2007 Subaru Impreza Problems

What owners report

For this model year, most owner complaints in the sample are about the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator recall, with owners often describing long waits for remedy parts and dealer instructions not to use the front passenger seat. A second, smaller group of reports covers engine oil leaks and head gasket work, manual transmission gear problems, rusted brake lines, and early wheel bearing noise, which tend to appear at a wide spread of mileages.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall remedy not available

   • 24 complaints (35%)
   • median 70,395 mi at 10.3 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2026

   Owners describe receiving recall notices for the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator and then being told the replacement parts were not yet available, with no firm date given. Several say they were advised to keep passengers out of the front passenger seat in the meantime, which they describe as impractical. A few also report that a dealer visit did not result in the recall being performed, and some mention that the airbag warning light comes on and off at random. Reported across a wide mileage range, mostly in notices and complaints filed in 2016 and 2017.

   Recall 20V001000Recall 20V003000Recall 20V002000Recall 17V026000Recall 17V016000Recall 17V014000Recall 16V359000Recall 16V358000

   What to check: Ask for the recall campaign numbers to be checked against the VIN and confirm the passenger inflator was actually replaced, not just scheduled. Watch whether the airbag warning light stays on or flickers.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall - I finally received acknowledgement from Subaru of america that I have two airbags..takata-sourced passenger side frontal airbag and toyoda gosei driver-side airbag located in the center of the steering wheel. The safety recall notice that I received indicates that they will only be replacing the takata-sourced passenger side frontal airbag when parts are available...possibly not until feruary, 2017. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10896981, filed 2016-08, 35,250 miles

   “Takata recall. I received a letter from Subaru today stating that my car is affected by the recall, but that they don't expect to have sufficient parts to begin repairs until march 31, 2018. I am not happy that I will have to wait such a long time to have my car fixed and would like to know whether the dealerships should be forced to make repairs on a faster, more aggressive time table. I am entering the date I received the letter from subraru of america below”

   NHTSA complaint #10966523, filed 2017-03
2. 2
   Engine

   Head gasket leaks and external oil leaks

   • 8 complaints (12%)
   • median 73,120 mi at 6.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2016

   Complaints describe oil leaking around the head gaskets, oil pooling on top of the engine, and in some cases the vehicle breaking down and needing a tow. Some owners report the head gasket being replaced more than once, and others mention oil smoke or a hot oil smell under the hood. A few reports also cover oil loss through a chipped valve-related housing or a stripped bolt, and related check-engine codes with misfires. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 140,000 miles, with some repeat repairs after the first gasket job.

   What to check: Look for oil residue or wetness around the head gasket seams and the top of the engine, and check the oil level and condition. Ask whether the head gaskets have been replaced and keep records if a repair is done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We bought our Subaru Impreza with 119.000 miles on it. The motor leaks oil around the passenger side head gaskets. Ours blow up. Warp the heads in another. We have done had 5 motors put in it, n they all do it. This last motor does it but not as bad as the other ones. The warranty company on our Subaru said they get alot of calls about this promblem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10894512, filed 2016-08, 119,244 miles

   “My sister was driving my car while I was away. She was driving on the road when suddenly the car broke down. She had it towed to our independent mechanic. They stated that the head gasket blew. (soa mentioned to me that not a lot of people complained about it and they may reimburse me for my repair if I was at a Subaru dealer, but since it was at my independent mechanic they have to review it and the parts are suppose to be original) I needed to replace that. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10503223, filed 2013-03, 66,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Manual transmission gear and clutch problems

   • 6 complaints (9%)
   • median 4,623 mi at 1.3 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2014

   Owners describe third gear failing or the transmission popping out of gear, synchro damage in first and second, and gears sticking or selecting the wrong gear when downshifting. Some reports involve the vehicle refusing to go into gear at all and being towed, and one owner reports repeated clutch replacement after the car would not accelerate past walking speed. Dealers in these reports sometimes declined warranty coverage, attributing the failure to driver error. Mostly reported at low mileage, from a few thousand miles up to around 28,000 miles.

