RoadVitals

2005 Subaru Impreza Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Jan 24, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
23%
of 75 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Subaru Impreza submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Suspension
Filed Jan 24, 2025

The dealership is refusing to fix my car free of charge on a recall they confirmed would be able to do and now they are refusing to do it due to price and have made me wait two months for this to be the answer while also not giving me any sort of pay for the inconvenience of waiting for so long, while also having already ordering the parts and they have decided to decline my recall repair

NHTSA ID
11638183
Incident
Jan 24, 2025
Suspension
Filed Nov 3, 2021

The contact owns a 2005 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while her son was driving and approaching a stop sign, he heard an abnormal noise which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V464000 (Suspension). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and was informed the recall was completed by the previous owner on 12/10/2011. The failure mileage was approximately 199,000.

NHTSA ID
11439156
Incident
Nov 2, 2021
Mileage
199,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Dec 24, 2019

WHILE MY SON WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, HIS PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED IN 2. HE STRUGGLED TO GET IT EVEN BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY. I RAN THE VIN NUMBER AND IT DOES NO SHOW THAT THIS CAR HAS A RECALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. DOES THIS MEAN IT WAS ALREADY DONE? OR IS THIS CAR NOT COVERED FOR THE RECALL?

NHTSA ID
11291060
Incident
Dec 23, 2019
Mileage
115,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Dec 17, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE HEARD A SNAP IN THE ENGINE THAT CAUSED HER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S FATHER'S HOME WHERE HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000(SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH VIC BAILEY MAZDA SUBARU (400 E DANIEL MORGAN AVE, SPARTANBURG, SC 29302, (864) 568-3338) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.

NHTSA ID
11289711
Incident
Dec 17, 2019
Mileage
158,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 26, 2018

WHILE TURNING TO BACK INTO DRIVEWAY CONTROL ARM BROKE. IT IS RUSTED

NHTSA ID
11143057
Incident
Oct 19, 2018
Mileage
87,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jun 21, 2017

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE, AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED HOME. THE CONTROL ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS RUSTED AND SNAPPED SNAPPED WHILE MY CAR WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT. MY CAR IS AFFECTED BY THE WVX34 FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM (TRANSVERSE LINK) CORROSION RECALL, WHICH WAS PERFORMED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE CONTROL ARMS HAD ANTI-RUST SPRAY APPLIED AT THAT TIME, AND WERE NOT REPLACED. THE SPRAY WAS NOT EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY I WAS UNHARMED BECAUSE THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT VERY BUSY AND TRAFFIC WAS MINIMAL.

NHTSA ID
11000539
Incident
Jun 18, 2017
Mileage
180,500 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT LOWER DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,260. ...UPDATED 12/06/16 *BF *TR

NHTSA ID
10910589
Incident
Sep 22, 2016
Mileage
99,260 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 28, 2015

I WAS DRIVING AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AT 55MPH. I STRUGGLED TO PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHERE HE DIAGNOSED A BROKEN CONTROL ARM DUE TO CORROSION.

NHTSA ID
10744345
Incident
Jul 25, 2015
Mileage
125,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Sep 29, 2013

DRIVING. HIT A BUMP AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE AN EXIT AND HIT A POT HOLE WHICH BENT MY RIMS AND DEPLETED THE AIR IN THE TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10546120
Incident
Sep 29, 2013
Mileage
80,235 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 1, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE READ END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING MUCH LOWER THAN THE FRONT END. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR STRUTS MAY BE CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ID
10446110
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
45,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 20, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. HE LATER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V464000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

NHTSA ID
10432202
Incident
Sep 20, 2011
Mileage
72,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 17, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported

MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING HIS 2005 WRX STI ON A CLEAR MORNING ON DRY PAVEMENT AND LOST CONTROL. THE CAR SLID OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THEN CROSSED BACK OVER THE ROAD WHERE IT COLLIDED SIDEWAYS WITH A TREE. THE VEHICLE MADE CONTACT WITH THE TREE ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR POST, KILLING HIM INSTANTLY AND INJURING THE PASSENGER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CAR, WE FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINT SEPERATED FROM THE A-ARM. IT APPEARED THAT THE THREADS ON THE BALL JOINT WERE WORN EXCESSIVELY AND MAY HAVE SEPERATED OR WERE SEPERATING PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. WE SUSPECT THAT THIS COULD HAVE EVEN CAUSED THE LOSS OF CONTROL. I KNOW THE CAR HAS AN EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORD, BUT WE CONTACTED SUBARU ABOUT THE BALL JOINT/A-ARM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT IT IS NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS. WHEN WE SOLD THE CAR FOR SALVAGE, THE DEALER WHO BOUGHT IT TOLD US THAT HE DEALS IN WRX STI PARTS. HE TOLD US THAT THIS IS THE FIFTH SUBARU IMPREZA HE HAS PURCHASED WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINT SEPERATED FROM THE A-ARM. BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY OF OCCURENCE, I THINK IT WARRANTS TRACKING, EVEN IF THE BALL JOINTS ARE SEPARATING DURING COLLISION. THE PURCHASER WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND AGAIN, WE SOLD THE CAR FOR SALVAGE, BUT WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE CAR AND OF THE A-ARM AND BALLJOINT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE FROM IMPACT TO THE WHEEL OR TIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10206154
Incident
Oct 8, 2005
Mileage
12,400 mi
Suspension
Filed Dec 27, 2006

