Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Subaru Impreza owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights were extremely dim, making it difficult to see the roadway properly while driving night. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 17,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated while driving at night, the headlights failed to provide adequate illumination. The failure mileage was 25,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My car was involved in an accident and one headlight was smashed. I found out from my body shop that was my car was recalled and they have no way to fix my headlight. I called Subaru and they told me that the body shop could just put another head light in. But when I talked to the body shop, they cannot just put a headlight in because of the recall. No one is able to help me and now I am out of a car for months instead of only one month.
On 8/9/24 I was involved in a fender bender minor collision with a parked car which damaged my right-hand headlamp assembly on my 2018 Subaru Impreza. On 8/23/24 I brought my car to Subaru of Ann Arbor to have Safety Recall WRG-22 NHTSA ID 22V-624 performed on it. Both headlamp assemblies were under recall by Subaru. I was told by the service manager that the right hand and left hand headlamp assembly replacement procedure could not be performed free of charge, as promised by Subaru, because the front bumper was damaged (due to the accident), and Subaru could not remove and replace it in order to accomplish either headlamp replacement. On 9/9/24 I brought my car to Heritage Collision Center for a repair estimate on my damaged right hand front fender. …
It's been nearly a year since Subaru issued the safety recall on the Impreza yet they still claim they have no remedy despite the recall notice and the NHTSA website stating that the right and left headlamp housing will be replaced as the remedy. At this point it's not being handled in a timely fashion and Subaru is dragging their feet and not concerned about the safety of their customers as they initially fought the recall through appeals and lost, thus forcing them to implement the recall. They are rolling Impreza's off the assembly line so it's not like there's a part shortage, they should be halting production to get the headlamp housing units out to the dealers and not allowed to continue to produce new vehicles if they can't handle them both concurrently.
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: [redacted] (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The dealer was located in Canada and had stated they would be able to complete the remedy once there was a remedy available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and it was confirmed that the remedy could be completed at the dealer however the remedy was not available to provide. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY WITH ENOUGH LIGHT. This recall was entered on Aug 12, 2022 when do they have to fix it? What is a "timely manner?" How long are they allowed to wait. I called Subaru and they indicate they have no definitive time that they have to fix it? Why do they have unlimited time to fix a safety issue? It's been 10 months and you would think they would have the parts by now or are they stalling so that they will have a reduced number of cars to fix? I think the government should step up their enforcement on this issue and get Subaru to provide a timeline for the fix and not just "when we get to it" response.
There is an open recall on my car for the headlights which currently has no fix and none of the dealerships I've spoken to have the parts to fix it. At one dealership they even attempted to sell me new headlights, claiming that the dimness of my headlights has to do with the fact that they're not LED bulbs and not the recall. The car is unsafe to drive at night due to the fact that they are very dim, and when the weather is bad the car can't be driven at all due to the fact that you can't see anything let alone that other drivers can't see this car. No dealership will provide any information other than they don't have the parts.
Subaru Safety Recall WRG-22 is more than a year and a half old. I have checked status regularly. In October 2023, I attempted to contact Subaru and listened to music for 10 minutes. I also contact NHTSA and spoke with a young lady who was quite rude. This recall is not being handled in a timely manner by Subaru or NHTSA. This tool is the only one I could find to report the delay. "If the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner, please contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at: [phone] or TTY: [phone] or file an online complaint with NHTSA."
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact called another local dealer, Curry Subaru Service (3040 E Main St, Cortlandt, NY 10567) and was informed that the parts were on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Related recalls
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza vehicles. The left and right side reflex reflector and left side low beam reflector may inadequately reflect light.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front headlamp assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 15, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Headlight complaints in other Impreza years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2018 Subaru Impreza?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the lights of the 2018 Subaru Impreza, 42% of the model year's 151 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2018 Subaru Impreza headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 22V-624 (headlights, Aug 12, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Subaru Impreza headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 25,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to lights 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.