Fuel System complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2019 | 6 | 3% | 15,000 miles |
| 2017 | 5 | 4% | 11,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 2% | 34,000 miles |
| 2013 | 5 | 2% | 67,000 miles |
| 2012 | 7 | 3% | 22,000 miles |
| 2011 | 6 | 10% | 46,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 13% | 97,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 8% | 65,000 miles |
| 2008 | 5 | 3% | 70,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 3% | 78,000 miles |
| 2006 | 7 | 13% | 70,000 miles |
| 2005 | 19 | 25% | 90,000 miles |
| 2004 | 37 | 39% | 89,000 miles |
| 2003 | 26 | 42% | 103,000 miles |
| 2002 | 99 | 34% | 60,000 miles |
| 2001 | 1 | 9% | 151,000 miles |
| 2000 | 3 | 7% | 135,000 miles |
| 1999 | 2 | 9% | 80,000 miles |
| 1996 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 1995 | 8 | 17% | 145,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My vehicle starts to shake and the engine acts like it is going to die when I hit around 50-60 mph. I cannot floor it and the vehicle will not let me go any faster then 60mph without it acting like there's no fuel getting to the engine or something in that sense
Low speed throttle application vehicle fails to respond. Does not happen all the time. A near collision almost happened while making a left hand turn with oncoming traffic. Has been happening repeatedly, usually within a parking lot.
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate without warning. The contact then stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle stalled upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with the traction control symbol flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. An attempt to jumpstart the vehicle also failed to start the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was initially diagnosed with defective spark plugs and contaminated fuel. The contact was later informed that the failure was caused by a defective fuel pump that needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 68,500.
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. …
Car was parked directly in front of residential garage. I started the car to pull it into the garage. As soon as I put the car in drive, with my foot still on the brake, it shot forward at full speed and crashed into a trailer at the back of the garage. The impact from the trailer broke a hole in the garage wall. Total distance traveled was about 25'.
My cars break lights are not working. My car will lose power on the road to where it will completely die and I have to turn the ignition off and turn it back on to keep going. My emergency brake light is on my tire sensor lights are on even though tire pressure is correct there are times when I cannot get my car into gear. It will make a very loud clunking noise and then a whizzing noise when you turn the air conditioner on and then you get no power at all to the car. I cannot go up a steep hill on the highway because it will only go up to 35 miles an hour. When it loses power on the highway and I have to the restart the car that's very dangerous.
I purchased this car brand new from the dealership in January 2012 and have consistently added 1 quart +/- approximately every 1,200 miles, more often and increased added oil volume during extended driving times. I have spoken directly with Subaru dealers/service managers in 3 different california cities whom have been alerted to this oil consumption issue and have casually explained the consumption of 3-5 quarts of oil between changes as normal. Research seems to show that some Subaru dealers have begun to replace the short block of the engines that are consuming too much oil, but only for those with documented oil loss. Those people that visit the dealer exclusively for their service are likely the ones who will have their engines replaced without cost, leaving the rest of us out to dry. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while trying to fuel the vehicle, the fuel vent was fractured and caused the fuel to leak out. The power steering warning light illuminated. The failure occurred continuously for months. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 21,500.
Related recalls (4)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017 Impreza vehicles. Winter fuels may vaporize prematurely in the fuel line, resulting in a reduction in fuel pressure, possibly causing the engine to stall.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the engine control unit to turn the radiator cooling fan on at a lower temperature, free of charge. The recall began on April 20, 2017.
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Impreza years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (99), 2004 (37), 2003 (26), 2005 (19) and 1995 (8) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 34% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Subaru Impreza fuel system problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 21V-587 (fuel pump, Jul 29, 2021); 20V-218 (fuel pump, Apr 16, 2020); 17V-216 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Mar 29, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Impreza fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (56 mentions), followed by the delivery (4).
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.