Fuel System complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2019 | 3 | 10% | 130,000 miles |
| 2018 | 7 | 16% | 50,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 6% | — |
| 2016 | 2 | 6% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 5 | 10% | 11,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 25% | 97,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% | 91,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 3% | 121,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 29% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 12 | 63% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 35 | 83% | 75,000 miles |
| 2003 | 20 | 33% | 76,000 miles |
| 2002 | 295 | 69% | 48,000 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
The contact stated owns a 2019 SUBARU WRX. The contact stated that while her spouse was driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle started making an abnormal sound as if the engine was sputtering. The driver was concerned that fuel was not running through the engine correctly. The vehicle began to fail to accelerate forward then lose motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the driver was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle made a large popping sound and white smoke was coming from the tailpipe. The contact cooled off the timing belt to cool off the vehicle. There was no fire reported. No injuries or medical attention is needed. The vehicle was towed. The contact stated that earlier that day while starting the vehicle it had backfired. …
I've had two fuel pumps replaced under warranty after the 2nd fuel pump failed hours after the Subaru dealership installed it. They installed the 3rd which worked until a week ago when my car stalled at a red light. The car would not start back up and it has since been diagnosed as a fuel issue.
I have been experiencing a strong fuel odor both inside and outside the cabin when starting the engine. After several months of experiencing this issue, I recently had my vehicle fully inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership, and they confirmed a critical fuel leak issue. The dealership discovered that the high-pressure fuel pipe is leaking, as confirmed by a camera inspection of the engine bay. They have deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive and have strongly advised against further use due to the potential fire hazard. It is important to note that my vehicle has never been involved in an accident, and no prior mechanical work has been performed in the affected area, which suggests this may be a manufacturing defect.
Started car up. Check engine light is on, cruise control flashing. Fuel tank level is flashing. Has gas but the meter is says it's empty. Took it to a mechanic and they told me it is the fuel pump that's bad. Called a Subaru dealership and they said there's no recall for this car. You guys issued a recall for this make and model back in 2020 but for the production date of April. My car was produced in November. Anyway you guys can issue a recall fort car so I can get it fixed?
Likely secondary air injection pump and/or its related relays, CEL P2444 came on 3 separate times. November 2024, brought it in to get replaced under warranty, came on again the day after picking her up in December 2024 due to faulty pump, didn't get to bring her back in until March 1st 2025, fixed part again, brought her home [redacted]. Car engulfed in flames 10 days later on [redacted]. I do have the car's ECU available for scan to check for previous codes. I could have been killed in a car fire, the building my car was in front of could have been turned to ash. No, the problem has not been reproduced, the car is totaled and in a pile of ash. Yes, the vehicle was inspected by police and fire force after the incident. The CEL light had come back on that morning. 9:11 am, came on, parked at 9:28am, car was on fire by 9:52am. …
I have a 2017 Subaru WRX that stalls while driving (including at highway speeds) 2 to 3 times every day on my commute to work through the mountains. This has led the vehicle to skid sideways and lose control. When I looked into this problem, I found that Subaru has a recall on its fuel pumps for 2018 to 2020 Subaru WRX vehicles but somehow my VIN does not appear to be considered AN affected vehicle. This issue is life-threatening, and I believe the model years eligible for recall, must not have captured one year earlier model with presumably the same faulty fuel pump. I believe the recall needs to be expanded.
I do not drive my vehicle very often as I drive my work truck six days a week. I got into my vehicle before getting on the freeway and realized I needed gas before I left. I got to the gas station with my gas light on and parked. After paying for gas I realized my gas cap access door was not open, as I thought I opened it. I tried multiple times opening the door with the release lever on the floor by the drivers seat. After twenty minutes of confusion I called the dealership and they told me to bring it over right away ( good thing they are down the street from me). After waiting for about an hour and talking to the tech and service writer I was able to obtain information on the cause of this (some what). There is a part on the release mechanism that is weak and fails causing you to not be able to access your gas cap. …
Driving on the highway at ~70 MPH and suddenly lost all throttle response, the car would not accelerate only loose speed. Engine started to shutter to low rpms, and because of this drastically lost speed and nearly got into an accident with oncoming traffic while moving to the side of the highway to pull over. After eventually pulling over, engine continued to shutter to low rpms and could not hold an idle - would just stall after repeated attempts to start it up. Car was towed to closest dealership and after waiting 4 days finally heard it was the engine wire harness that needed to be replaced. Researching the issue I found that Subaru made a design change for the wire harness to prevent water/moisture failure which is most like what happened to my vehicle. Stuck with a $1400 bill due to a design flaw, I decided to purchase a 2020 model which hopefully doesn't have the same issue. …
Related recalls (2)
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 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 WRX years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (295), 2004 (35), 2003 (20), 2005 (12) and 2018 (7) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 69% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Subaru WRX fuel system problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 21V-587 (fuel pump, Jul 29, 2021); 09V-468 (fuel pump, Dec 4, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru WRX fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (179 mentions), followed by the delivery (17).
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.