REAR STRUTS ON MY 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA HAVE BLOWN TREE TIMES SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE IN JUNE 2005. SUBARU HAS CHANGED THE PN# TO AN UPDATED PART NUMBER BUT REFUSE TO REPLACE AGAIN STATING MY VEHICLE MILEAGE HAS SURPASSED THEIR WARRANTY LIMITATION. THIS IS KNOWN DEFECT WITH MANY DOCUMENTED CASES. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS ISSUED AN UPDATED PART TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. DEFECTIVE STRUTS ARE A SAFETY CONCERN AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND OR DEATH. A STRUT SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE THREE TIMES IN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR ON A BRAND NEW CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177082
Incident
Nov 23, 2006
Mileage
10,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 23, 2005

WITH AROUND 6,000 MILES ON MY 05 IMPREZA WRX STI A CLUNKING NOISE APPEARED IN THE REAR RIGHT SIDE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND A DAMAGED STRUT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10137428
Incident
Sep 19, 2005
Mileage
5,900 mi
AirbagsPowertrain (other)Seat belts+1 more
Filed Apr 27, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS TRAVAILING 40-45 MPH ON A 2 LANE ROAD IN MY 2005 SUBARU WRX STI. I CAME OUT OF A SMALL S CURVE AND WENT OVER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD, AND THE TAIL END OF THE CAR STARTED SLIDING OUT TO THE RIGHT, THE NEXT THING I KNEW I HAD RAN INTO THE BANK AND I WAS FACING TRAFFIC, I HIT THE BANK AT LEAST 40 MPH, THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND ONE BEHIND ME, AND ONE COMING IN THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC. IT FELT LIKE THE TAIL OF THE CAR HAD TIGHTENED UP AND SENT POWER TO THE REAR WHEELS AND KEPT ME SLIDING UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE I HIT THE BANK IT SWUNG THE CAR AROUND LIKE IT HAD SENT ALL POWER TO THE FRONT WITCH IN TURN PUT ME INTO THE BANK. NOTHING WORKED. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN ME, I HIT MY HEAD ON THE SIDE WINDOW BECAUSE NONE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES WORKED ON THE CAR I SUSTAINED INJURIES INCLUDING: WHIP LASH, SEVERE HEADACHES AND I MAY HAVE A FRACTURED A VERTEBRA IN MY BACK. CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THEY BLEW ME OFF SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECTS IN THE CAR, AND THAT THEY WAITED TILL THE GOVERNMENT TOLD THEM TO FIX SOMETHING BEFORE THEY WOULD FIX ANY PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
10118595
Incident
Apr 23, 2005
Mileage
5,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 31, 2005

THE LEFT REAR STRUT OF MY 2005 STI HAS FAILED TWICE IN LESS THAN 13K MILES. THE FIRST FAILED AT AROUND 10K AND THE SECOND AT 12.6K MILES. STRUT FAILURE ON A BUMPY ROAD AT HIGH SPEED COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICHLE CONTROL AND COULD RESULT IN VERY SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. SUBARU SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND REMEDY THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY. ON A WEBSITE FOR STI OWNERS, THERE ARE OVER 100 OWNERS REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10116170
Incident
Mar 27, 2005
Mileage
10,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 30, 2005

AFTER ~3,000 MILES ON MY 05 IMPREZA WRX STI A CLUNKING NOISE APPEARED IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS, BUT IT DEFINITELY IS AN ANNOYANCE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A MISALIGNED SPRING AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR 3 DAYS, BUT THEN IT REAPPEARED. MANY OTHER OWNERS I'VE SPOKEN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT'S SUPPOSEDLY A MFR DEFECT WITH THE STRUT ASSEMBLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116084
Incident
Dec 24, 2004
Mileage
3,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .