NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Subaru Impreza Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2012 Subaru Impreza has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 243 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Subaru dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Subaru Impreza, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2012 Subaru Impreza owner complaints

Owners have filed 243 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Subaru Impreza, describing incidents dated December 9, 2011 to September 4, 2026.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 105 complaints
Engine 56 complaints
Electrical System 30 complaints
Power Train 26 complaints
Seats 15 complaints
Service Brakes 15 complaints

Of the 243 complaints on file, 10 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 243 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11763522 · Filed September 11, 2026
My Chicco Fit360 car seat’s magnetic chest clip is failing to stay clipped and is easily unclipped by the tug of one finger. Children are able to easily unclip it as well. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. My child’s safety was put at risk because the magnetic chest clip would unclip…
ODI #11739696 · Filed May 23, 2026
My ignition key gets stuck when I shifted into park on my 2012 subaru impreza.
ODI #11682604 · Filed August 23, 2025
The fan controls in the center of the dash failed. Fan speed 1&2 work, but 3&4 do not. After pulling the center dash controls out, I found that the plug connecting the fan speed controls to the wiring harness was burnt. This is a concern cause it could have burned other components or caused a fire.

Read all 243 complaints

Owner-reported

2012 Subaru Impreza mileage at failure

184 of the 243 complaints on file for the 2012 Subaru Impreza give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Air Bags	Median 35,000 miles	Middle half 13,000–65,000 miles	Based on 84 complaints
Engine	Median 30,000 miles	Middle half 10,000–70,000 miles	Based on 38 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2012 Subaru Impreza in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Preliminary Evaluation PE15-012: Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
Closed July 15, 2015
- Recall 15V-419

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Brake Lights May Not Illuminate

NHTSA #19V149000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported February 28, 2019 · Subaru of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 1,303,530 vehicles

Repair completion: 78.3% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Subaru campaign WUE-90 · Owners notified April 15, 2019 · Vehicles built April 26, 2007 – October 28, 2016 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

Safety consequence

Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Engine Valve Spring Failure may cause Engine Stall

NHTSA #18V772000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine · NHTSA notice

Reported November 1, 2018 · Subaru of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 165,534 vehicles

Repair completion: 70.16% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Subaru campaign WTY-84 · Owners notified December 26, 2018

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.

Safety consequence

An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Power Relay may Fail Allowing Air Pump to Overheat

NHTSA #16V738000 · Electrical System · NHTSA notice

Reported October 13, 2016 · Subaru of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 100,127 vehicles

Repair completion: 60.9% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Subaru campaign WTM-73 · Owners notified December 16, 2016 · Vehicles built April 26, 2007 – September 13, 2013 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.

Safety consequence

If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Front Passenger Air Bag may not Deploy

NHTSA #15V419000 · Air Bags — Sensor — Occupant Classification · NHTSA notice

Reported July 1, 2015 · Subaru of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 30,348 vehicles

Repair completion: 67.55% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Subaru campaign WQT-55 · Owners notified August 21, 2015 · Vehicles built April 21, 2011 – February 16, 2012 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012 model year Subaru Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicles (except WRX/STI models) manufactured April 21, 2011, to February 16, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may deactivate if a front seat passenger operates a device that is plugged into the power outlet such as a music player or cell phone, or touches a metal part of the vehicle such as the forward/rearward seat adjuster lever.

Safety consequence

If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Occupant Control Unit with a modified one, free of charge. The recall began August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQT-55.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Remote Engine Starter Fob Malfunction

NHTSA #13V061000 · Electrical System · NHTSA notice

Reported February 25, 2013 · Subaru of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 47,419 vehicles

Subaru campaign WQF-42 · Owners notified April 22, 2013 · Vehicles built April 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

Safety consequence

The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

Manufacturer remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Notes

Original equipment keyless entry fobs integrated on the vehicle key are not affected.Subaru's recall campaign number is WQF-42.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL DISTANCE

NHTSA #11V562000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Pedals and Linkages · NHTSA notice

Reported November 29, 2011 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 32,685 vehicles

Subaru campaign WVY-35 · Owners notified December 5, 2011 · Vehicles built April 21, 2011 – November 15, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 IMPREZA SEDANS AND WAGONS (EXCEPT WRX/STI MODELS), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 21, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 15, 2011, AND LEGACY AND OUTBACK VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 17, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 23, 2011. THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER THAT COULD MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL DISTANCE REQUIRED TO SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE.

Safety consequence

THE DRIVER MIGHT MISJUDGE THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS COULD OCCUR UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Notes

SUBARU SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS WVY-35.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

2012 Subaru Impreza 4 DR AWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 3

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 3

Side Pole

Rollover

10% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

1 investigation

2012 Subaru Impreza SW AWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 3

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 3

Side Pole

Rollover

10% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

1 investigation

243 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Subaru Impreza.

Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness

ODI #11763522

Incident: September 4, 2026 · Filed: September 11, 2026

My Chicco Fit360 car seat’s magnetic chest clip is failing to stay clipped and is easily unclipped by the tug of one finger. Children are able to easily unclip it as well. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. My child’s safety was put at risk because the magnetic chest clip would unclip by him pulling on it while my vehicle was in motion. It also failed to stay clipped multiple times which caused me to have to stop using it and request a new one. When I requested a new chest clip through Chicco’s customer support, they didn’t seem bothered or worried that their magnetic chest clip had failed and sent back an email saying they would send a replacement chest clip. The car seat has not been inspected, but there are so many other parents dealing with the same issue with Chicco’s magnetic chest clip. On Chicco’s website, the chest clip has many bad reviews and there are numerous bad reviews on other websites from parents as well. Some saying the buttons on the chest clip would get stuck making the chest clip useless, one parent said it broke leaving them stranded in a parking lot, and other reviews said the chest clip would come unclipped easily just by pulling on it slightly while trying to tighten the car seat’s harness. This magnetic chest clip manufactured by Chicco needs to be recalled immediately or I fear there may be injuries or fatalities in the future of children.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11739696

Incident: May 22, 2026 · Filed: May 23, 2026

My ignition key gets stuck when I shifted into park on my 2012 subaru impreza.

Electrical System

ODI #11682604

Incident: June 1, 2025 · Filed: August 23, 2025

The fan controls in the center of the dash failed. Fan speed 1&2 work, but 3&4 do not. After pulling the center dash controls out, I found that the plug connecting the fan speed controls to the wiring harness was burnt. This is a concern cause it could have burned other components or caused a fire.

Electrical System; Unknown or Other

ODI #11661254

Incident: July 1, 2023 · Filed: May 15, 2025

HVAC plug pigtail Blower motor resistor Heater control harness Is available for inspection HVAC electrical plugin was badly burned and melted causing risk of fire Summer months created dangerous interior temperatures Winter months & inclement weather created physical distress- & created dangerous vision restrictions/blockage because unable to use defroster Dangerous cab temperatures, limited or blocked vision through windshield created physical distress and distraction for me thus others and property were at elevated risk Yes confirmed by garage. No inspection performed. No warnings available. There are 2 separate incidents: July 2023/august 2023 September 2024/april 2025

Suspension; Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #11648309

Incident: March 12, 2025 · Filed: March 14, 2025

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.

Visibility

ODI #11640388

Incident: August 1, 2021 · Filed: February 3, 2025

The contact's son's father owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that upon activating the heating system, a burning odor would emit from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the mechanic discovered melted plastic; as well as black soot, inside the vehicle's instrument panel and harness blower resistor. The contact stated that an unknown fuse and the heater motor were replaced; however, the failure returned. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer(Prestige Subaru of Turnersville NJ) where a diagnostic was performed and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact reached out to the manufacturer but was offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 129,173

Steering; Electrical System; Service Brakes

ODI #11640376

Incident: January 31, 2025 · Filed: February 3, 2025

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.

Electrical System; Air Bags; Seats

ODI #11634194

Incident: February 1, 2022 · Filed: January 5, 2025

The Airbag warning light has been lit within the dashboard. The front passenger seat airbag is faulty and is not able to correctly sense when a passenger is within the seat or not, which disables the airbags. This can be deadly to the passenger if in an accident. The issue seems to be in the ODS passenger seat mat that determines when the airbag is active or not. If moisture is able to get within the mat, then it can short the circuit and cause airbags to not deploy. My car was "supposed" to already been fixed with the issue in 2015 on the recall #WQT55, NHTSA Campaign 15V419000, but I don't believe the underlying issue was fixed correctly or the same part has failed again. Looking further into recalls, the exact same issue is happening again with Subarus with #WRA-24 and NHTSA campaign 24V227. The dealer has asked me to pay over $1700 on to replace this part. Subaru America should fully cover the cost of any Passenger ODS issue especially when there have already been two recalls with the exact same issue.

Electrical System

ODI #11633290

Fire

Incident: December 7, 2024 · Filed: December 31, 2024

The AC unit suddenly shutoff and there was a burning smell while I was driving. It turns out that the connector on the back of the climate control unit had either drawn too much current, or the resistance was too high, and the connector had started burning. Fortunately, the melted plastic interrupted the electrical connection, and the fire had went out on its own. It looks like this is not an isolated incident, and several others have dealt with similar when looking online.

Air Bags

ODI #11613051

Incident: August 21, 2024 · Filed: September 6, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics and the contact was informed that there was a defective gasket on the transfer case and the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced. The contact stated that while a relative was seated in the front passenger’s seat, the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where a code reader determined that there was a defect with the front passenger’s side air bag sensor. A dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was made to have the vehicle serviced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

Other Subaru Impreza model years

Check your 2012 Subaru Impreza VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Subaru Impreza at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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