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Subaru WRXModel year report

2015 Subaru WRX Problems

Compared with other Subaru WRX years

More complaints than typical for this model

65/100 1.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2016, 2017, 2018

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
52filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
31,250miles, 40 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl AWD · 19 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2015 Subaru WRX (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe manual clutches that slip, burn, or fail early, and gears that will not engage or shift. Rough idle, stalling, and headlights-disabled warnings also appear, and the headlight messages are often tied to cold weather. Where mileage is given, reports range from very early in ownership to more than 100,000 miles.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Manual clutch slipping, burning, or failing early

    • 11 complaints (21%)
    • median 17,500 mi at 0.6 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2014–2021

    Owners of manual cars describe clutches that slipped, burned, or failed, with some failures reported at low mileage. A burned-clutch smell is often mentioned, and some report the car dying or losing drive on the road. Complaints also describe a throw-out bearing or fork failing and damaging the clutch, and dealers reportedly replaced the clutch, flywheel, or bearing. A complaint reports that the manufacturer linked repeated failures to driving habits. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 145 miles to about 60,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask for service records of any clutch, flywheel, or throw-out bearing work. On a test drive, check for a burned smell, slipping under acceleration, and smooth engagement from a stop.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I am a 44 year old woman, driving a 2015 WRX. I have only owned and driven manual transmissions my entire life. My last car, a mazda 3, I drove to 110,000 miles and the clutch never went out. My 2015 WRX is at 22,000 and the clutch is being replaced. A bearing went bad and did damage to the clutch. The dealership is putting a new clutch in the vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #10936354, filed 2016-12, 22,000 miles

    “The clutch keeps going bad in a few thousand miles under normal use. This is the second time only after 2000 miles. Subaru tells me I abuse the clutch and don't know how to drive. I have driven only manual transmission cars, never had any problems before with any car. This Subaru has a bad clutch which they won't accept.”

    NHTSA complaint #11113173, filed 2018-07, 60,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Rough idle, stalling, or sudden power loss

    • 12 complaints (23%)
    • median 17,250 mi at 1.2 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2022

    Owners describe rough or unstable idle, RPM drops, and engine stalls, including a sudden loss of throttle response at highway speed. Some report sputtering on cold starts or a check engine light, and some say the car entered a limited get-home mode. A dealer software update reportedly eased a rough idle for a time before it returned, and a complaint links a cracked turbocharger intake to rough idle and stalling. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 9,700 miles to about 138,000 miles.

    Recall 16V162000

    What to check: Ask whether the turbocharger air intake recall applies to the car's build date and VIN, and request records of any idle or stall repairs. On a test drive, check idle quality at a stop and watch for sputtering after a cold start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2015 WRX limited CVT. When I go to my car to go to work and I start it, the car sputters. I've only noticed this on cold starts only, once the car is warmed up it's fine. For some reason though when the car is sputtering on start ups it will trip my cel and basically put the car into 'get home' mode, but it only seems to trigger the cel when it wants to. The car will always sputter on start up but sometimes the cel will come on and I can't use the drive modes and sometimes it won't come on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11415216, filed 2021-05, 92,000 miles

    “2015 WRX 2.0l manual transmission while driving the car in everyday situations I have had (3) distinct problems associated with the engine/throttle/idle. 1) ghost blip: when coming to a stop, around 5-15 MPH, put it in neutral coast to a stop idle will inexplicably spike from ~700rpm (idle) --> ~1.2-1.5k RPM (for a second or two...like a ghost blipped the throttle). No pressure applied to accelerator. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10747992, filed 2015-08, 10,500 miles
  3. Transmission and drivetrain

    Gears that will not engage or shift

    • 14 complaints (27%)
    • median 15,500 mi at 0.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • filed 2014–2021

    Owners describe gears that would not engage from neutral, would not move out of a gear, or would not upshift, often at a stop or while going uphill. Some report the car rolling backward on an incline or needing a tow, and some describe a burning odor during these events. In some complaints the dealer could not reproduce the problem, while in others the clutch was found worn or burned. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 6,200 miles to about 28,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask whether the clutch has been inspected for slipping or hydraulic faults, and request records of any tow or shifting repairs. On a test drive, shift from first to neutral at a stop and check that the car engages gears smoothly from neutral.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Manual transmission car. About 28000 miles when the issue happened. After driving about 10 miles, while coming to a stop in a traffic light the car could not be shifted to neutral from 5th gear. Clutch operated normally so I stopped using the clutch, while trying to shift out of 5th hear. As the light turned green I moved to the side of the road. Moving slowly in 5th gear caused clutch to smell, but continues operating. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10926047, filed 2016-11, 28,000 miles

    “On my 24k service. Vehicle was checked in at briggs Subaru of lawrence, for typical recommended service. After leaving the service center once the service was completed, a short while down the road, I came to a stop at a red light placing the car in neutral. When the light turned green, I was unable to shift into gear to continue. I had to call the service center, and they had to pay for the tow back to the service center. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10823831, filed 2016-02, 24,000 miles
  4. Exterior lighting

    Headlights disabled warning and sudden outage

    • 5 complaints (10%)
    • median 11,700 mi at 0.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2017

    Owners describe a dashboard message saying the headlights are disabled, followed by the headlights not working, and in some complaints the daytime running lights or turn signals also failed. These complaints often mention cold weather, and some say the headlights came back after a period of time or after the switch was cycled. In some complaints a dealer could not duplicate the problem, and owners describe losing headlights at night as a safety concern. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 3,400 miles to about 21,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask whether a software update or repair has been documented for the headlight warning, and have the dealer scan for stored lighting codes. Check that both headlights and the daytime running lights work from a cold start and after the car has been parked outside overnight.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Headlights disabled warning present on car and headlights don't work. Warning has been on for two days for no apparent cause. Car was parked outside for two days prior to warning coming on in 75 degree weather. During the time that it was parked there was a lot of heavy rain. Fortunately the time change has happened and I am not driving to work in the dark. I have not seen any reason for this issue so will be taking to dealer asap.”

    NHTSA complaint #10787894, filed 2015-11, 5,100 miles

    “Driving on the freeway at night, a light came on my dash that displayed, headlights disabled. The headlights were still functioning, so I ignored the message. Few hours later, the light flickered on and off repeatedly for ~15 seconds and then went away. The next day, driving at night on the freeway, the light came back on and both headlights turned off. I cautiously pulled over, and set my emergency lights on. I flicked the headlight switch on and off repeatedly and they came back on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10705237, filed 2015-04, 11,700 miles
  5. Engine

    Rod bearing and head gasket failures

    Mentioned in 4 of 46 sampled complaints

    Owners describe engine failures from a failed connecting rod bearing or a blown head gasket, sometimes with a loud ticking or knocking sound and a sudden loss of power. A complaint describes debris from a failed bearing spreading through the oil system, and another reports rod knock and a short block replaced under warranty. Another describes white coolant vapor while driving from a blown head gasket, with no warning light before the failure. The sample has no mileage for these reports, but complaint text mentions failures around 55,000 and 75,000 miles.

    What to check: Ask for records of any engine, short block, or head gasket repair, and have a shop check the oil for metal debris and look for coolant loss. A pre-purchase inspection with a cold-start check and an oil and coolant check can help show the car's current condition.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I first noticed the car engine began making a loud ticking sound and significantly lost power as I exited the freeway heading toward my home after work. After towing the vehicle to the Subaru dealership, they tore apart the engine and found a connecting rod bearing had failed. It had slid out between the rod and crankshaft and shattered in the oil system sending shards of metal into the engine and all components that the oil touches. Every component that oil touches needed to be replaced. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11493886, filed 2022-11

    “The engine blew up around 75k miles, it had blown a rod barring even though the car had been maintained. The clutch prematurly went out causing me to have to replace everything but the flywheel at under 75k miles. The clockspring is bad in the car affecting the horn and air bags. Having to get that replaced as well. The car is currently at a dealership getting everything resolved other than the clutch as thats already been replaced. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11429818, filed 2021-08

Buying note. Buyers considering this model year may want service records for any clutch and transmission work, and a check of whether the turbocharger intake recall applies to the car's build date. A pre-purchase inspection with a cold-start check, a test drive in traffic, and a headlight check can help show the car's current condition.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 46 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.

