10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
5,919 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Subaru Impreza electrical problems

electrical problem

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2018 Subaru Impreza Owner Comments

problem #11

Jan 012023

Impreza

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The Starlink head unit, produced by HK, is having the same issues that the WUA86 update should have fixed. It was reprogrammed in 2019, and less than 1 year later when my wife bought it, it was having the same reported glitches. I.E. randomly turning off and on, not connecting to Bluetooth/usb music interface, backup camera taking extended time to come up on head unit screen, turning the headhunt off with the power button doesn't work because it just randomly turns itself back on again. The bluetooth will also randomly disconnect when it does happen to connect in the first place. This is a recall that was performed, and the same exact issues are happening. It's a BIG danger to whomever is driving the car as it takes attention away from driving. I am very unhappy with this danger as it was supposed to have been repaired already. Since the 2018 subaru impresa premium is out of the extended warranty even, it seems there's nothing we can do. But Subara put out this software update and said it would work. It didn't!

- Mexico, MO, USA

problem #10

Jun 012023

Impreza

  • miles
When the car is turned on, all of the lights flicker nonstop to the point of moderately reducing line of sight. I am terrified the headlights are going to just quit altogether. The car also -??shimmys-?? in time with the flickering lights. It appears to get worse when accelerating as well. Also it has been over 2 years since the headlight recall for this model. The dealership keeps saying, we don-??t have the parts or just ignoring my requests altogether.

- Mexico, MO, USA

problem #9

Oct 112023

Impreza

  • miles
2018 Impreza, beginning around 2020, has had three dead or damaged batteries (2x OEM and 1x aftermarket) and the car is now on its fourth battery (aftermarket). Vehicle couldn't sit for more than a few days without needing jump started. Dealership performed parasitic draw test and concluded the Data Communications Module (DCM) was the source of the parasitic draw and pulled the DCM fuse while I await back ordered parts (the DCM and DCM battery). From my research, older DCM units rely on 3G cell service that's no longer available and the DCM keeps attempting to phone home telemetry data, but can't, and drains the battery. Thankfully I have an extended warranty to cover this replacement but feel like Subaru needs to be more proactive in solving this issue for its customers by declaring a recall.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

problem #8

Jun 042023

Impreza

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Failure of the starter motor, should be able to get the faulty part from mechanic. This rendered me unable to start my car and required a tow, thankfully not from the side of the highway. Confirmed faulty with tow driver and mechanic. The part has only been inspected by mechanic who mentioned this was the third starter motor failure he has seen on Subaru Imprezas. No warnings, though the car struggled to turn over earlier in the day.

- Somerville, MA, USA

problem #7

Jul 032022

Impreza

  • miles
after less than two years into my lease, the car was completely 'dead'. I could not start it or 'jump' it. It cost me out of pocket money to have it towed 50 miles to dealership. They replaced battery. They car was recalled a year or so. Took it into dealership for repair. After I noticed that automatic headlight dimmer would not work.-Still doesn't. 2 weeks ago, car would not start. Was told again by dealer that car had to be brought in. Was referred to 'roadside service company' Was quoted an ' out of pocket' charge of $644 to tow vehicle to dealership. Since I could not do that, decided to order battery myself for $260. waiting for battery to arrive

- Mineral Point, WI, USA

problem #6

Jan 112021

Impreza

  • miles
Since January 2021, the screen with the rear camera go to black, many times and you only can see the red and yellow lines, so and other words when activate reverse the screen is black you can see nothing. Please help.

- Flanders, NJ, USA

problem #5

Apr 142021

Impreza

  • 14,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I lease a 2018 Subaru Impreza, which currently has about 14,000 miles. Since January 2021, it's battery has failed multiple times. I have taken the car to the dealer (dunning Subaru in ann arbor, mi) and the service department has installed 4 new batteries. Their diagnosis has been that as long as I don't drive more often and farther (in these vague terms) my car's battery will continue to fail. The last time I took my car to get it fixed after it stranded me, on April 16, the dealership and Subaru of America's consumer advocate office both suggested that I purchase an off-market battery tender to recharge the battery. This means that they anticipate their car battery will fail with my current driving needs. In other words, the vehicle is unreliable. But from their perspective, I am at fault for not driving more.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

problem #4

Apr 022021

Impreza

  • 32,500 miles
Oem battery failed and left driver stranded in Nov 2020. Dealer replaced battery at that time. Dealer had to replace battery again today, 04/02/2021 because it was also failing. Dealer would not acknowledge that issue was with car. Simply stated that they would continue to replace failed batteries if within warranty period. Extremely dangerous. When battery fails, car is unresponsive to any/all commands.

- Wilmette, IL, USA

problem #3

Aug 072018

Impreza 4-cyl

  • 14,444 miles
The side airbags did not deploy and 3 sensors where activated but because of the electrical problems it never went off.

- Killeen, TX, USA

problem #2

Mar 222019

Impreza

  • 3,600 miles
Problem with the ignition switch not wanting to engage, wouldn't turn the key at all. Has been a problem for the last few months where I had to play with ignition to get it to turn over

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #1

Jun 112018

Impreza

  • 567 miles
The car has stalled 3 times while driving. At a stop sign, red light and at a stop sign. The incident at the traffic light caused the vehicle to start rolling backwards and almost hit into another vehicle. Subaru can not find the problem but acknowledges the incidents of stalling. The car is not safe to drive and was purchased in the later half of April 2018.

- Nashville, TN, USA

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