Most common 2008 Subaru WRX problems
Share of the 65 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 →
2008 Subaru WRX recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015.
Show 1 more recall
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New…
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks.
What 2008 Subaru WRX owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 48 →
I own a 2008 Subaru impreza WRX with a stock clutch. For approximately 2 years I have been hearing creaking and/or clicking noises when engaging the clutch pedal. Began to look online for a solution and found that there are spot welds that break between the firewall and the mounting bracket the clutch pedal assembly is attached to (https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=WRX+spot+welds). I removed the necessary items to inspect the welds and they did unfortunately fail. List of references regarding ongoing issue: http://www.faqs.org/car/Subaru-impreza-2009/power-train/#b http://carproblemzoo.com/Subaru/impreza/service-brakes-problems.php http://www.wrxforums.com/forums/84-drivetrain-transmission-gear-box/21478-firewall-weld-break-information-needed.html http://www.wrxforums.com/forums/37-car/8781-clutch-pedal-squeak-not-clutch-tob-linkage-45.html …
The welds supporting the clutch pedal and brake pedal assembly have broken. The result is a prominent squeaking sound and a noticeable lateral movement of the pedal assembly to the left. This is a reoccurring issue as it had previously been addressed and repaired back in June of 2014. At the time Subaru of America agreed to pay for half of the repairs as the vehicle was outside of warranty coverage. The new issue are from broken welds in another area that was not inspected or did not appear to need repair at the time. Mileage at time of repair was 74,839, current mileage is 84,420 (3/16/2015). However, further research on this issue indicate that it is a widespread issue that has affected many other Subaru impreza owners with model years 2008 through 20012. This is not the result of owner neglect, misuse, or improper maintenance. …
Body & structure all 26 →
The welds supporting the clutch pedal and brake pedal assembly have broken. The result is a prominent squeaking sound and a noticeable lateral movement of the pedal assembly to the left. This is a reoccurring issue as it had previously been addressed and repaired back in June of 2014. At the time Subaru of America agreed to pay for half of the repairs as the vehicle was outside of warranty coverage. The new issue are from broken welds in another area that was not inspected or did not appear to need repair at the time. Mileage at time of repair was 74,839, current mileage is 84,420 (3/16/2015). However, further research on this issue indicate that it is a widespread issue that has affected many other Subaru impreza owners with model years 2008 through 20012. This is not the result of owner neglect, misuse, or improper maintenance. …
The welds that attach the brake and clutch peddle to the vehicle brake and allow the whole peddle assembly to move. Because of this, braking efficiency and drive gear engagement become compromised. In the event that a hard stop is needed, the whole assembly could brake and keep the driver from being able to stop. This issue is a huge hazard! This is not a convenience issue, this is a life and safety issue to not only the occupants of the Subaru but everyone on the road! I have contacted soa, and they informed me that I would have to take care of the repair myself. This repair is not just some nuts and bolts coming loose or something like that. This is a huge repair that is structural to the vehicle. At costs of well into the thousands! Soa knows of the issue and refuses to do anything about it! …
Brakes all 25 →
The welds that attach the brake and clutch peddle to the vehicle brake and allow the whole peddle assembly to move. Because of this, braking efficiency and drive gear engagement become compromised. In the event that a hard stop is needed, the whole assembly could brake and keep the driver from being able to stop. This issue is a huge hazard! This is not a convenience issue, this is a life and safety issue to not only the occupants of the Subaru but everyone on the road! I have contacted soa, and they informed me that I would have to take care of the repair myself. This repair is not just some nuts and bolts coming loose or something like that. This is a huge repair that is structural to the vehicle. At costs of well into the thousands! Soa knows of the issue and refuses to do anything about it! …
The clutch pedal on my 2009 WRX makes a loud creaking noise every time it's depressed. When I investigated the noise, I noticed that the entire clutch pedal bracket assembly (attached to the forward firewall) shifts approx 1/4 inch every time the clutch pedal is depressed. I found that the three spot welds securing the clutch pedal bracket to the forward firewall were broken. From the outside of the firewall, just under the windshield wipers, I saw the spot welds pulling away from the firewall every time the clutch pedal was depressed. This allows the entire clutch pedal bracket assembly to move, causing the creaking noise. If the bracket completely separates from the firewall, the clutch May become completely inoperative - especially dangerous while driving. I eventually fixed it myself with a custom made brace and some bolts. Updated 12/21/2015
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Subaru WRX a good car?
Based on 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 WRX rates avoid: 3.6× 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 2008 Subaru WRX?
The transmission & drivetrain — 48 complaints, 74% of all complaints for this model year, most often about clutch assembly. Next are the body & structure (26) and brakes (25).
How many recalls does the 2008 Subaru WRX have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2008 Subaru WRX, the most recent from January 2, 2020 (inflator module). 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 2008 Subaru WRX problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 16% 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.