31 of the
1,232 complaints filed about the Subaru WRX
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
31
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
2/17/2026 Mileage 96,000 Subaru case number Case # 260217-2101937 Vehicle intermittently indicates reverse gear while driving forward at speed. Backup camera activates and reverse lights illuminate while in forward motion. This condition matches NHTSA Recall 22V-522000. The recall repair was previously performed but the safety defect persists. Manufacturer was contacted and declined further repair despite active safety condition.
NHTSA complaint #11718606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Drivers side mirror (LEFT) When sitting still is distorted and wavy if you look around in the mirror. It makes the earth bend or any objects in the mirror bend, the best way to put it when driving or sitting still it looks like a funhouse mirror. And once at about 40 MPH the Same mirror also vibrates while driving. The retailer I choose has replaced the mirror glass twice and the mirror housing once, it had done nothing to fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11668710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1, At about 12000 miles the car's windshield wipers stop working. And did not ever work again for the past several years. Wipers which was checked the motor was replaced to admission to the key was replaced and wiper still don't work. 2, About 24000 miles Was turning the vehicle around on a inclined road in the mountains went to pull forward and the steering wheel would not work anymore which resulted in me crashing into a ravine dropping about 10 feet off the side of the cliff. 3, 33000 miles time issue occurred I was doing 75 on the Kansas turnpike and a curb came up as I entered the term for the curve that wheel would not turn and I kept going straighitting the guard railBut just only grazing it for I regained power to my steering at the last moment. And now currently again. dealership still cannot fix issue Instead they just charge me outrageous prices for not fixing anything and then threatened to call the cops on me if I don't pay it or agree to the service department's terms this has happened at 2 different dealerships.
NHTSA complaint #11561589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was de-frosting my windshield early in the morning when I watched a crack start at the base of the driver's side windshield and travel up the window and back down to the base of the windshield. The car was not moving, there was no impact to the windshield at all. I contacted the Subaru dealer and brought the car in to be inspected. They told me that the crack was because of a rock chip although there was never any rock chip impact and the car was not even moving when the crack developed. There was a previous class action lawsuit settled against Subaru for identical cracks developing in their windshields. I contacted Subaru of America to see what they would do and they gave a discount for a new windshield but the new windshield would still have cost over $700 out of pocket for a car that was less then one month old.
NHTSA complaint #11480723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Windshield cracked to the point of requiring repair from pinhead size chip that barely left a mark. The windshield is being replaced but photos are available upon request. The crack quickly spread to the outer edge of the windshield, causing further risk to the structural integrity of the entire windshield. The problem was confirmed by a glass shop as requiring a replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11446021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT, A LOUD POP OCCURS AND WHEN I LOOK BACK, THERE IS A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR WINDSHIELD. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES TALL AND AT LEAST 18 INCHES WIDE. IT WAS LIKELY AN IMPLOSION. NO OBJECTS WERE FOUND NEAR, ON, OR IN THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD CRUMBLED AFTER THAT, AS EACH ACCELERATION DROPPED MORE GLASS INSIDE THE CAR. NOTHING PROMPTED IT, JUST SITTING STATIONARY AT A STOPLIGHT. DEFROSTER WAS NOT ON, TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 FAHRENHEIT WITH MINIMAL WIND. HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 10 MINUTES. MY REAR FACING CAR SEAT, WITH CHILD IN IT, COLLECTED A FAIR AMOUNT OF THE GLASS.
NHTSA complaint #11388491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WENT TO START MY CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD, THERE ISN'T A CHIP OR ANYTHING INDICATING THAT SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS A U SHAPED CRACK DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF ANYTHING EVER HITTING AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD, IT SEEMS TO HAVE JUST CRACKED ON ITS OWN. CAR WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY PRIOR TO THE CRACK APPEARING.
NHTSA complaint #11387250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE TOP WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF WICHITA (11610 E KELLOGG DR N, WICHITA, KS 67207; (316) 264-7777) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A STONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.
NHTSA complaint #11387010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WOKE UP ONE DAY TO MY WINDSHIELD HAVING A SMALLER CRACK THAT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE. WAS A COLD NIGHT CRACK HAS SPREAD, ASKED SUBARU IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST THEY DIDN'T BUT ITS A KNOWN DEFECT IN SUBARU
NHTSA complaint #11386489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE WIND SHIELD CRACKED ALONG THE MOST SUPERIOR BORDER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE OR AUDIBLE THAT HAD CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK DURING MY 10 MINUTE COMMUTE. THERE WAS ALSO LITTLE TO NO TRAFFIC. THE CRACK WAS LARGE ENOUGH THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. I AM ONLY REPORTING THIS NOW BECAUSE I SUSPECT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED SECONDARY TO BEING ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD'S THAT SUBARU IS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR. UNFORTUNATELY, I NO LONGER HAVE PICTURES OF THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD; HOWEVER, I HAVE ATTACHED MY RECEIPT FROM SAFELITE AUTOGLASS.
NHTSA complaint #11329882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AFTER WORK WITHOUT A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. I WENT TO GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. NO IMPACT MARKS.... IT IS AS IF MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE PARKED IN 50 DEGREE WEATHER. WHAT IF SOMETHING ACTUALLY HITS MY WINDSHIELD??? AM I SAFE??? HOW OFTEN DO I GET TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE DESIGN???
NHTSA complaint #11325529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SMALL GLASS CHIP DEFECT OCCURRED IN THE CENTER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. THIS VEHICLE WAS ISOLATED IN THE PARKING LOT AND DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER VEHICLES NEAR IT. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE WINDSHIELD TEMPER OR COMPOSITION MAY BE DEFECTIVE AND EASILY PROPOGATED A DEFECT ON THE WAY TO THE PARKING LOT. THE WAY THE WINDSHIELD CHIPPED/DEVELOPED THE SMALL CRACK WOULD HAVE HAD TO OCCUR WITH EASE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW (350 MILES) AND HAD NO INTERACTIONS WITH FLYING DEBRIS ESPECIALLY WITH THE SHORTER DRIVE. THE CHIP/SMALL CRACK WAS SMALL ENOUGH TO BE REPAIRED BUT STILL IS VISIBLE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY EPOXIED THE SMALL CHIP TO MITIGATE MORE POTENTIAL CRACKING. DUE THE AFOREMENTIONED CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS APPEARS TO HAVE THE SAME OCCURRING INCIDENTS HAPPENING ACROSS ALL AFFECTED SUBARU MODELS.
NHTSA complaint #11316531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK NOT FOLLOWING ANYONE CLOSELY. I DID NOT GO UNDER ANY OVERPASSES OR TREES AND I HAD MY SUNROOF CLOSED WITH THE SHADE VISOR OPEN AT THE TIME. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED OUT OF NOWHERE (LOUD BOOM) AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF GLASS FELL ON ME INTO THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO ONE NEAR ME ON EITHER SIDE AND I KEPT MY COMPOSURE UNTIL I PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO LOOK AND CLEAR THE GLASS FROM MY SEAT AND THE PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN I INSPECTED THE SUNROOF GLASS, IT LOOKED LIKE SOME OF THE BROKEN PIECES ARE FORCED IN AN UPWARDS MANNER AS IF DUE TO PRESSURE OR TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION. I CHECKED OVER THE REST OF MY VEHICLE AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS CHIPS AND DEEP SCRATCHES FROM THE GLASS THAT DAMAGED MY ROOF, SHARKFIN ANTENNA, AND MY TRUNK AREA WHICH I WILL NEED TO HAVE REPAIRED TO AVOID RUST. I WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED BY THIS INCIDENT AND GOT A FEW SMALL CUTS ON MY HANDS FROM CLEANING THE GLASS OFF SO I COULD DRIVE BACK HOME. I HAVE DASHCAM FOOTAGE (THAT CAN BE PROVIDED AS WELL) OF ME DRIVING DURING THIS OCCURRENCE AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE HIT THE SUNROOF TO DAMAGE IT IN SUCH A WAY. THERE WERE ALSO NO OBJECTS THAT WENT INTO MY CAR'S CABIN FOLLOWING THE BREAKAGE. I WAS READING OVER OTHER SIMILAR REPORTED ISSUES AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT IS SPREAD ACROSS VARIOUS MAKES AND MODELS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A FACTORY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND COVERED BY MANUFACTURERS AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11204879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE SIDE MIRRORS SHAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS RENDERING THEM USELESS. I'VE WORKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE ISSUE ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY ALL DO THIS. I THEN HAD THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY REPLACED BUT STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS SEVERELY INHIBITS MY VISION WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #11128071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE CONTACT CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AT (866) 520-7894 (3161 AUTOMOBILE BLVD, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904) AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE LOCAL DEALER (CORPUS CHRISTI SUBARU, 3615 S PADRE ISLAND DR., CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78415, (361) 826-0630) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO COVER THE SUN ROOF WITH PLASTIC UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11098988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE CONTACT CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AT (866) 520-7894 (3161 AUTOMOBILE BLVD, SILVER SPRING, MD 20904) AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE LOCAL DEALER (CORPUS CHRISTI SUBARU, 3615 S PADRE ISLAND DR., CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78415, (361) 826-0630) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO COVER THE SUN ROOF WITH PLASTIC UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11098988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10909887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.