2011 Subaru IMPREZA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Subaru IMPREZA has 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: the vehicle hit a concrete barrier on an exit ramp from the interstate. the hit was front right of the vehicle. the air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt failed to lock causing the driver head injury. *tr. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 5 crash reports 5 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

17 complaints

23%

• THE VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE HIT WAS FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK CAUSING THE DRIVER HEAD INJURY. *TR
• THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT THROUGH A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. A VEHICLE APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING THE COLLISION. MY VEHICLE STRUCK THE OTHER VEHICLE AT ALMOST A PERFECT 90
• 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG LIGHT WILL INDICATE OFF WHEN SOMEONE IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“THE VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE HIT WAS FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK CAUSING THE DRIVER HEAD INJURY. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

9 complaints

12%

• I RECEIVE MY NEW SWP STI WITH 7 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RIGHT OF THE BAT NOT A GREAT TASTE IN MY MOUTH. DIDN'T GET A GREAT DEAL, FINANCE ROOM HAD SOME SHADY STUFF GOING ON. WHATEVER THOUGH, I HAVE MY NEW STI I'M HAPPY ENOUGH! AROUND 500 MILES MY CAR, I'M ON THE FREEWAY IN THE LEFT LANE GOING ABOUT
• PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW NO 9, 2011. WITH IS A FEW WEEKS, SEVERAL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON (CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL) RENDERING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE TRACTION CONTROL DISABLED. CALLED DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING VEHICLE IN. WHEN I BROUGHT VEHICLE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“I RECEIVE MY NEW SWP STI WITH 7 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RIGHT OF THE BAT NOT A GREAT TASTE IN MY MOUTH. DIDN'T GET A GREAT DEAL, FINANCE ROOM HAD SOME SHADY STUFF GOING ON. WHATEVER THOUGH, I HAVE MY NEW STI I'M HAPPY ENOUGH! AROUND 500 MILES MY CAR, I'M ON THE FREEWAY IN THE LEFT LANE GOING ABOUT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

8 complaints

11%

• WHILE DRIVING HOME TO DENVER, CO FROM DURANGO, OUTSIDE OF BAYFIELD, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT OVERHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE SUNSHADE (?) WAS CLOSED, SO NO GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR. HALF THE GLASS WAS GONE,
• ADD OUR NAMES TO THE LIST OF SUBARU DRIVERS WHOSE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND NO LONGER STAYED IN PLACE. THE CONTROL ARM ON THE VISOR CRACKED, RESULTING IN THE VISOR HANGING DOWN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER AND IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. WE WERE REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE VISOR AND LACK THE USE OF
• WHILE DRIVING HOME TO BOULDER, CO FROM GOLDEN, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT OVERHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO ROAD DEBRIS OR ROCKS OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE HIT IT. THE SUNSHADE WAS CLOSED, SO NO GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR. HALF THE GLASS WAS G

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE DRIVING HOME TO DENVER, CO FROM DURANGO, OUTSIDE OF BAYFIELD, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT OVERHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE SUNSHADE (?) WAS CLOSED, SO NO GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR. HALF THE GLASS WAS GONE,”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

6 complaints

• 1. WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE LIKE CRAZY, AND LOST POWER WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. 2. I HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE, ALMOST 75% OF THESE CARS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE 3. BROUGHT IT IN FOR WORK AND THE DEALER MADE ME PAY FOR IT BECAUSE SUBARU DIDN'T WANT TO WARRANTY THE CAR! *TR
• THE CAR IS A 2011 SUBARU WRX STI. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL NOTHING LED UP TO THE FAILURE. IT WAS FINE ONE DAY, THEN FAILED THE NEXT. THE FAILURE WAS BROKEN PISTON RING LANDS ON THE #2 AND #4 PISTONS IN THE ENGINE. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE SHORT BLOCK OF THE ENGINE ALONG WITH A
• ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“1. WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE LIKE CRAZY, AND LOST POWER WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. 2. I HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE, ALMOST 75% OF THESE CARS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE 3. BROUGHT IT IN FOR WORK AND THE DEALER MADE ME PAY FOR IT BECAUSE SUBARU DIDN'T WANT TO WARRANTY THE CAR! *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

6 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH. AFTER TRYING TO DECELERATE AND CONTINUOUSLY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO FOUR OTHER V
• THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2011 STI MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE NOISE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I FOUND THAT THE THREE SPO
• IN COLD WEATHER (APPROX. 10 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR BELOW) UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE CAN BE HEARD AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AND HILL-HOLD WARNING LIGHT AT TIMES SIMULTANEOUSLY ILLUMINATE. EACH TIME I HAVE CYCLED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH. AFTER TRYING TO DECELERATE AND CONTINUOUSLY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO FOUR OTHER V”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 75 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: THE VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE HIT WAS FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK CAUSING THE DRIVER HEAD INJURY. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I RECEIVE MY NEW SWP STI WITH 7 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RIGHT OF THE BAT NOT A GREAT TASTE IN MY MOUTH. DIDN'T GET A GREAT DEAL, FINANCE ROOM HAD SOME SHADY STUFF GOING ON. WHATEVER THOUGH, I HAVE MY NEW STI I'M HAPPY ENOUGH! AROUND 500 MILES MY CAR, I'M ON THE FREEWAY IN THE LEFT LANE GOING ABOUT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: WHILE DRIVING HOME TO DENVER, CO FROM DURANGO, OUTSIDE OF BAYFIELD, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT OVERHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE SUNSHADE (?) WAS CLOSED, SO NO GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR. HALF THE GLASS WAS GONE,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: 1. WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STARTED TO SMOKE LIKE CRAZY, AND LOST POWER WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. 2. I HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE, ALMOST 75% OF THESE CARS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE 3. BROUGHT IT IN FOR WORK AND THE DEALER MADE ME PAY FOR IT BECAUSE SUBARU DIDN'T WANT TO WARRANTY THE CAR! *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)