2002 Subaru Impreza Suspension Problems

Which parts fail

• Rear
  3
• Front
  3
• Front › Control arm
  2
• Front › Control arm › Lower arm
  2

Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  00%
• 25k–50k
  12%
• 50k–75k
  512%
• 75k–100k
  717%
• 100k–150k
  1331%
• 150k+
  1638%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Subaru Impreza owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

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. …

I brought my Subaru Impreza 2001 wagon in for oil change into my Subaru service on 11/4/2016. I was informed that the front subframe was rusty and they could stick a screw driver through a hole. I was able to leave with the car but they were concerned for the future and recommended repairing if we are keeping the car. I have already had the control arm replaced before the control arm recall on this model due to excessive rust; luckily it broke in a parking lot and not at high speed. This is logically the same issue where the front subframe part did not get treated well enough just like the control arm that caused the recall. Please make Subaru cover this as a recall. I would like to keep this car for more years to come, but the cost of the subframe part, that should not be this rusted out, is as much as the blue book value of the car. …

NHTSA campaign id 11V464000 (Subaru safety recall wvx-34) covers 2002-2007 imprezas, as well as other models. The safety recall covers cars registered in 20 rust belt states. My vehicle has never been registered in those states, so it is technically not covered, but it is driven there regularly since we live only a few miles away. Subaru of America did not treat or replace my lower control arm since it technically didn't meet the recall criteria. The control arm broke due to rust while driving - control of the vehicle was luckily maintained at time of failure. The safety recall states "the front lower control arm May break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion", which it did. The safety complaint here is that surrounding states for safety recalls that cover specific states. Vehicles, weather and road treatments do not stop at states borders. …

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza. While driving 30 MPH, the lower control arm rusted and fractured, the front passenger side wheel began bouncing uncontrollably, and the steering wheel began moving and vibrating uncontrollably. The contact forced the vehicle off the road and into a ditch on the left side of the road on a two lane highway. The vehicle was towed. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that NHTSA campaign number: 11V464000 (suspension) was already inspected on the vehicle. It was determined that the lower control arm did not need to be replaced. The failure mileage was 163,000. ..updated 10/25/17 consumer stated front lower control arm corroded in exact spot that was inspected during recall. This important safety recall test is inconsistent way to inspect vehicles. …

Subaru Impreza outback sport 2002, passenger lower control arm had corrosion bad enough to cause complete separation and failure causing loss of vehicle steering control while driving on a highway at approximately 40 MPH. Contacted Subaru of America and Subaru dealership, Subaru was not within the VIN numbers specified under the current recall to repair this identical issue of corrosion of the lower control arm. Also the u frame brace was so extremely corroded that it crumbled and fell apart similar to the control arm corrosion. Other damage directly related to the control arm failure include, damage to body and fender when tire was stuffed backward into the fender during the failure at speed. Damage to tire, damage to anti roll bar end link, damage to drive axle and drive axle boots and damage to seal and housing at transmission differential, damage to lower ball joint.

Took my car in for tires and along with bad wheel bearing, I was told by the mechanic that the front subframe was almost rotted out. As I live in a cold snowy area and I often drive my grandchildren around in this vehicle, I'd like to know what is being done about this? I see that there are other owners of the same model, year, make that have similar complaint. I am also very upset that I was sold this car in 01/12 and was not informed of the front control arm recall. 5 months after I bought this car, I had to have this replaced. It was in the shop for 2 days, the parts had to be ordered from a Subaru dealer, why was I not informed of this problem at that time either?

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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while reversing from a parking space, there was a loud noise. The contact discovered that the front passenger side wheel was not in place and the lower control arm was fractured in half. The vehicle was left at a parking lot. The contact also stated that the vehicle was repaired in 2012 for a recall on the lower control arm issued by the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 203,000.

The front passenger side control arm broke into two pieces causing loss of control of the vehicle. This caused the right from tof the vehicle to drop down, it caused the tire to contact the fender at rear of wheel opening and caused the front wheels to point in two different directions. The occurred on a city street (luckily) while backing and turning after exiting a driveway. There is a recall, but it allowed Subaru to "inspect" the control arm back in 2011 and not replace it, which allowed it's failure anyway and so was ineffective.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Suspension complaints in other Impreza years