2014 Subaru Impreza Electrical Problems

Cabin blower fan stopped working. Faint burned plastic smell. Starting with the blower motor, I worked backwards. The Blower Motor Resistor showed significant wear, which I replaced. After checking or replacing all other components, I realized that it was likely the AC Control Unit. I took it out and the electrical issue is so bad that the plug has melted to the harness. I found plenty of online videos and forums which helped me diagnose the problem in my own car. This is a fire hazard, and considering how many other people have experienced this, I'm surprised there is no warning or a recall. There is already one other complaint in your database, [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11745495

Incident

May 1, 2026

When I put my vehicle into park and try to remove the key, it becomes stuck in the vehicle every time due to a failing park position switch. This is a known issue to Subaru and should warrant a recall.

NHTSA ID

11643755

Incident

Feb 5, 2025

Key won't completely shut off car of come out of ignition.

NHTSA ID

11580532

Incident

Mar 18, 2024

One day my blower motor wouldn't turn on and my switch was actually stuck, unable to adjust at all. After checking all fuses and relays I pulled out the control panel and noticed significant electrical damage to both the switch itself and the wiring harness. This is a very dangerous fire hazard to myself and my family. I've done research and this IS NOT an isolated issue. There have actually been very many cases of the exact nature. There is even a service bulletin out for "HVAC blower fan inoperative" which includes my year make and model of vehicle. I feel if this isn't resolved on a large scale lives could be affected greatly or even lost. It is my recommendation this issue be moved to a national recall. I have included pictures of my own and also pictures from others with same issue as proof.

NHTSA ID

11525812

Incident

Jun 2, 2023

The Blower assembly in my car stopped working suddenly- When i looked into it, a short/electrical failure had happened that caused the wire harness and other components to melt inside the system. This appears to be a common failure similar Subaru cars, but the fact that the system can fail so significantly to burn/melt the connectors seems like a dangerous failure mode

NHTSA ID

11524486

Incident

May 19, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the driveway, the vehicle failed to restart after thirty minutes. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was due to the pump assembly and noticed that the connector was difficult to remove and had melted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed there was an open circuit in the assembly. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified and offered a discount on the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000. RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. FOUND OPEN CIRCUIT INTERNAL TO THE FUEL PUMP CAUSING OVERHEAT MELTING THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL ASSEMBLY TOP HAT WHICH CAUSED LOSE PRESSURE IN FUEL SYSTEM. PART NUMBER 42021AG010, Case # [XXX]-[XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”

NHTSA ID

11469345

Incident

May 15, 2022

Mileage

81,000 mi

Not quite sure what specific part or wiring location but it’s somewhere in the electrical system. The car is available for inspection upon request. Started out with electrical system on not allowing the windows to roll down and the Bluetooth connection malfunctioning to cause a high pitched screech. It is ear piercing and scared me half to death driving down the street with rush hour traffic and almost caused me to crash into someone. It does it at unprompted times and would be afraid to swerve into somebody and cause an accident. Trying to turn it off or turning the volume down makes it louder and the only way I’ve gotten it to stop is to turn off the car. A couple of days later, the power wouldn’t turn off on the media center or cycling through modes (FM/AM radio, Bluetooth, USB, CD) and caused the same high pitched screech. Now the drivers window does not roll all the way down and slams the window down the door at random times. Followed by the airbag sensor not enabling when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat. This can put passengers at risk if involved in an accident and can’t climb out the windows or the airbags from being deployed. The car is serviced at the dealership every time maintenance is needed. Dealership maintenance appoint is on Monday September 21st 2021 at the McCurley Dealership in Pasco Washington for other wear and tear maintenance but will ask them to inspect this as well. There has been no prior messages, symptoms, warning or maintenance lamps before this issue occurred. It started to do this back in the beginning of August 2021

NHTSA ID

11433394

Incident

Aug 2, 2021

The engine cooling system failed and put myself and my step-daughter at risk while driving on the freeway. When I got off the freeway, the vehicle stalled and I was unable to move the car. I got a tow to move the car. The electrical system was messing up for the windows and the radio, I was unaware of the other parts of the vehicle it was affecting. I just tolerated it for the time being. When my car overheated, The red warning temperature lights came on, the blue warning lamp that tells the temperature, and the tract warning lamp, as well as the check engine lamp. They did not turn on prior to this. I took the vehicle to John Hine Subaru. The car went from being my most reliable, to this unpredictable incident.

