267 of the
3,451 complaints filed about the Subaru Impreza
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
The brakes failed due to a leak in the brake lines (pedal to the floor). Location of the leak is just after a union on the passenger side rear (just in front of the rear tire). Location is not well protected from corrosion similar to other recalls for the wrx and sti version of the impreza. Image shows the corroded area, and is taken after the protective coating was cut bqck to expose well maintained lines. The corrosion occurred where no protective coating was present. Both the left and right rear brake lines were found to be leaking. Luckily this was noticed in the driveway and did not result in a crash.
NHTSA complaint #11755639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Front right caliper seized less than 3k miles following dealer service including brake fluid flush. Replaced calipers, pads, and rotors at my own expense. Suspect internal degradation of rubber brake lines. Service bulletin exists for year prior model. Many others report rubber brake line/caliper issues on this generation. Please investigate.
NHTSA complaint #11754703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Sunday July 5th at approximately 4:10pm The vehicle experienced an unexpected Pre-Collision Braking activation at approximately 25 mph. A vehicle was approximately 40 feet ahead and there was no imminent collision. The vehicle automatically applied the brakes aggressively.
NHTSA complaint #11748394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while their son was driving approximately 45 MPH, a loud pop sound came from the right side of the engine department, and then the steering wheel seized. The driver attempted to apply the brakes; however, the brakes failed. The vehicle ended up crashing into a nearby pole post. The air bags deployed. The driver received a hematoma on their left arm from embracing for impact of the embrace. When the ambulance arrived, they tended to the injury, but the contact was not taken to receive further medical attention. The police department was contacted, and a police report was made. The vehicle was towed, but had not been deemed totaled as of yet. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,250.
NHTSA complaint #11732323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle's rear brake lines (both left rear and right rear) had ballooning present. The issue was initially identified by an independent mechanic during brake pad and rotor replacement on all four wheels. The ballooning was subsequently confirmed during an inspection by a Subaru dealership technician. This issue posed a safety risk, as the compromised brake lines could rupture under braking pressure, potentially resulting in reduced or complete loss of braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash. To safely operate the vehicle, replacement of the rear brake lines was required. Per the dealership’s recommendation, the front brake lines were also replaced, as they advised that if the brake lines were from the same batch, there was a high likelihood of similar ballooning occurring in the front brake lines. No warning lamps illuminated.
NHTSA complaint #11725160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 12/12/2025, Subaru Orange Coast (Santa Ana, CA) service advisor stated via text: "Breaks feel fine, no issues there," "Tires no issues there," "Struts no leaks or issues," and "Car is ready for pick up." On 12/16/2025, Service Director confirmed: brake rotor defects, weak struts causing tire wear, and replaced both rear struts, tires, and "the other 2" components under warranty/customer satisfaction. CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERN: During a prior service visit, dealership performed tire rotation moving a compromised tire from rear axle to FRONT STEERING AXLE — where failure would cause loss of steering control. On 12/12/2025, technicians REFUSED to rotate tires because "wire was showing" — confirming visual identification of exposed steel cord as safety hazard. Dealership then attempted to SELL me replacement tires (profiting from condition their service created). Despite actual knowledge of exposed steel cord on steering-axle tire, service advisor texted "no issues" and attempted to release vehicle for highway operation. SEQUENCE OF DEALER CONDUCT: Rotated compromised tire to front steering axle (prior visit) Identified exposed steel cord on 12/12/2025 Refused rotation due to safety hazard Attempted to sell replacement tires Represented "no issues" via text Attempted release for public road operation DOCUMENTATION: Demand letter delivered to Subaru of America (tracking: [XXX] , received 12/16/2025). Text messages from service advisor preserved. Service Director's 12/16 acknowledgment of defects preserved. VEHICLE LOCATION: Subaru Orange Coast, Santa Ana, CA (not operated due to safety concerns) CONSUMER: [XXX] | [XXX] | [XXX] is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11705353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Reference complaint no.11684658 confirmed. From email from Tech representative "VDC HYDRAULIC UNIT REPLACEMENT. IT IS AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. THERE ARE SENSORS INSIDE THAT MEASURE BRAKE LINE PRESSURE. THE LEFT FRONT SENSOR IS STUCK AT NEGATIVE 59 BAR. SHOULD BE ZERO AT REST. NOTHING TO DO WITH EYESIGHT THAT LIGHT WILL COME ON WHENEVER THERE IS A WARNING LIGHT ON." The modulator is a safety critical component which undergoes extensive life time testing, one out of 4 pressure sensors should not fail during vehicle life time.
