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2018 Subaru Impreza

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Impreza years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Impreza are substantially higher than 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

51 reports with mileage · 99 unknown

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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

150 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2026
Steering

Vehicle Information: 2018 Subaru ImprezaVIN: [XXX] Affected: Steering (Electronic Power Steering / EPS Gear Box Assembly)Description of the Safety Defect:I am reporting a severe safety defect regarding a sudden and total loss of power steering assist while driving my 2018 Subaru Impreza.The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) gear b…

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Vehicle Information: 2018 Subaru ImprezaVIN: [XXX] Affected: Steering (Electronic Power Steering / EPS Gear Box Assembly)Description of the Safety Defect:I am reporting a severe safety defect regarding a sudden and total loss of power steering assist while driving my 2018 Subaru Impreza.The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) gear box assembly experienced a catastrophic failure, resulting in an immediate, heavy steering condition that severely impacted my ability to control the vehicle safely. Upon inspection, the EPS gear box housing was found to have suffered structural failure/cracking due to environmental corrosion.This is a well-documented safety hazard for this vehicle generation. Subaru previously issued a voluntary 10-year warranty extension for 2012–2018 models (TSB 04-27-21R) to address this exact housing defect. Additionally, Subaru was forced to issue a mandatory safety recall (NHTSA Campaign 19V065000) for 2019 Imprezas due to an immediate loss of power steering assist.My vehicle is an early-production 2018 model, making its manufacturing timeline and parts sourcing highly contiguous with the recalled 2019 fleet and the vehicles covered under the 10-year extension. Subaru of America is currently using a strict internal VIN boundary to deny coverage for my vehicle, even though it suffered the exact same dangerous structural steering failure.I request that the NHTSA log this failure to track if Subaru's current VIN exclusion limits are overly narrow, leaving structurally defective and unsafe steering components on the road without proper remedy. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11763961

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2026
Unknown Or Other

I bought a new Subaru Impreza and there is a cam carrier leak that was reported last time I took it for service at the dealership two weeks ago. There are only 41k miles on the car, and there were no warning lights/messages. Upon my research, this is a common problem with Subarus due to the sealant that they use with a very high…

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I bought a new Subaru Impreza and there is a cam carrier leak that was reported last time I took it for service at the dealership two weeks ago. There are only 41k miles on the car, and there were no warning lights/messages. Upon my research, this is a common problem with Subarus due to the sealant that they use with a very high cost to fix (I was quoted $4.5k), not mentioning the time it takes as well. Additionally, fixing the problem does not prevent it from recurrence. Because this puts the safety of the driver at risk and is a known problem in newer Subaru vehicles, it should be covered under the warranty.

NHTSA ODI #11736146

106,000 miles · Feb 19, 2026
Engine

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the high-temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that an engine reseal had failed and needed to be redone. The ve…

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The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the high-temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that an engine reseal had failed and needed to be redone. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

NHTSA ODI #11719120

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2026
Unknown Or Other

The problem started on towards the end of Dec 2025. The primary latch that holds the hood down failed, and the safety latch kept the hood from flying off. I pulled the car over and shut it, and it seemed okay. Because the hood hadn't been lifted for a few days ( since its last service ), I was at a loss as to what could be ca…

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The problem started on towards the end of Dec 2025. The primary latch that holds the hood down failed, and the safety latch kept the hood from flying off. I pulled the car over and shut it, and it seemed okay. Because the hood hadn't been lifted for a few days ( since its last service ), I was at a loss as to what could be causing it. Since then, it's happened several times. I've also examined the latch, and it appears to be fine. When it pops up, the safety latch catches it, and I pull over and close it. My next step is to have a mechanic put in a new latch. The car has 95,000 miles on the ticker,

NHTSA ODI #11711738

Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

My vehicle has repeatedly displayed a “low tire pressure” warning despite having been serviced twice for this issue. In addition, there is an open case with Subaru of America regarding ongoing performance concerns – fuel tank?! In addition, I have reported both verbally and in writing to the dealership that my car often loses po…

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My vehicle has repeatedly displayed a “low tire pressure” warning despite having been serviced twice for this issue. In addition, there is an open case with Subaru of America regarding ongoing performance concerns – fuel tank?! In addition, I have reported both verbally and in writing to the dealership that my car often loses power when driving uphill and, at times, runs unevenly or hesitantly—similar to an engine stutter or sputter. Most recently, multiple problems occurred simultaneously. The low tire pressure warning remained on, my cell phone was no longer recognized or paired with the vehicle and would not charge, part of the clock display stopped illuminating, and then the vehicle suddenly began to shake. Within seconds, all dashboard warning lights turned on and the engine shut off entirely. This happened so rapidly that I had no time to react. Fortunately, I had pulled over the car; otherwise, this incident could have resulted in a serious crash with me behind the wheel. Although no prior warning lights had appeared, I was later informed that the vehicle had a cracked ignition coil and a dead battery—despite the car having relatively low mileage and there being two recalls related to this issue. The new manager went above and beyond to assist me during this ordeal and I am beyond grateful for everything – Subaru of America is lucky to have him on staff!! However, as of today, I still have not received a clear explanation of what caused this failure or what risks may remain if I continue driving the vehicle. My understanding is that ignition coils should run for 80K - 100K. I am aware that others have experienced similar problems, and I request that this matter be thoroughly addressed before it results in a potentially preventable, yet serious accident.

NHTSA ODI #11700114

Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2025
Unknown Or Other

This making model has become known for a parasitic drain of the DCM module. It’s all over the public forums that this module doesn’t shut down properly and causes a drain on the battery system. The remedy is to plug your car into a battery tender system.

NHTSA ODI #11698593

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2025
Engine

Engine oil leak. An engine oil leak could potentially cause a fire hazard by igniting when leaking into hot components. It could cause engine damage due to inadequate lubrication leading to overheating and severe engine damage. The leak can contaminate the environment including soil and water, and it can create slippery surface…

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Engine oil leak. An engine oil leak could potentially cause a fire hazard by igniting when leaking into hot components. It could cause engine damage due to inadequate lubrication leading to overheating and severe engine damage. The leak can contaminate the environment including soil and water, and it can create slippery surfaces which would be a risk to people walking in the area with leaked oil. I took my vehicle to a Subaru dealership for service, and they indicated that it was leaking oil everywhere. I looked it up and found numerous reports in online forums of others having the exact same issue. I was quoted over $5000 to repair and forums also indicate that others have been quoted multiple thousands of dollars to repair as well. I have noticed that the vehicle would always give me a low oil light approximately 3000 miles after an oil change, so I would top it off. It has been doing this since I originally purchased the vehicle with approximately 16000 miles. I took it to a Subaru dealership back then and was told by the service providers that it's normal for engines under 60,000 miles to consume more oil and dismissed it. Now it no longer falls under warranty and am expected to pony up $5000 to fix it.

NHTSA ODI #11663693

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2024
Exterior Lighting

On 8/9/24 I was involved in a fender bender minor collision with a parked car which damaged my right-hand headlamp assembly on my 2018 Subaru Impreza. On 8/23/24 I brought my car to Subaru of Ann Arbor to have Safety Recall WRG-22 NHTSA ID 22V-624 performed on it. Both headlamp assemblies were under recall by Subaru. I was tol…

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On 8/9/24 I was involved in a fender bender minor collision with a parked car which damaged my right-hand headlamp assembly on my 2018 Subaru Impreza. On 8/23/24 I brought my car to Subaru of Ann Arbor to have Safety Recall WRG-22 NHTSA ID 22V-624 performed on it. Both headlamp assemblies were under recall by Subaru. I was told by the service manager that the right hand and left hand headlamp assembly replacement procedure could not be performed free of charge, as promised by Subaru, because the front bumper was damaged (due to the accident), and Subaru could not remove and replace it in order to accomplish either headlamp replacement. On 9/9/24 I brought my car to Heritage Collision Center for a repair estimate on my damaged right hand front fender. (See Picture 1) I told Heritage Collision that the right hand headlamp assembly was under recall and Subaru was going to replace it free of charge. During the time of repair, I asked Heritage if I could take a picture of the damaged and recalled right hand headlamp assembly (See Picture 2). Upon reviewing my final bill of repair from Heritage Collision, I saw that Subaru had charged the MSRP of $319.95 to replace the recalled right hand headlamp assembly after promising to replace the recalled headlamp assembly for free. Subaru owes me $319.95 for my replacement of the recalled headlamp assembly. (See Picture 3)

NHTSA ODI #11627106

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2024
Exterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of …

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The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI #11610545

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2024
Service Brakes

March 2023 I had all 4 rotors & brakes replaced. About 2 weeks after, doing 65 mph on highway 79 I had to lightly apply my brakes. After letting off the brake all of a sudden my whole car, steering wheel, etc started shaking. I pulled off the road thinking something broke but nothing was. A couple months later on 79 it did …

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March 2023 I had all 4 rotors & brakes replaced. About 2 weeks after, doing 65 mph on highway 79 I had to lightly apply my brakes. After letting off the brake all of a sudden my whole car, steering wheel, etc started shaking. I pulled off the road thinking something broke but nothing was. A couple months later on 79 it did it again without applying my brakes. It's happening more often and the shaking is getting more severe to where my car is either going to fall apart or bounce off the road or into another car. I'm terrified when this happens because I don't know what's going to happen. I won't even put my grand children in my car. One if my co-workers had the same thing happen to her Subaru. She said after her mechanics did some investigating, they found that there was an issue with the replacement rotors warping and causing the car to shake terribly. This is a severe safety issue and really needs to be investigated. Also a year warranty on these defective parts is too short.

NHTSA ODI #11605898

Official recalls

5

22V624000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Aug 12, 2022

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza vehicles. The left and right side reflex reflector and left side low beam reflector may inadequately reflect light. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Reflectors that do not provide adequate illumination reduce the driver's ability to see and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front headlamp assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 15, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-22.

21V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jul 29, 2021

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

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. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

21V264000 · Electrical System:ignition; Electrical System:software; Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (ecu/ecm):software; Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

Apr 15, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Electrical System:software

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.

Consequence: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (ecu/ecm):software

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.

Consequence: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.

Electrical System:ignition

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.

Consequence: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.

Consequence: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.

19V743000 · Electrical System:ignition; Electrical System:software

Oct 18, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.

Consequence: If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.

Electrical System:ignition

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.

Consequence: If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.

19V744000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:crankcase (pcv)

Oct 17, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Impreza and 2018 Crosstrek vehicles equipped with an aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve. The PCV valve may come apart, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, possibly resulting in a loss of power while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began December 2, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUP-01.

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.