2012 Subaru Impreza: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 242 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
242
Complaints
6
Recalls
10
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
6
Injuries
46.3
Severity index
Severity index 46.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Subaru Impreza ranks 89 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 31% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 105 | 43.4% |
| ENGINE | 55 | 22.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 30 | 12.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 26 | 10.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 15 | 6.2% |
| SEATS | 15 | 6.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 12 | 5.0% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 11 | 4.5% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 105 of 242 complaints (43.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 36 |
| 2015 | 36 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 16 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 38 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V149000 | 28/02/2019 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 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 malf |
| 16V738000 | 13/10/2016 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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 fa |
| 15V419000 | 01/07/2015 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION | 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 fro |
| 13V061000 | 25/02/2013 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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 |
| 11V562000 | 29/11/2011 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES | 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 EQUIPP |
| 18V772000 | 01/11/2018 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 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 engin |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.