NHTSA complaint #11690067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle Fire Summary – Arvada, CO On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], the Arvada Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on [XXX] . The vehicle involved was a 2013 gray Subaru Impreza WRX. The driver reported noticing smoke coming from the engine compartment before pulling over to the shoulder. Within minutes, flames became visible. Fire crews arrived promptly and extinguished the fire. Both the driver and one passenger were able to evacuate the vehicle safely, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle sustained a total loss due to fire damage. Preliminary findings suggest a possible mechanical or electrical malfunction, though the exact cause remains under investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11684703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Eye Sight warning system is activated occasionally and VDC is cut off. The dealer diagnosed code C1742, and recommended replacing the control unit due to a pressure sensor issue after measurement. The units are on back order, which indicates to me a wider spread problem. VDC units should not fail even after 10 years.
NHTSA complaint #11684658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
[XXX] 2017 Subaru Impreza VIN [XXX] Cruze control error. Will it make brake lights fail if not repaired? go look in your database and see if Impreza has more than normal rear end collisions? What else is on bus that might be damaged by spike? Braking? Antilock? Lights? Why is this NOT a recall? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11684276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unnecessary braking in two instances. One happened when Subarus Eyesight system mis identified a road reflector. At least that is what I saw. It happened on a 40 mile an hour highway in a curve with moderate traffic. No one directly behind me. The car had a sudden deceleration and warning. The second time came when approaching freeway speeds on an on ramp. At heavy acceleration approaching 50 miles per hour the car violently slammed on the brakes. A shadow from a tall fir tree crossed the on ramp. Again no one was behind me. It can't be good for my new car.
NHTSA complaint #11675427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had my vehicle inspected on 5/3/25 and all 4 break lines had bubbles protruding from the rubber break lines that go from the caliper to the metal lines. A safety recall for the same problem exists for 1 year earlier than my Subaru. It appears that Subaru continues to use defective break lines.
NHTSA complaint #11659829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving home, and my foot fell to the floor when I hit the brakes. Thankfully, I was coasting to the front of my house, so I was able to stop using the hand brake. Upon inspection and professional opinion from the Subaru dealership, the brake line rusted through just after the rear junction block, identical to the recall NUMBER: WQK-47. However, my VIN was not included in this recall, and I am learning on YouTube and from the dealership that this is a common failure with my year and model vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11656090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to stop immediately. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the control arms and brake lines were severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V311000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
NHTSA complaint #11648309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and was driven with manual steering. The failure occurred while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that approximately four days after the first failure, the steering wheel failed to move. Additionally, the vehicle was losing oil and one quart of oil had to be added every month. The contact stated that the power steering, ABS, TPMS, transmission automatic transmission fluid (ATF), and 4-WD failure warning lights were illuminated. The passenger occupant sensor chimed for the passenger to secure the seat belt consistently even though the occupant was seated with the seat belt buckled securely. The contact who is a certified mechanic had replaced the rack and pinion. The contact noticed that the threads on the tie rods were close in proximately risking the chance of damaging the tie rods. The ABS module had been replaced. The contact believed that the engine needed to be replaced but the engine was not replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer confirmed there was no recall for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 164,964.
NHTSA complaint #11640376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car braked suddenly and violently while driving slowly (5-10 MPH) in traffic. Foot was on the gas pressing lightly - not on the brake. Braking occurred independently with such force that I thought I had been hit by another vehicle going 30-40 MPH. Hyman Bros. Subaru has not yet returned my calls regarding this incident.
NHTSA complaint #11631918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, while slowing for traffic ahead, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact pumped the brake pedal until the Forward Collision Avoidance system engaged and stopped the vehicle. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but occurred at various speeds, but always occurred while slowing down with the brake pedal depressed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
NHTSA complaint #11612595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 complaint #11605898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Your vehicle inspection has been completed. Unfortunately we found all 4 of your brake lines are swelling and will need to be replaced. The parts are not in stock and will need to be ordered. Until they're replaced we don't recommend to drive the vehicle due to safety concerns.
NHTSA complaint #11576921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake Lamp Switch failed in 2018 - we diagnosed the issue, based partly on information from other Subaru owners who had the same problem, and replaced the switch. Since that time, the brake lights have worked fine. We reported this in a letter to Subaru after their recall for the brake lamp switch replacement in 2019. They refused to pay for the part as we no longer have the receipt (not having a crystal ball, we couldn't see any reason to keep it for more than a year in 2018). We did not contest this - in fact, I had merely asked, in my letter, that they note that the part had already failed and been repaired in their records - however, they continue to flag the car as an open safety recall and insist that we bring the car in to replace a switch that no longer needs replacing. I am filing this complaint in the hope that an official record of the incident will fix the records on our car, as their constant recall notices are becoming increasingly more insistent and annoying, and they have also inaccurately noted it as an open recall at the DMV.
NHTSA complaint #11558431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.