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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

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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: 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.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

22 reports
68,000 miles · May 9, 2009
Fuel System, Other

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

NHTSA ODI #10268302

67,500 miles · Mar 1, 2006
Suspension

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 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

NHTSA ODI #10151499

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2005
Child Seat

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

NHTSA ODI #10134937

80,000 miles · Dec 20, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

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

NHTSA ODI #10104190

59,950 miles · May 18, 2004
Suspension

REPEATED REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURES EVER 30K MILES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10072807

82,000 miles · May 4, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

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

NHTSA ODI #10068271

100,000 miles · Apr 8, 2004
Vehicle Speed Control

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

NHTSA ODI #10063164

75,000 miles · Feb 11, 2004
Vehicle Speed Control

AIRFLOW METER/SENSOR FAILED AT 75,000. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10057037

44,000 miles · Jul 24, 2003
Suspension

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

NHTSA ODI #10030120

46,000 miles · Mar 18, 2003
Suspension

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #10010009

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.