   What to check: On a test drive, shift through every gear including a downshift from fifth to fourth and listen for rattles or grinding. Ask whether the transmission or clutch has been rebuilt or replaced and request receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “To whom it may concern, I don't know if the NHTSA is someone that can help, but I figure I would try. I'm at my wits end. I have a 2007 Subaru wrx four door sedan. In april of 2008 I was driving my car in a 35 mile per hour zone and shifted my manual transmission from 2nd gear to 3rd gear. It popped out of gear when I began accelerating. Needless to say the car was undrivable and I had to have it towed to my nearest Subaru dealership, brown pontiac, Subaru here in amarillo tx. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10237769, filed 2008-08, 28,000 miles

   “I started to come home one day and the car would not go into gear I had it towed by road side service and reliable Subaru in springfield, mo. Said it would have to have a new transmission and after getting a hold of Subaru they said it would not be covered under warranty due to driver error. I ask them to prove it was driver error and they said it was impossible to determine that. But usually when the transmission was heated up it was driver error. I replied if it was low on transmission fluid would it not heat up and he said sure it would. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10185762, filed 2007-03, 5,247 miles
4. 4
   Suspension

   Early wheel bearing noise

   • 5 complaints (7%)
   • median 67,471 mi at 7.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2018

   Owners report rear wheel bearings needing replacement well before 60,000 miles, with noise noticed around 50,000 miles. On inspection after replacement, the bearing races showed pitting on the inner and outer surfaces. Separately, some complaints concern front lower control arm and related rust work under a suspension recall campaign. Bearing noise reported around 50,000 to 60,000 miles; suspension recall complaints span higher mileages.

   Recall 11V464000

   What to check: Listen for a droning or humming noise from the rear that rises with speed, and ask whether the wheel bearings have been replaced. Check that the front lower control arm recall work was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was at the dealership having a recall done for my front suspension a frames. (wvx34) and was told that the vehicle needed more extensive repairs as parts were corroded and could not be changed without being damaged. I was told Subaru had refused to agree the repairs until their dpsm had seen the vehicle, he would be at the dealer in the next 4 weeks. I contacted the dealer on the 5th december to be told the rep would be in until the 18th december (I am out of the country then). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10487582, filed 2012-12, 74,943 miles

   “Rear wheel bearings had to be replaced at 60k miles. Began noticing the noise from the failing bearings around 50k miles. Upon replacement, the bearing races were visually inspected and found to have major pitting on both the inner and outer races.”

   NHTSA complaint #10850934, filed 2016-03, 60,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Rusted brake lines and loss of pedal

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe brake lines rusting through, often near the right rear wheel or at a junction, with the pedal going to the floor and stopping requiring pumping the pedal or using the parking brake. One owner notes the joint looked heavily rusted and untreated. Another describes an emergency stop where the pedal went down and only worked after being released and reapplied. Reported from around 35,000 miles up to well past 100,000 miles, in vehicles exposed to road salt.

   What to check: Have a shop inspect the brake lines and junctions above the rear axle and along the underbody for rust, especially on a car from a salt-belt state. Ask whether any brake lines have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving down the road(luckily at 35 MPH) the brake pedal went straight to the floor. I down shifted and used the ebrake and stopped safely and noticed a puddle under the car in front of the passenger side rear tire. After getting the vehicle home safely, and checking things out, I noticed the 4 way connector (recalled under campaign# wqk-47) was severely rusted and looks as though it had never been addressed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11363134, filed 2020-10, 93,000 miles

   “When I hit the brakes hard for an emergency stop last night the peddle went to the floor and nothing happened, so I took my foot off the peddle and then reapplied and they worked fine, but by that point the deer had already hit me.”

   NHTSA complaint #10323620, filed 2010-04, 35,000 miles

Buying note. Check the open airbag inflator recalls against the VIN first and confirm the passenger inflator was actually replaced. Then have a shop look at the head gasket area, brake lines and rear wheel bearings, since those are the mechanical items owners most often pay for on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.