Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Subaru Impreza submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 51 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.
The 25 most recent of 51, in the owner's own words
2008 WRX started to make a sqeeking noise when engaging the clutch. The spot welds came apart from firewall and my clutch has gone out twice. The pedal when shifting sticks and while driving I have to put the pedal under my foot and pull upwards for it to work. Very dangerous and the welds are faulty, it should be a recall items. Subaru can request for a inspection anytime as it is very much needed to be addressed.
THE SPOT WELDS UNDER WINDSHIELD COWL BROKE CAUSING THE BRACKET HOLDING CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO BREAK. BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, I CAN ONLY ENGAGE MY REVERSE GEAR HALF THE TIME AND WHILE SHIFTING GEARS IN MOTION, IT TENDS TO BE A BIT DIFFICULT. I'VE ALMOST CRASHED A COUPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 2008 SUBARU WRX SEDAN WITH ONLY 74,000 MILES AND I'M CURRENTLY MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR. MONEY IS REALLY TIGHT DUE TO ME BEING A FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT AND FULL TIME WORKER SO I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT THIS REALLY BIG PROBLEM. MY CAR IS EVERYTHING TO ME RIGHT NOW AND IF IT FAILS ON ME, I HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I ALSO HAVE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN WHEELS, AND A BLOW OFF VALVE. THE VEHICLE TENDS TO GIVE ME THE MOST DIFFICULTY ENGAGING REVERSE EVERY MORNING.
MY SONS VEHICLE STARTED OFF WITH A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH. THIS WENT ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS HE IS NOW HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING THE CAR INTO GEAR AND IT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THE OTHER DAY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, AND THE CLUTCH IS TOTALLY DEPRESSED IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. WHEN DRIVING IT IS LESS DIFFICULT, BUT STILL VERY TRICKY TO GET INTO GEAR. WE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, IF YOU RAISE THE HOOD, YOU CAN SEE THE FIREWALL FLEXING QUITE A BIT WHERE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER IS LOCATED. WE REPLACED THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER AND IT DID NOT HELP THE ISSUE. IN MY READING ONLINE, I HAVE NOTICED MANY COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE RELATED TO THE FACTORY WELDS HOLDING THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL ARE FAILING. IT SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE FOR SUBARU IMPREZAS 2008-2014. I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE A FACTORY RECALL. MY SON CAN NO LONGER USE THE CAR AND WE ARE UNSURE ON HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE..
THE FIRE WALL BROKE AND THE PISTONS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS THEN IT BLEW THE CRANK
HAVING SAME ISSUE AS MOST WITH 08 WRX . FIREWALL BRACKETS HAVE COME LOOSE AND CLUTCH WILL NOT ACTUATE PROPERLY.
WE HAD A NEW CLUTCH INSTALLED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CLUTCH PEDAL NOW MOVE TOGETHER. SIMULTANEOUSLY THIS NOT ONLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE PREMATURE CLUTCH AND BRAKE FAILURE.
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2008 WRX MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE NOISE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I FOUND THAT THE THREE SPOT WELDS SECURING THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIREWALL, JUST UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, I SAW THE SPOT WELDS PULLING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS ALLOWS THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY TO MOVE, CAUSING THE CREAKING NOISE. IF THE BRACKET COMPLETELY SEPARATES FROM THE FIREWALL, THE CLUTCH MAY BECOME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE - ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED, IT BECAME STUCK AND MADE AN UNKNOWN NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WAS PEELING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2015, BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
FAILED WELDS CONNECTING PEDAL PANEL TO THE FIREWALL. RESULTS IN LOUD SQUEAKING WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED/RELEASED AND THE PANEL WELDS MAY FAIL ENTIRELY ON MY '08 STI. *TR
HEAD GASKET PREMATURELY LEAKING OIL. LEAK FINDS ITSELF NEAR EXHAUST. A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH FINDS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON UP UNTIL 2010 AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEWEST ENGINE. AN IMPROVED GASKET IS AVAILABLE, BUT REPLACEMENT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART AND THE AFFECTED CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CLUTCH WAS DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH WELL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,800.
I OWN A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WITH A STOCK CLUTCH. FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS I HAVE BEEN HEARING CREAKING AND/OR CLICKING NOISES WHEN ENGAGING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IN APRIL OF 2013 CHATHAM SUBARU IN GA REPLACED MY CLUTCH DUE TO THE METAL CLUTCH FORK WEARING THROUGH AT THE PIVOT POINT WITHIN THE BELL-HOUSING. THEY ALSO NOTED A VERY HARD CLUTCH PEDAL AND SPONGY BRAKES BEFORE THE REPAIR. THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH, FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE, FORK AND MASTER CYLINDER (I REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN) ALL OF WHICH I PAID FOR. INITIALLY THE CLUTCH FELT GREAT (BRAKE FEEL WAS UNCHANGED), BUT HAS SINCE BEGAN TO HARDEN AGAIN. I BEGAN TO LOOK ONLINE FOR A SOLUTION AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE SPOT WELDS THAT BREAK BETWEEN THE FIREWALL AND THE MOUNTING BRACKET THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED TO (HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/?GWS_RD=SSL#Q=WRX+SPOT+WELDS). I REMOVED THE NECESSARY ITEMS TO INSPECT THE WELDS AND THEY DID UNFORTUNATELY FAIL. *TR
THE FIRE WALL IS CRACKED AND THE WELDS ARE BROKEN WHICH IS CAUSING MY CLUTCH TO NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR
CPSC:I1490369A. 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER STATED THE WELDS THAT HOLD THE CLUTCH BRACKET TO THE FIREWALL FAILED, CAUSING CREAKING, POPPING AND INCREASED PRESSURE TO FULLY DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL. *LN
AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTED REGARDING THE SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, THE WELDS THAT CONNECT THE CLUTCH TO THE FIREWALL HAVE BEEN BROKEN. TOOK IT INTO A LOCAL DEALER AND HE SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. *TR
WHILE GETTING INTO GEAR AND SWITCHING GEARS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS SQUEAKING. THE SQUEAKING WOULD COME AND GO. THE CLUTCH EVENTUALLY GAVE OUT MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS AND EXPERIENCED A SLIPPING CLUTCH AT HIGH SPEEDS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE WELDS IN THE FIREWALL WERE BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE CLUTCH FAILURE. THE MECHANIC ESTIMATED THE COST OF REPAIRING THE WELDS TO BE APPROXIMATELY $2,000 AND THE COST OF REPAIRING THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL APPROXIMATELY $1,600. THE TOTAL APPROXIMATE COST OF THE REPAIR WOULD BE $3,600 FOR DEFECTIVE WELDS IN THE CAR'S FIREWALL. I HAVE YET TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AS THE DEALERSHIP IS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT SUBARU TO FIND OUT IF THEY WILL COVER SOME OF THE COSTS OF THE REPAIRS. *TR
THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE FIRE WALL. EVERY TIME I PRESS MY CLUTCH PEDAL THERE IS FLEXING IN THE ASSEMBLY AND MAKES A LOUD CRACK/SQUEAK SOUND. ITS A DAILY DRIVER VEHICLE SO ITS NEVER BEEN RACED OR TRACKED. DUE TO THIS FIRE WALL CRACK (WHICH MIGHT BE DANGEROUS IN FIRE/ACCIDENT) MY TRANSMISSION GEARS AND SYNCROS HAVE BEEN WORN OUT DUE TO THE CLUTCH NOT RELEASING PROPERLY. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD HOPE THAT SUBARU OF AMERICA WILL ONE DAY MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS TERRIBLE PROBLEM BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A HUGE DEFECT LIKE THIS, THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER SAFE FOR MANY REASONS AND IS WEARING OUT MY INTERNAL COMPONENTS EVERY DAY. PLEASE HELP ME! *TR
THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED BY MYSELF BRAND NEW WITH A FEW MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS ALWAYS STIFF AND SQUEAKY AND TWO LOCAL DEALERSHIPS REASSURED ME THIS IS NORMAL AND NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. SINCE ABOUT 50K MILES MY CLUTCH PEDAL HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE AND REQUIRES CONSTANT LUBRICATION AND BLEEDING OF CLUTCH MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDER. WHEN PRESSING EITHER CLUTCH OR BRAKE PEDAL, THE OTHER WOULD ALSO MOVE WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF ROD TRAVEL THUS REDUCED FLUID VOLUME TO NECESSARY HYDRAULICS. WITH CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED AND IN GEAR, THE CAR WILL ROLL AS IF CLUTCH IS DRAGGING. WITH CLUTCH DEPRESSED AND IN GEAR, THE CAR WOULD LURCH FORWARD WHEN TURNED ON. WHILE SHIFTING NORMALLY THE GEARS WOULD GRIND AND I'M CERTAIN THIS HAS WORN MY SYNCHROMESH GEARS. DEALER CONTINUED BLAMING ONE PART, ANOTHER PART, AND MY DRIVING HABITS. THEY CHARGED ME OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT WITH NO ACTUAL PROGRESS FIXING THE ISSUES. TODAY I STOPPED BY THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP REQUESTING MORE INFORMATION ON THIS COMMON CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO FIREWALL PROBLEMS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS IS AN ISSUE AND GAVE ME A VERBAL ESTIMATE OF AT LEAST $900 TO FIX THE BROKEN WELDS. IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD I AM LEAVING A STOP SIGN AS USUAL AND GO TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. THE CLUTCH PEDAL LINKAGE BROKE COMPLETELY WITH PEDAL STUCK ON THE FLOOR. CLUTCH IS NOW 100% INOPERABLE, LUCKILY I WAS ON A QUIET STREET AND THIS DID NOT BREAK WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX THIS WITHOUT CHARGING WE THE CUSTOMERS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS SYMPTOMS FOR YEARS ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM, EACH GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL THIS FINAL BREAKAGE. *TR
