Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

33 crash reports3 fire reports25 injury reports

Steering complaints

5 reports

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Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2001

SteeringCrashInjury

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 IN DELAWARE NEAR PA BORDER, IN A HIGH WIND, MY CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS CAUSED BY WIND OR NOT. IN TRYING TO STRAIGTEN OUT CAR, I SEEMED TO HAVE OVERCORRECTED AND SWERVED LEFT, ACROSS A LANE AND INTO A GUARDRAIL, GIVING ME NECK AND BACK INJURIES, TRAUMA, AND 28000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO CAR. I REMEMBERED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT SOMETHING SIMILAR HAD HAPPEND ON A RAINY DAY A WHILE BACK ( I HAVE HD THIS CAR A YEAR OR SO) . I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED LEFT ( DIFFERENT DIRECTION THIS TIME). I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THAT SUCCESSFULLY. I CONTACTED SUBARU WHICH HAS NO RECORD OF PROBLEMS LIKE I AM DESCRIBING. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR ON A HIGHWAY, SINCE IT FELT UNTRUSTWORTHY. WHILE THERE WAS HIGH WIND THAT DAY, I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY FEEL A GUST CARRY THE CAR- THE SWERVING SEEMED TO BE FOR NO REASON.*AK

NHTSA ODI #746247

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 1996

Steering

WHEN TRYING TO TURN QUICKLY ON ICE AND WET SURFACES THE CARS BECOME UNSTABLE AND CONTROLABLE. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION IN DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #801332

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 1995

Steering

RACK REPLACED DUE TO RACK/PINION BOOT LEAKING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #600626

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 1995

Service Brakes, HydraulicSteeringVehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, DISENGAGE CRUISE AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED, BRAKE DID NOT RESPOND, TURN IGNITION OFF, THEN LOST STEERING, RESULTING IN R/END. *JB

NHTSA ODI #973322

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 1995

Electrical SystemSteering

PURCHASE CAR BRAND NEW A MONTH ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OFF AND STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK UP WHEN DRIVING. TT

NHTSA ODI #958490

Official recalls

01V216000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Jun 25, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

98V315000 · Air Bags

Dec 11, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN OCCUR AFTER UNDERCARRIAGE CONTACT OF THE TOW HOOKS WITH CURBS, DIPS, SPEEDBUMPS, POTHOLES, ETC.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOW HOOKS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE99067 · Electrical System

Opened Nov 1, 1999 · Closed May 31, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

ODI HAS RECEIVED 5,820 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN THE VEHICLE STALLING.OUR COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE COMPAINTS ARE CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.IN SOME INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT RESTART.BASED ON OUR INVESTIGATION AND THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPOMSE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO PERFORM THE OWNER NORTIFICATION PROGRAM CITED ABOVE, INCLUDING QUARTERLY NOTIFICATIONS TO ODI.THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS OWNERS TO GET THEIR ALTERNATOR REPLACED FOR FREE.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS MATTER CLOSELY, AND THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THESE MODELS IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

EA97010 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment

Opened Apr 30, 1997 · Closed Dec 23, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

IN ITS LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 1998, SUBARU STATED THAT THE VEHICLES IDENTIFIED ABOVE WILL BE RECALLED.SUBARU DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOWING/TIE-DOWN HOOKS.REFER TO NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V-315 FOR DETAILS.

PE96075 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment

Opened Dec 18, 1996 · Closed Apr 30, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

ODI HAS REVIEWED 33 COMPLAINTS OF OVERSENSITIVE' AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT (I.E., ANY NON-CRASH DEPLOYMENT) RECEIVED BY ODI AND SUBARU INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 1995 SUBARU IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES AND ALL OTHER IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR BAG SYSTEMS IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE 1995 IMPREZA & LEGACY; THEY ARE LATE 1994-1996 IMPREZA AND ALL1995 & 1996 LEGACY (33 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 165,385 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT CERTAIN IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES - - LATE 1994 & EARLY 1995 IMPREZA AND ALL 1995 & EARLY 1996 LEGACY (29 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 95,678 VEHICLES) -- HAVE MUCH HIGHER COMPLAINT RATE THAN THE REMAINING VEHICLES WHICH ARE DIFFERENT IN VEHICLE STRUCTURE OR EQUIPPED WITH DIFFERENT AIR BAG SENSING SYSTEM.MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS (26 OF THE 29) INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE'S DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM AN UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACT WITH A CURB, BUMP, DIP, POTHOLE, ETC.IN THE REMAINING 3 COMPLAINTS, THE DRIVER ALLEGED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY OR WITHOUT ANY IMPACT.IN 13 OF THE 29 CASES, ONLY THE VEHICLE'S FRONT TOW HOOKS REPORTEDLY WERE FOUND DAMAGED OR SHOWED EVIDENCE OF IMPACT, AND IN 6 OTHER CASES BOTH TOW HOOKS AND OTHER UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS WERE REPORTEDLY DAMAGED OR IMPACTED; NO DETAILS WERE GIVEN IN THE 10 REMAINING CASES.THIS PE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO EA97-010