2001 Subaru Impreza Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Subaru Impreza, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes323.1%
- Tires & wheels323.1%
- Airbags215.4%
- Steering17.7%
- Suspension17.7%
- Transmission17.7%
- Electrical17.7%
- Fuel system17.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER READING ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE SUBARU WRX ABS PROBLEMS, I NOW FEEL LIKE THE ISSUE IS BROADER THAN THE NHTSA RECALL SUGGESTS. I DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A SITE TO FILE THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT.*AK I DRIVE A 2001 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5RS. THE ABS SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE INCREDIBLY SENSITIVE TO SMALL BUMPS AND UNDULATIONS IN THE ROAD. IF THE CAR HITS A BUMP WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED, THE ABS SYSTEM BEGINS PUMPING THE BRAKE WHICH CAUSES, IN MY OPINION, LENGTHENED STOPPING DISTANCES AND A FEELING OF LACK OF CONTROL OVER THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM IS EASILY DUPLICATED.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM OVER REACTS. HAD TO AVOID ACCIDENTS MANY TIMES WHEN CRUISING TO STOP AND HITTING EITHER A DIP,SMALL OR LARGE POTHOLE,SLIGHT IMPERFECTION IN ROAD SERVICE WILL CAUSE ABS TO ENGAGE (BRAKE PETAL DOPS AND ABS STARTS) ESPECIALLY ON DOWNHILL BREAKING. I WILL INCLUDE 1 INCIDENT DATE BECAUSE THAT IS ALL YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO DO ON THE FORM. PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE AND HAPPENS OFTEN (2-3 TIMES A WEEK) I KNOW THIS IS NOT JUST MY CAR OR A PROBLEM RELATED TO ONLY MY CAR IT IS ALREADY KNOWN, SUBARU KNOWS OF PROBLEM. YET DOES NOT OFFER A SAFE SOLUTION. I ACTUALLY FOUND THIS OUT THE HARD WAY 2 MONTHS AFTER GETTING MY NEW CAR THE RS MODEL.NO INJURIES LUCKILY. FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM SUBARU CLUBS THIS HAPPENS WITH OTHER MODEL YEARS AS WELL. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS BEEN VERY STUBBORN TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING ALONG THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL WHERE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. I NOTICED THAT IN THE SPECIFIC LOCATION OF THE FAILURE, THE SIDEWALL WAS EXTREMELY SOFT; UNLIKE THE REST OF THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN BACK TO COSTCO; BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE HAD 25,000 MILES ON IT; DRIVEN CONSERVATIVELY. I DO STILL HAVE THE FAILED TIRE, AND TWO OTHER TIRES JUST LIKE IT ARE STILL ON THE CAR. THE TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE POTENZA 205/55R16 91W, ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE. *NM
TIRE FAILURE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* - THE CONSUMER BLACKED OUT AND DOESN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER HIT A GUARD RAIL POST AND THEN TWO TREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE OF FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG FAILED NOT TO DEPLOY. UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB
I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHEN A WOMAN FELL ASLEEP AND HIT ME HEAD ON. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* - THE CONSUMER BLACKED OUT AND DOESN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER HIT A GUARD RAIL POST AND THEN TWO TREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE OF FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG FAILED NOT TO DEPLOY. UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR WHEEL BEARING REPEATIDLY FAILED. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED TEN TIMES. THE VEHOICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE FAULT BEARING. *AK *CB *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRE FAILURE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
FOR SOME REASON, THE FACTORY ANTI-THEFT DEVICE HAS CUT OFF THE STARTER AND IT WOULD NOT LET ME START THE CAR. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO "START", THE ENGINE DOES NOT TRY TO TURN OVER AT ALL. WHEN I OPEN THE HOOD, I CAN HEAR A QUIET HIGH-PITCH NOISE WHEN KEY IS TURNED TO "START", AND THAT'S ALL. ALL THE ACCESSORIES, SUCH AS STEREO, RADAR DETECTOR, WORK FINE WHEN KEY IS IN "ON" POSITION. I HAVE TO HOLD DOWN THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO START MY CAR. FURTHERMORE, THE REMOTE ENTRY/ANTI-THEFT DEVICE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DISABLED. TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE "BRAIN" OF THE ALARM SYSTEM, OR THE CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLY DEAD. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CAR HAS A GAS ODOR IN CABIN WHEN STARTED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE SMELL WILL GO AWAY AFTER A LITTLE WHILE. JUDGING UPON HOW MANY ARTICLES I HAVE READ , THIS IS A PROBLEM. WHY HAVE THEY NOT EXPANDED THEIR RECALL?
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .