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2005 Subaru Wrx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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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: 17 of 19 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
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33,000 miles · May 20, 2008
Power Train

I OWN A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO 5TH GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS AND RESISTS GOING INTO GEAR. THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM WITH 5TH GEAR, ALL OF THE OTHER GEARS ARE SMOOTH AND RESPONSIVE. SINCE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMM…

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

NHTSA ODI #10228254

21,250 miles · May 17, 2007
Power Train

UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY COMMUTING THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH PEDAL STOPPED DELIVERING POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER WORN CLUTCH UNDER WARRANTY DESPITE WEAR ITEMS COVERED UNDER THE 3 YEAR//36000 MILE COVERAGE. CAR WAS ARO…

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UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY COMMUTING THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH PEDAL STOPPED DELIVERING POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER WORN CLUTCH UNDER WARRANTY DESPITE WEAR ITEMS COVERED UNDER THE 3 YEAR//36000 MILE COVERAGE. CAR WAS AROUND 20000 MILES. DEALER GAVE ME A FEELING THAT I WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE I WAS A YOUNG MAN WITH A SPORTY CAR, THEREFORE, I MUST RACE IT AND ABUSE IT. I HAVE OLD PARTS IN MY GARAGE. THEY DID, HOWEVER, COVER BRAKE PADS AT ANOTHER TIME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10191008

Official recalls

4

23V076000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Feb 13, 2023

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2004-2005 Impreza and WRX vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the passenger inflator and if necessary, install a new inflator kit, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 14, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-23.

20V001000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 2, 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

20V002000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 2, 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.

20V003000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Jan 2, 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

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.