side lower control arm suddenly failed causing the passenger side of the vehicle to lower. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the lower control arm had fractured. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 11V464000 (suspension) but the failure persisted. The contact also indicated that there was a fuel odor present while operating the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed of repaired. The failure mileage was 135,000.
Very strong smell of raw gasoline in the engine compartment and cabin that would be consistent with spilled fuel but there wasn't any spilled in either location. The smell is strongest while driving with heat or A/C on to the point that windows had to be opened because the fumes were irritating the eyes. After speaking with a mechanic, was told that a common problem is the rubber fuel lines that run along the top of the engine dry rot and break causing raw gasoline to spill onto the hot engine and turbocharger potentially causing a fire. This has been an issue the entire time I have owned the vehicle.
Brakes all 60 →
Thin ice and snow on road, approaching red light at 28mph downshifted to 2nd, slowed to 17mph, downshifted to 1st, slow to 9, lightly applied brakes with 4 car lengths to go, left front momentarily locked triggering anti-lock system which pushed the pedal up but failed to do anything else, with absolutely no reduction in speed I steered into the snowbank and stopped beside the vehicle at the light after brushing the bumper. Fuse 8 has been pulled to prevent a repeat of this incident.
It was raining. I was turning left at a light, saw another car coming towards me. I applied brakes and there was a hesitation of braking power due to the ABS system. This also happens when driving in low traction conditions or over bumps. I went to the dealer and they said that the same year similar model had problems with the ABS computer and that they replace the ABS computers for that one but they said they wouldn't for my car.
Suspension all 49 →
The contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle felt as if there was a flat tire on the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the front driver's side tire was about to detach. Additionally, the driver's side front lower control arm was fractured. Prior to the failure, the contact had driven over a railroad track and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
The passenger side lower control arm was rusting out without my knowledge and while driving, a part of it broke in half which caused my front passenger side while to turn the wrong way and ripped apart the CV Axle causing me to swerve to the left and promptly stopping the vehicle causing cars behind me to swerve out of the way. Thankfully, I was in the far left lane which avoided me smashing into another car. After research, I found a recall that included my car's make, model, year, and VIN range but was not applied to my car due to it not being registered in a "salt state". Had this car been treated in the first place like other same model cars were, it would not have had this issue. The car was purchased and has been in the Northern Virginia area for its whole life. Virginia is not a salt state, however, this car has been in and out of WV, MD, PA & DC which are all salt states. …
2002 Subaru Impreza engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Subaru Impreza a good car?
Based on 292 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Impreza rates avoid: 5.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Impreza at the same age. It is one of the Impreza years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Subaru Impreza?
The fuel & propulsion system — 99 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. Next are the brakes (60) and suspension (49).
How many recalls does the 2002 Subaru Impreza have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2002 Subaru Impreza, the most recent from September 6, 2011 (lower arm). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Subaru Impreza?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2021 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2013, 2019, 2018 and 2017. See the full Subaru Impreza years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Subaru Impreza problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 37% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.