Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Subaru Impreza owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway and turned off, a fire ignited. The neighbor had discovered three vehicles in the driveway were on fire and called the fire department to the scene who extinguished the flames. During the incident, the three-vehicle were destroyed. A fire report was taken at the scene. Fire investigators determined that the fire started on the front passenger side of the Subaru vehicle. No further information was available. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 54,000.
I bought a "Subaru Impreza" 2017, and in the span of 4 years, had numerous issues, including: -dead battery -car suddenly stopping on highway: no electroninc warning whatsoever -over 6 possibly lethal recalls (mainly pertaining to car electronics andbrakes), which might cause car to stop moving/responsing to steering/braking at any moment, which I send in for repair ASAP. Afterwards, I was assured all the electronics and brake components had been checked, and I would be safe to drive everyday for work. -This week, after all these "repaired" recalls, my car suddenly while I was driving on one of the busiest/most dangerous highways in our area: it took me several minutes to even manage to pull onto the shoulder. During that time, I was almost hit 5 times, and had to call CHP to come take me. I could have easily been killed. and the CHP operator clearly told me not to drive this car again. …
I noticed that visibility at night was poor. I was pulled over by the police and give a warning that my headlight was out and told to get it fixed. I thought it may be as simple as a bulb but was told the entire left headlamp assembly had to be replaced at a cost of more than $2,000. Just days later my Dealership send me a service notice which also stated that the left headlamp should be inspected. This was after I had already had it replaced at a local garage. The dealership confirmed that their was a recall but when I tried to get reimbursed by Subaru thru the safety recall WRG-22/NHTSA 22V624000 they said my vin# was excluded from the recall!(?)
[redacted] 2017 Subaru Impreza VIN [redacted] Cruze control error. Will it make brake lights fail if not repaired? go look in your database and see if Impreza has more than normal rear end collisions? What else is on bus that might be damaged by spike? Braking? Antilock? Lights? Why is this NOT a recall?
I am filing a safety complaint regarding an Engine Control Module (ECM) failure in my 2017 Subaru Impreza and the handling of a prior recall repair. Dealership records show that a recall repair (WRE21 - ignition coil recall) was completed in June 2021. At that time, the dealership documented that the ECM calibration was up to date and functioning properly. However, I later experienced a check engine light and drivability concerns. Diagnostic records from February 2026 indicate: Camshaft slow response codes Persistent sensor issues A technician recommendation to replace multiple components, including the ECM, stating that codes were "burned into the ECM" The dealership has since attempted to attribute the ECM failure to "engine sludge" and lack of maintenance. …
I was parking my car at apartment's parking lot by right turning. I was driving really slow about 5miles/hr.my foot was on the break pedal and as I press the break to slow my car further it got accelerated (with raving engine noise) and hit front parking fence as well as parked car right to me. I moved the automatic gear stick to parking position and able to stop the car. I talked with my car maker and they looked at it and prepared a report in 10 weeks. According to them weather mat might be the cause of this problem.but I do not think weather mat moved from its place during incident. I am really scared to drive this car again specially my car manufacturer doesn't seems to find the real cause of problem. I think my vehicle had an electrical malfunction that causes the vehicle to continue accelerating even my foot was on break.
Parked at a store. Car caught on fire while in store. Car had been parked approximately 10 minutes. Left side headlight spontaneously ignited.
We purchased a new Impreza on 2/4/17, within days of bringing the car home we noticed that all the radio presets had been wiped out, and the xm radio had reverted back to a trial period. That same day we received an email saying that our car was sending a problem code for the starlink system. Upon calling the dealership we spoke with a service adviser who owns the same car and she told us that she has all kinds of problems with the car software. Including backup camera, screen freezing, losing radio presets, clock time changing. And she indicated that this was a know issue with the vehicle model and she had been dealing with it for 2 months. She told us that she had been told Subaru had not idea how to fix it and maybe in May they might have it fixed. Upon being transferred to the sales manager, he hold us that Subaru had not put a stop sell order on the call so they kept selling them. …
There are two separate issues with this vehicle which has not been resolved through dealers help and no recalls have been issued yet for these problems. First: the engine stalls around 16 to 11 MPH. The acceleration slows down rapidly after 16-15mph then it ramps up at 13mph and then slows down around 11 MPH speeds. This issue has been persistent since the ownership of the vehicle. NHTSA needs to look into this problem since it can be a potential safety risk and can cause accidents. Second: the battery on this vehicle was dead suddenly over night without any visible clues. No map or dome lights were kept on. The vehicle was switched off properly and next morning the battery was dead. Somewhere in the vehicle (the suspect is infotainment system) the battery is draining. This has happened twice and had to change the batteries. …
Dashboard airbag warning light is on when outside temperatures are hot. Happens alls surfaces/movement: stationary, moving, city street, highway. Passenger seat empty, driver in car only. Subaru dealer blamed it on my seat covers, after pushing for more research dealership says there is a known problem with airbag sensor but only techs who call into their tech help line are made aware. The part to fix the airbag issue/light is not currently available, and no specific date the part will be available to fix. Dealership states the issue is the sensors located on the interior roof of my car next to interior lights. States the sensor wires aren't coated well enough from heat, causing the light to come on/not properly registering if there is or is not a person in the passenger seat. Airbag is off if it doesn't register a passenger. Happened three times in the past two weeks.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021.
Electrical system › Software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge.
Electrical complaints in other Impreza years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2017 Subaru Impreza?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the electrical system of the 2017 Subaru Impreza, 17% of the model year's 125 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2017 Subaru Impreza electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V-264 (software, Apr 15, 2021); NHTSA recall 19V-743 (software, Oct 18, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2017 Subaru Impreza electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 5,000 miles, and 64% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.