1999 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5RS, I DISCOVERED THE ENTRANCE TO THE FUEL FILLER STARTED TO RUST. IT WILL COST ME $500 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I ALSO NOTICED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR
1999 Subaru Impreza
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Subaru Impreza are lower than the model-year median of 56.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impreza years →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: 10 of 22 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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
22 reportsMY 99 SUBARU IMPREZA RS'S REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE STARTING TO FAIL. I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU'S. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT WITH THE BEARING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS A NEW PROCEDURE FOR REPAIRING THE WHEEL BEARING, WHICH WO…
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MY 99 SUBARU IMPREZA RS'S REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE STARTING TO FAIL. I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU'S. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT WITH THE BEARING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS A NEW PROCEDURE FOR REPAIRING THE WHEEL BEARING, WHICH WOULD INDICATE SUBARU'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRYING TO INSTALL CAR SEAT IN ORDER TO USE THE TETHER STRAP A MOUNTING BRACKET HAS TO BE INSTALLED. SUBARU INSISTED THAT CONTACT PAY FOR THIS BRACKET, HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. HE WAS GOING TO PURCHASE TH…
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DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRYING TO INSTALL CAR SEAT IN ORDER TO USE THE TETHER STRAP A MOUNTING BRACKET HAS TO BE INSTALLED. SUBARU INSISTED THAT CONTACT PAY FOR THIS BRACKET, HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. HE WAS GOING TO PURCHASE THIS MOUNTING BRACKET BECAUSE FOR THE SAFETY OF HIS CHILD, BUT HE FELT THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON AUGUST 27, 2005.*AK
FUEL LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE FUEL RAILS IN WEATHER BELOW 30' F. SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL IS LEAKING DUE TO THE RUBBER HOSES UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NOT BEING TIGHTENED ENOUGH. THERE IS A TSB ON THIS MATTER HOWEVER I'M PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD. CONSIDERING THIS LEAK IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE TURBOCHARGER THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDEN…
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FUEL LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE FUEL RAILS IN WEATHER BELOW 30' F. SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL IS LEAKING DUE TO THE RUBBER HOSES UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NOT BEING TIGHTENED ENOUGH. THERE IS A TSB ON THIS MATTER HOWEVER I'M PAST MY WARRANTY PERIOD. CONSIDERING THIS LEAK IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE TURBOCHARGER THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.*AK
REPEATED REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURES EVER 30K MILES.*AK
THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN SUBARU DECIDED TO NO LONGER SERVICE MY VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. LEADING UP TO WHEN I HAD TO SELL THE VEHICLE ON 8/23/2001 I HAD THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AT 43,460 MILES. THE LEFT HEAD GASKET CHANGED ON 12/28/2001 AT 48,817 MILES. THE AIRFLOW METER SENSOR WAS RECALLED ON 7/22/2002 WITH 55,…
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THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN SUBARU DECIDED TO NO LONGER SERVICE MY VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. LEADING UP TO WHEN I HAD TO SELL THE VEHICLE ON 8/23/2001 I HAD THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AT 43,460 MILES. THE LEFT HEAD GASKET CHANGED ON 12/28/2001 AT 48,817 MILES. THE AIRFLOW METER SENSOR WAS RECALLED ON 7/22/2002 WITH 55,797 MILES. THE CLUTCH WOULD STICK TO THE FLOOR SO I HAD TO HAVE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER GRAVITY BLED ON 7/22/2002 AS WELL. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT AGAIN ON 8/9/2002 WITH 57,454. ALL THE ABOVE THING WERE REPLACE AND PERFORMED UNDER WARRANTY. I PERSONALLY HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT VALVE COVER GASKET, ALTERNATOR BELT, O2 SENSOR, KNOCK SENSOR, FUEL PUMP, AND EXHAUST Y PIPE. I SOLD THE CAR BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET STARTED TO GO OUT AGAIN, THE CLUTCH NEED REPLACED, AND THE TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL, AND MOTOR OIL WERE BOTH LEAKING. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO SUBARU (LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY) AND THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HELP WITH THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKET SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE SCHEDULED COOLANT SERVICE PERFORMED AT SUBARU. WELL I HAD WITHIN A COUPLE MILES. SUBARU CHANGED THE FIRST HEAD GASKET AT 48,817 MILES AND IT WHEN OUT AGAIN AT 82,796 MILES A DIFFERENCE OF AROUND 33,000 AND THE SERVICE IS SCHEDULED FOR EVERY 30,000 MILES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO DRIFT OFF THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE FAILED. *AK *JB
AIRFLOW METER/SENSOR FAILED AT 75,000. *AK
CONSUMER HEARS A "RUMBLING" NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. CONSUMER PREVIOUSLY HAD REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT 42000 DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. THE BEARINGS HAVE WORN OUT AGAIN, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 44000 MILES.*AK
THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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