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2005 Subaru ImprezaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 75 owner complaints about the 2005 Subaru Impreza, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-003 the manufacturer reports only 69% of affected cars repaired.

2005 Subaru Impreza
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Impreza median · #13 of 30 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 69%Owner complaints7514 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage76kSuspension, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 24, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2005 Subaru Impreza has problems

75 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Suspension172
Air bags123
Fuel/propulsion system90
Fuel system, gasoline81
Structure62
Power train51
Engine50
Vehicle speed control43
Steering30
11 other systems216

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2005 Subaru Impreza recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

83%repaired · 2024 Q4

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 23V-076 · Feb 13, 2023 · 130 vehicles · 108 repaired

Risk. An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

82%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-001 · Jan 2, 2020 · 258,813 vehicles · 212,286 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

73%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-002 · Jan 2, 2020 · 127,547 vehicles · 93,276 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

69%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-003 · Jan 2, 2020 · 111,562 vehicles · 76,616 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
76%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 15V-323 · May 28, 2015 · 432,016 vehicles · 329,703 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Control arm: lower arm

Recall 11V-464 · Sep 6, 2011 · 318,215 vehicles

Risk. A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.

Best & worst years

2005 vs. every other Impreza year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Impreza median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2005 Subaru Impreza safety ratings

2005 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.8% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2005 Subaru Impreza, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · still open
    Led to recall 22V-945
  2. Front suspension control arm failurePE11011 · closed Sep 23, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-464
  3. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 14V-428
In owners' words

What Impreza owners report

Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The dealership is refusing to fix my car free of charge on a recall they confirmed would be able to do and now they are refusing to do it due to price and have made me wait two months for this to be the answer while also not giving me any sort of pay for the inconvenience of waiting for so long,…
Complaint 11638183 · Jan 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while her son was driving and approaching a stop sign, he heard an abnormal noise which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to park on the side of the road. The…
Complaint 11439156 · Nov 3, 2021 · 199,000 miles
WHILE MY SON WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, HIS PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED IN 2. HE STRUGGLED TO GET IT EVEN BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY. I RAN THE VIN NUMBER AND IT DOES NO SHOW THAT THIS CAR HAS A RECALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. DOES THIS MEAN IT WAS ALREADY DONE? OR IS THIS CAR NOT…
Complaint 11291060 · Dec 24, 2019 · 115,000 miles

Own a 2005 Impreza?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.