2017 Subaru WRX: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 53 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 1 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
53
Complaints
1
Recalls
8
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
7
Injuries
188.7
Severity index
Severity index 188.7 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Subaru WRX ranks 7 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 95% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 14 | 26.4% |
| ENGINE | 12 | 22.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 11 | 20.8% |
| STEERING | 6 | 11.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 4 | 7.5% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 | 7.5% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4 | 7.5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 | 5.7% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 14 of 53 complaints (26.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 2 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V522000 | 21/07/2022 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse. |
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.