THE WELDED CLUTCH BRACKET BEHIND THE DASH BOARD BROKE, MAKING MY CLUTCH PEDAL USELESS AND MY MASTER CYLINDER FLEX FORWARD BADLY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE AND THIS IS A 14 HOUR LABOR JOB. ANY OTHER POWER TRAIN RELATED REPAIR WOULD BE EXPECTED AT THIS MILEAGE, BUT THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A WELDED BRACKET THAT BREAKS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, A CRACKLING NOISE WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 85 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CLUTCH BEING EXTRA TIGHT, AND AFTER A MONTH OR 2 THE CLUTCH KEPT MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE. I HAVE SENT IT TO SUBARU MANY TIMES AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS STATED THAT THE CLUTCH IS FINE AND THEY DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO BE DONE...IT HAS COST ME OVER 5,000.00 TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM OVER THE COURSE OF 5 YEARS AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR. *TR
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW ON MY WIFE 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED I HAVE HEARD A CRACKING/SQUEAKING NOISE. I BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE SEES THE FIREWALL FLEXING WHEN THE CLUTCH IS BEGINNING TO ENGAGE. IT LOOKS AS IF THE WELDS ON THE FIREWALL ARE CRACKED AND NO MATTER WHAT PARTS HE CHANGES IT WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THAT IS WHY IT IS HARD TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR AND WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK COMPLETELY. WE LOOKED ONLINE AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, DEALERSHIPS ARE CHANGING SEVERAL PARTS AND NOTHING WILL FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS MOST DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
THIS 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA HAS BEEN PLAGUED AS HAVE MANY OTHERS BY A MANUFACTURER CHASSIS DEFECT. THE FIREWALL/BULKHEAD BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND ENGINE HAS 5 SPOT WELDS BROKEN WHICH INITIALLY ARE MEANT TO SECURE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THESE WELD BREAKS ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ARE CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ENGAGING CLUTCH AND BRAKES, AS WELL AS A SQUEAK NOISE EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. AS THIS IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT WEAR ITEM BUT PART OF THE CHASSIS/FRAME WHICH IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AS COMPLETE FAILURE DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION ON THIS MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE NHTSA. THIS IS CERTAINLY A RECALL ISSUE. *TR
THIS 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA HAS BEEN PLAGUED AS HAVE MANY OTHERS BY A MANUFACTURER CHASSIS DEFECT. THE FIREWALL/BULKHEAD BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND ENGINE HAS 5 SPOT WELDS BROKEN WHICH INITIALLY ARE MEANT TO SECURE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THESE WELD BREAKS ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ARE CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ENGAGING CLUTCH AND BRAKES, AS WELL AS A SQUEAK NOISE EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. AS THIS IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT WEAR ITEM BUT PART OF THE CHASSIS/FRAME WHICH IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AS COMPLETE FAILURE DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION ON THIS MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE NHTSA. THIS IS CERTAINLY A RECALL ISSUE. *TR
THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE BRACKET FOR THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE TO THE FIRE WALL IS CRACKED. THIS CRACK REPRESENTS A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE IF IT SHOULD COMPLETELY FAIL. WITHOUT THE BRACKET BEING PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL, THE BRAKES AND CLUTCH BECOME INOPERABLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY SUBARU AND THEIR LACK OF ACTION SHOWS A CARELESSNESS THAT IS PUTTING AMERICAN CONSUMERS AT RISK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. *TR
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.
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