2018 Subaru WRX: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
42
Complaints
2
Recalls
5
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
2
Injuries
100.0
Severity index
Severity index 100.0 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 121 2018 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2018 Subaru WRX ranks 22 of 121 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 82% of its model-year peers. See the full 2018 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 11 | 26.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 10 | 23.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 8 | 19.0% |
| STEERING | 7 | 16.7% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 | 14.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 6 | 14.3% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4 | 9.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 3 | 7.1% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 11 of 42 complaints (26.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V587000 | 29/07/2021 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. |
| 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.