NHTSA ID

11432549

Incident

Apr 9, 2021

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SHOWS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS AT START UP AND WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE MANY SUCH PROBLEMS FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR BEING REPORTED ONLINE.

NHTSA ID

11403460

Incident

Mar 16, 2021

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS CEASED IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO EXCESSIVELY TURN THE KEY WHEN IN THE IGNITION FOR THE KEY TO BE RELEASED. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER (ANCHOR SUBARU - ADDRESS: 949 EDDIE DOWLING HWY, NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI 02896, PHONE: (401) 769-1199) WHO SCHEDULED AN UPCOMING APPOINTMENT HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ID

11348865

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

74,000 mi

I ADUJSTED STEERING WHEEL AND TRIED TO START THE IGNITION AND NO CRANK, NO LIGHTS ON DASH AND CAR WINDOWS WONT WORK. THIS CAR IS WELL TAKING CARE OF AT SUBARU DEALERSHIP ONLY. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11252607

Incident

Aug 31, 2019

Mileage

42,500 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR DEACTIVATES WITH PASSENGER IN SEAT. HAS OCCURRED DURING IN-TOWN AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. DOES NOT ALWAYS CORRECT WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STOPPED, RESTARTED, ETC. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED TELLING PASSENGERS TO REFRAIN FROM CELLPHONE/TECH USE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AS IF THAT IS A SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

11240363

Incident

Sep 7, 2017

Mileage

33,561 mi

RECALL - UNABLE TO GET SERVICE IN REASONABLE TIME - HAVE CONTACTED DEALERS IN BOSTON AREA - ALL TO BUSY TO FIX THIS ISSUE SUBARU SAFETY RECALL WUE-90 BRAKE LAMP SWITCH RECALL NHTSA RECALL ID 19V-149 REGARDING VIN: JF1GPAD69E[XXX] DEAR [XXX], THIS NOTICE IS SENT TO YOU IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT. SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT, WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, EXISTS IN CERTAIN 2013-2017 MODEL YEAR CROSSTREK VEHICLES, 2014-2016 MODEL YEAR FORESTER VEHICLES, 2008-2016 MODEL YEAR IMPREZA (4-DOOR) VEHICLES, 2012-2016 MODEL YEAR IMPREZA (5-DOOR) VEHICLES, AND 2008-2014 MODEL YEAR WRX (4-DOOR) VEHICLES. YOU RECEIVED THIS NOTICE BECAUSE OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT YOU CURRENTLY OWN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES. DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO A POTENTIAL DEFECT IN THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH IN YOUR VEHICLE, THE REAR BRAKE LAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE AS INTENDED WHILE BRAKING. BRAKE LIGHTS THAT DO NOT ILLUMINATE PROPERLY WILL NOT ALERT OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE VEHICLE IS SLOWING OR STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. IN THE EVENT OF A BRAKE LAMP SWITCH FAILURE, THE BRAKES ON YOUR VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

NHTSA ID

11234379

Incident

Jul 24, 2019

THE GAS GUAGE INNACCURATELY DESCRIBES HOW MUCH GAS IS LEFT IN THE TANK. I FILLED MY TANK FROM 40 MILES TWO WEEKS AGO. I PAID $32 FOR THE GAS AND IT ONLY READ 170 MILES TILL EMPTY UNLIKE THE USUAL 300 MILES. 5 HOURS LATER, WHEN IT CORRECTED ITSELF, RETURNING TO 300 MILES. THIS WEEK, UPON FILLING MY CAR UP AT 40 MILES TILL EMPTY, I PAID $28. MY CAR READ 280 MILES TILL EMPTY AND THEN SHOT UP TO 300 MILES HALF AN HOUR LATER. I FEEL UNSAFE TO LET MY CAR GO LONG PERIODS OF TIME WITHOUT FILLING WITH GAS. I CALLED MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED ME TO WAIT ALMOST 3 WEEKS TO BRING MY CAR IN, EVEN WHEN STATED THAT I HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY WITH OTHER 2011-2016 SUBARU IMPREZAS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS LESS THAN COMFORTING "CLAIMING" THEY HAVE HAD NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OR TRENDS OF THIS HAPPENING WITH MY GENERATION IMPREZA, ONLY THE NEWER MODEL IMPREZAS AND CROSSTREKS.

