Most common 2003 Subaru WRX problems
Share of the 60 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Subaru WRX complaints by model year
Best WRX years: 2010, 2012, 2011. Years to avoid: 2017, 2015, 2022, 2009, 2024. Compare all years →
2003 Subaru WRX recalls (1)
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 defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2003 Subaru WRX:
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…
Braking system/ABS
Subaru's supplemental response of September 29, 2003, identified that the 2002, 2003 Subaru wrx models areequipped with the Bosch 5.3 ABS system, and identified that other model Subaru vehicles are also equipped with the Bosch 5.3 ABS system, but have different calibrations than the wrx model vehicles.Subaru identified that changes were made in the ABS ECU to address a calibration logic issue when driving the…
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…
Extended stopping distances
During the ea, odi and vrtc performed the following activities:1.conducted a mail survey of 246 subject vehicle owners todetermine the roadway surface that caused owners' concern;2.interviewed complaining owners;3.conducted field inspections of seven (7) complaint vehicles;4.instrumented testing at vrtc of complaint and peer vehicles;5.reviewed Subaru's response to our information request;6.met with Subaru for…
What 2003 Subaru WRX owners say
Brakes all 20 →
I just had the car in with 6600 miles for an oil change and they performed the 7500 mile check up and found nothing wrong with the car. That afternoon I first notice the brakes feel soft and not slow the car I shook it off thinking I felt it wrong. I noticed it 2 days later again and decided I should get it back to the dealer but before I could I lost the brakes as I was turning a corner and went over a curb through a sing before I got in control and turned out of the grass I was in. I had body work done and some front suspension components replaced but nothing done to brakes no one found anything wrong. My insurance company said they would have it inspected and I never heard anything from them. That was October of 2003 and the problem is happening again. I haven't had it back to dealer yet I am waiting til I can cause the problem consistently so they know there is a problem. …
I was driving to work this yesterday (2/12/04) morning, and was just crossing an intersection. I was going about 15mph, and saw the car in front of me hit there breaks. I pushed down the pedal, and to my horror, it seemed to go all the way to the floor without my car stopping at all. Next thing I knew, I had rear-ended a Buick (which as an aside suffered nothing worse than a scratched bumper, compared to my folded hood, ruining front bumper, and other twisted metal).I have about 15K miles on the car, and have not experienced this problem before. This is my first accident in almost 15 years of driving, and don't really know how to procede. I called my local Subaru dealer, who said he had no idea of such a problem. When the police officer was asking me what happened just after the accident, I describe the pedal to the floor for him, and hopefully he'll include my statement in the report.
Fuel & propulsion system all 20 →
I have a 2003 Subaru WRX. My car started to smell like something was burning a few days ago in the engine bay. I have also noticed that when the temperature goes below 30 degrees the inside cabin starts to strongly smell like raw fuel. The vapors can cause harmful and even deadly consequences. I have done some research on this issue and it seems that its a widely common issue with Subaru WRX's from 2002 to 2004. I took the car to a mechanic shop and got the car examined. The mechanic told me that the clamps that hold the gas lines intact were very loose. He said that the during high fuel pressure the fuel lines could separate and cause a engine fire. I have called Subaru of America and they told me there's a bulletin on this issue. It seems that this can be a very dangerous safety issue, and it sounds to me that Subaru of America is not willing to repair the $500 issue. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Subaru WRX. The contact noticed a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to byers airport Subaru (located at 401 n hamilton rd, columbus, oh 43213). The dealer would not repair the vehicle per NHTSA campaign number: 09V468000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and demanded the dealer to repair the vehicle; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the recall had expired and he would have to pay for the repair. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown. Updated 10/24/17 updated 10/25/2017
Engine & cooling
As I pulled into a parking space, the engine died and flames about 2' tall shot out from between the hood and cowl and out of the intercooler inlet in the center of the hood. The flames were followed by about 10 seconds of a huge smoke cloud. It took me about 90 seconds to get a fire extinguisher and get the fire put out. I examined the damage. The pressure side power steering hose was rubbing against the sheet metal heat shield over the turbocharger. After a while, the relative motion and heat rubbed a hole in the power steering hose. The power steering hose then pumped power steering fluid all over the turbocharger, exhaust manifold, heat shields, hood, firewall, etc. When the power steering fluid hit the heat shields and exhaust, it started burning and this caused the fire. I have not finished repairing the vehicle yet so I don't know the complete extent of the damage. …
Took my vehicle in for routine maintenance when it was found to have a significant gas leak. Specifically the fuel rail had something like 16 leaks. While I never had an engine fire the possibility for that happening was very real. This is my family car, which I transport my children in. From reading other experiences about this I have found it to be a flaw in design with the 2003 Subaru WRX. I would hope that Subaru would value its customers safety and make a safety recall about this issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Subaru WRX a good car?
Based on 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 WRX rates avoid: 3.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the WRX at the same age. It is one of the WRX 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 2003 Subaru WRX?
The brakes — 20 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (20) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 2003 Subaru WRX have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Subaru WRX, the most recent from December 4, 2009 (fuel pump). 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 WRX?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2012 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2015, 2022, 2009 and 2024. See the full Subaru WRX years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Subaru WRX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 24,000 miles; 59% 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.