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2009 Subaru ImprezaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 104 owner complaints about the 2009 Subaru Impreza, most often about the power train. It is covered by 14 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-311 the manufacturer reports only 45% of affected cars repaired.

2009 Subaru Impreza
47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Impreza median · #12 of 30 years by complaints
Safety recalls14Lowest repair rate 45%Owner complaints1047 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage63kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 30, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Subaru Impreza has problems

104 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
Power train300
Structure221
Service brakes143
Engine130
Air bags121
Vehicle speed control90
Electrical system82
Engine and engine cooling70
Fuel/propulsion system50
11 other systems222

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

14 recalls

2009 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.

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 →

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 →

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 →

Show 10 more recalls
76%repaired · 2020 Q3

Brake lights: switch

Recall 19V-149 · Feb 28, 2019 · 1,303,530 vehicles · 993,791 repaired

Risk. Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-013 · Jan 9, 2018 · 93,209 vehicles · 81,490 repaired

Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

92%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-012 · Jan 9, 2018 · 64,179 vehicles · 59,344 repaired

Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

85%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-014 · Jan 9, 2018 · 72,150 vehicles · 61,379 repaired

Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

85%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-026 · Jan 11, 2017 · 69,529 vehicles · 58,760 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

94%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-014 · Jan 10, 2017 · 53,480 vehicles · 50,046 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

61%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system

Recall 16V-738 · Oct 13, 2016 · 100,127 vehicles · 60,981 repaired

Risk. If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

83%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 16V-358 · May 25, 2016 · 302,127 vehicles · 249,595 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

79%repaired · 2016 Q2

Service brakes, hydraulic

Recall 14V-830 · Dec 31, 2014 · 200,064 vehicles · 158,768 repaired

Risk. Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

45%repaired · 2015 Q4

Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 14V-311 · Jun 10, 2014 · 461,338 vehicles · 206,870 repaired

Risk. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

63kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 28 power train complaints. 89% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles25under 100k miles3100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2009 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

2009 Subaru Impreza safety ratings

2009 Subaru Impreza 4-DR Wagon w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Rollover: 4 stars (10.3% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Impreza owners report

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

The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the transmission failed to properly shift. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and shut off the vehicle. Once the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle…
Complaint 11532736 · Jul 17, 2023 · 54,000 miles
09 WRX HATCH, WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED IT WILL MAKE A CREAKING NOISE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE FIREWALL FLEXES A LOT WHILE THE CLUTCH IS PRESSED IN. IT IS GETTING LOUDER AND IS STARTING TO AFFECT THE BRAKE PEDAL BY MOVING IT EVERYTIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED.
Complaint 11340428 · Jul 20, 2020 · 60,238 miles
SUBARU OF AMERICA INC. SHOULD RECALL 2008-2014 IMPREZA, IMPREZA WRX, AND IMPREZA WRX STI. THESE VEHICLES JUST ABOVE THE DRIVERS FEET, USE 6 SPOTS WELDS TO HOLD A MOUNTING BRACKET FOR THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE INSIDE OF THE FIREWALL.THIS DESIGN FLAW, WHERE THE PEDAL MOUNTING BOX IS SPOT-WELDED TO…
Complaint 11297167 · Jan 5, 2020 · 28,000 miles

Own a 2009 Impreza?

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