NHTSA ID

11157068

Incident

Nov 28, 2018

Mileage

34,000 mi

FOR THE THIRD TIME, WHILE DRIVING THE SUBARU THE ENGINE DIED AND ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR CONTROL WAS DIFFICULT. THE FIRST TWO TIMES WAS ON A FREEWAY AND THE THIRD TIME WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAR WAS TOWED TO A SUBARU DEALER WHO DETERMINED, THAT THE ELECTRICAL BULKHEAD HARNESS WAS DAMAGED DUE TO RODENTS CHEWING ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT RESULTING IN A BLOWN FUSE. AFTER THREE WEEKS OF REPAIR AND AT A COST OF $7173.65 THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, HOPEFULLY. HAVING THE ENGINE SIMPLY FAIL, TWICE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE. I HAVE A DETAILED REPAIR INVOICE BUT NO ABILITY TO SCAN IT. MY INSURANCE CLAIM WAS DONE BY PHONE AND ELECTRONICALLY.

NHTSA ID

11123894

Incident

Aug 7, 1918

Mileage

56,000 mi

TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT SYSTEM OF MY VEHICLE IS DEFINITELY DEFECTIVE. DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECT & "RESET" TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR AFTER I GOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY FROM MY TIRE EXPLODING FROM A LACK OF TIRE PRESSURE & FAILURE OF LIGHT SHOWING ON MY DASHBOARD. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A 3RD PARTY TIRE SHOP THEN PROPERLY INFLATED AIR PRESSURE TO ALL 4 TIRES WHICH THEN CAUSED THE AIR PRESSURE LIGHT TO APPEAR ON THE DASH... THIS REVEALS THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE ALERT SYSTEM IS WORKING IN THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO. IN MY CASE; WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW; I WOULD NOT GET AN ALERT (THIS IS WHEN IT SHOULD ALERT); BUT WHEN MY TIRE PRESSURE WAS INFLATED TO STANDARDS, THE LIGHT WOULD ALERT ON THE DASH (ERROR). THIS CAUSED ME TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY AND IS A DANGER TO MANY DRIVERS DRIVING & AROUND THE DRIVERS OF OTHER AFFECTED SUBARUS. THE 3RD PARTY TIRE SHOP TRIED RESETTING THE DEFECTED TIRE SENSOR; & WAS NOT ABLE TO RESET THE SENSOR THAT WAS NOT WORKING. SUBARU WAS ABLE TO RESET THE SENSOR. WHY WAS SUBARU ABLE TO RESET, BUT THE 3RD PARTY COULD NOT?-POSSIBLE RED FLAG.THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ORDER ME A NEW TIRE SENSOR. THEY JUST "RESET" THE SENSOR WHEN ANOTHER TIRE COMPANY WAS NOT ABLE TO. RESET OR NOT; THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT; THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SENSOR WAS DEFECTED (OR ELSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A NEED TO "RESET" IT & GIVE ME A FREE MAINTENANCE SERVICE) AND KNOWS ABOUT THE ACCIDENT IT CAUSED ME AS A RESULT. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE TIRE SENSOR IS DEFECTED (OR ELSE THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO "RESET" THE SENSOR); WHAT'S TO SAY THAT IT WILL NOT DEFECT AGAIN? WHAT IS TO SAY THAT THEY ILLEGALLY JUST TURNED OFF THE SENSOR LIGHT TO COVER UP THE PROBLEM WHEN THE TIRE SENSOR IS STILL DEFECTIVE? WHY DID THEY REINSTALL AN ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECTED TIRE SENSOR AS OPPOSED TO ORDERING ME A NEW TIRE SENSOR?INVESTIGATE PLS

NHTSA ID

10767318

Incident

Jul 7, 2015

Mileage

24,657 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING IT OFF, THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE THE SHIFTER WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,073.

NHTSA ID

10604863

Incident

Jun 16, 2014

Mileage

1,073 mi