Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2003 Subaru Impreza
NHTSA data on file today
The 2003 Subaru Impreza has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 62 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #11V464000 FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM/TRANSVERSE LINK NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V468000 FUEL LINE LEAKS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V135000 REAR GATE STAY ATTACHMENT BOLT BREAKAGE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V342000 SUBARU/DRIVER'S SEAT SLIDE RAIL BOLT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V128000 SUBARU/CRUISE CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V282000 SUBARU/TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 13 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 13 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 12 complaints
- Air Bags 4 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 4 complaints
- Structure 3 complaints
Of the 62 complaints on file, 8 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 62 complaints, owners report 13 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2003 Subaru Impreza has issues with fuel systems and brakes, as evidenced by multiple recalls and complaints. However, major structural and engine complaints are less frequent, contributing to an average overall reliability rating.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| fuel system | 50,000–100,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| brakes | 45,000–85,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| suspension | 60,000–100,000 miles | $250–$700 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Timing belt replacement at 100,000 miles
- Coolant system flush every 60,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 30,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Fuel odor under the hood
- Soft or spongy brake pedal
- Unusual suspension noises
- Transmission not engaging properly
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2003 Subaru Impreza at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.