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1998 Subaru Impreza

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Subaru Impreza do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 56.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 30 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
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120,000 miles · Aug 10, 2004
Electrical System

INTERMITTENT FAILURE/SHORT OF POWER TO THE MAIN COMPUTER (ECU) AT APPOX. 120K MILES. CAR WOULD NOT START, NO CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK, IT STARTS AND RUNS FINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAYS NOTHING WRONG. TWO WEEKS LATER, SAME THING. HOOK UP OBD II MONITOR AND IT SAYS ECU RECIEVING "NO PWR." TOWED TO SH…

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INTERMITTENT FAILURE/SHORT OF POWER TO THE MAIN COMPUTER (ECU) AT APPOX. 120K MILES. CAR WOULD NOT START, NO CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK, IT STARTS AND RUNS FINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAYS NOTHING WRONG. TWO WEEKS LATER, SAME THING. HOOK UP OBD II MONITOR AND IT SAYS ECU RECIEVING "NO PWR." TOWED TO SHOP. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED AS FAILED ECU AND REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, SAME SYMPTOMS (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, "NO PWR" ON OBD II MONITOR), BUT AN HOUR LATER CAR STARTED FINE AND OBD II SHOWED NO PROBLEMS. TOOK TO MECHANIC WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN A WEEK LATER, MECHANIC FINDS NOTHING. TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT, FAILED AGAIN, WOULD NOT START AFTER MANY DAYS AND STILL SAYS "NO PWR." TOWED TO MECHANIC, AND ONCE IT GOT TO SHOP, STARTED FINE -- MOVEMENT DURING TOWING CAUSED POWER TO BE RESTORED TO ECU. THUS, IT'S A SHORT IN THE POWER PATH THAT RUNS THE ECU. MECHANIC CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. MECHANIC DISMANTLED FUSEBOXES AND FINDS NO APPARENT SIGNS OF SHORT ANYWHERE. SAYS IT'S A "SUBARU BUG." COST TO DATE: APPOX. $2000, AND NOT YET FIXED.

NHTSA ODI #10086572

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CONSUMER STATES THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ODI #785695

Mileage unknown · Dec 6, 2000
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737421

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.