Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Subaru Impreza
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Subaru Impreza has 15 NHTSA recall campaigns and 176 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V149000 Brake Lights May Not Illuminate NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V026000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V016000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V738000 Power Relay may Fail Allowing Air Pump to Overheat NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V359000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V830000 Brake Line Corrosion at Four-Way Connector NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V311000 Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E011000 AFTERMARKET ROOF MOUNTED LOAD CARRIERS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V460000 ENGINE OIL SUPPLY PIPE NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 59 complaints
- Air Bags 37 complaints
- Structure 24 complaints
- Visibility 24 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 14 complaints
- Service Brakes 14 complaints
Of the 176 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 176 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Subaru Impreza has significant issues, notably with the powertrain and airbag systems. Numerous recalls, especially for the airbag inflator module, suggest potential safety problems. Frequent power train complaints further indicate reliability concerns, impacting the overall cost of ownership.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| powertrain | 60,000–100,000 miles | $1,200–$2,500 | very common |
| turbosystem | 70,000–100,000 miles | $1,500–$3,000 | common |
| airbag system | N/A | $200–$500 | occasional |
| brake system | 50,000–90,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| ignition system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $150–$350 | rare |
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 changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid flush every 30,000 miles
- Coolant replacement every 60,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 50,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement every 60,000 miles
- Timing belt replacement at 105,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Shuddering during acceleration
- Illuminated airbag warning light
- Persistent brake warning light
- Overheating engine indications
- Unusual noises from turbocharger
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Subaru Impreza at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.