NHTSA recorded 52 consumer complaints for the 2015 Subaru WRX. 40 of the complaints include a mileage, and 55% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 31,250 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 417 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 7 Subaru WRX model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 65 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (1), Tires (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “Decided to get my spark plugs replaced, and got a compression test done while that service was done for convenience. Compression came out low on one side of my fa20dit engine. With more research, because the engine is direct injected, there is obvious build up on the intake valves, causing bad air flow. This is not a wear and tear issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11280851, filed 2019-11, 96,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Once, three months after purchasing, and a second time eight months later, my vehicle suddenly would not enter gears from neutral. In the first event, the car was still warming up, driving quickly. In the second event, the car was at running temperature, driven for one hour, driving conservatively. In both situations, I had to pull over to the side of the road and call a tow. ~1 hour later, the vehicle worked fine. No burnt clutch smell, no change in the feeling of the clutch/gears. Dealership could not replicate the problem, corporate is denying the problem.”

NHTSA complaint #10783753, filed 2015-10, 13,000 miles

Electrical system: “Driving car with passenger in cold weather (~0 degrees f) on city streets. After 10min of driving, passenger air bag light switched off, notifying me that passenger air bag was turned off while passenger was seated. Additionally, near the speedometer, the srs airbag error notification turned on, signaling an issue with the srs system. Incident has not been replicated.”

NHTSA complaint #10816466, filed 2015-12, 12,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “Drivers side headlight is randomly disabled. Like the majority of others having this issue, my car has been in a colder climate (minnesota) when this started occurring. There is no way of turning it back on.”

NHTSA complaint #10944404, filed 2017-01, 21,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

55% of the 40 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 11,700 and 60,000 miles.

23%0–1025%10–258%25–5020%50–7520%75–1005%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (40 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 31,250 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

20149201620182020920222024
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2015 Subaru WRX version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
WRX AWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed manual212824$3,400
WRX AWD2.0L 4-cylCVT192521$3,900
WRX AWD2.5L 4-cyl6-speed manual172319$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2015 Subaru WRX → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 417 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 417 bulletins →

Other model years of the Subaru WRX

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2024141500522—Too new
20239—1522—Too new
20222519,800152256 · TypicalRising
202113—1521—Not enough data
2020189,6001521—Stable
20193027,2502—2133 · FewerFalling
20184314,5002—2164 · TypicalStable
20175336,0001—2149 · TypicalFalling
20163125,0003—2151 · TypicalFalling
20155231,2503—2165 · MoreFalling
2014634,00010———Not enough data
2013710,50011———Not enough data
20094171,32710——0 · FewerStable
20086580,0007——0 · FewerStable
20061466,8703———Not enough data
20051948,0004———Stable
20044269,9904——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20036023,8001——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200242740,0001——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Subaru WRX model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Subaru WRX?

Owners of this model year most often describe manual clutches that slip, burn, or fail early, and gears that will not engage or shift. The issues reported most often: Manual clutch slipping, burning, or failing early; Rough idle, stalling, or sudden power loss; Gears that will not engage or shift.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015 Subaru WRX have?

NHTSA recorded 52 consumer complaints for the 2015 Subaru WRX as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2015 Subaru WRX is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 18 complaints (35% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 18.

Has the 2015 Subaru WRX been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2015 Subaru WRX get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Subaru WRX (WRX, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 19 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2015 Subaru WRX reported?

Among the 40 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 31,250 miles and the middle half falls between 11,700 and 60,000 miles; 55% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.