2015 Subaru Impreza Electrical Problems

Battery Drain when plugging into the USB port: This is second battery that had to be replaced since purchase of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11519879

Incident

Apr 26, 2023

I purchased a Subaru for reliability and safety reasons. This car has placed my family in some dangerous situations. Every time the outside temp is 90+ degrees F and it is driven on a road trip of 200+ miles, the car's acceleration shuts off. There is never any warning or check engine/trans lights until after this happens. Nate Wade Subaru in Salt Lake City cannot find any codes and does not know how to help. The car will not restart after being turned off, even after waiting up to an hour. We have had to tow it. The last incident taking place 7/30/2022 with our 19 year old son driving. The worst part is that twice it happened in the far left lane with no option to get over to the right side of the highway safely due to traffic. Cars/trucks from behind have narrowly missed hitting us because there was not enough shoulder to pull out of the way. This has happened both in UT and ID where posted speed limits were 70-80 mph and put us in real danger. I don't know what to do other than sell the car. But I don't feel right doing that without sharing this problem -which would then "kill" the sale. It is unacceptable to not have a fix for this issue or at least a warning light so we know when it might happen.

NHTSA ID

11477430

Incident

Jul 30, 2022

Yesterday, March 28, 2022 I stopped to run into a shop. Left my windows down because it was hot. My AC fan doesn’t work half the time. When I put my keys in the ignition, the key would not turn to accessories or ignite the car to start. The steering wheel was locked. The park gear shift wouldn’t move. I tried forcing these for at least 15 minutes. I had my emergency key fob and tried it repeatedly,too, but still I don’t know why it turned finally. I took to Subaru today who had a technical bulletin about it, fixed it for no charge. Says letter has gone out but I hadn’t received it. Why? I live alone, am 73, and do not have anyone to call to help. It’s unsafe because one could be stuck in the car when bad weather is outside creating a dangerous situation. Subaru called this Park-Range repair.

NHTSA ID

11458895

Incident

Mar 28, 2022

When put key in ignition, the car doesn’t start. The key can not be taken out of ignition. Numerous jiggles. Put foot on the brake, take foot off the brake. Eventually starts. Fear will be unable to take key out of ignition.

NHTSA ID

11456712

Incident

Jan 6, 2022

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, she noticed that the air conditioner was intermittently blowing warm air into the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11419932

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

CAR WON'T TURN OVER IGNITION. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. IT IMPACTED BRAKING, VDC SYSTEM, ABS SYSTEM AND CRUISE CONTROL DIDN'T WORK. OCCURRED AFTER 2 HOUR TRIP WITH NO CONCERNS AND FUNCTIONING SYSTEMS.ONLY NOTICED WHEN TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11404918

Incident

Mar 22, 2021

Mileage

57,000 mi

THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS (AT AROUND 16K MILES) THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WHEN I WOULD TRY TO PARK, I'D PLACE MY CAR IN PARK, HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT I COULD NOT TURN THE KEY FROM THE ACC POSITION TO THE LOCK POSITION AND ALSO COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY. I'D HAVE TO CYCLE THE CAR ON, REVERSE A FEW FEET, GO FORWARD TO MY PARKING SPOT, PUT IN PARK AND TRY TO TURN OFF. I OFTEN HAD TO DO IT 5+ TIMES TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. ON THIS SITE I FOUND SOME INFORMATION FROM SUBARU CLAIMING THAT SOME CARS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONTAMINANTS GETTING TO THE "PLATE GUIDE B." ONCE I SAW THE ILLUSTRATIONS I REALIZED THAT A COMPONENT OF PLATE GUIDE B IS A LITTLE SWITCH. THE BUTTON ON THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB HAS A PLUNGER THAT DROPS WHEN THE BUTTON IS RELEASED; WHEN IT FUNCTIONS PROPERLY THAT PLUNGER SHOULD COME TO REST ON THE SWITCH IN PLATE GUIDE B AND DEACTIVATE THE LOCK IN THE IGNITION. IT SEEMS THAT OVER TIME THERE WAS A LOSS OF SPRING TENSION EITHER IN THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB OR IN THE LITTLE SWITCH SO THE PLUNGER WAS NOT ACTIVATING THE SWITCH. AFTER LEARNING ALL THIS I WAS ABLE TO DO THE REPAIR WITHOUT REPLACING ANY COMPONENTS, AND NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, IT CAN BE DONE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND REQUIRES ONLY A FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER, A PHILIP'S SCREWDRIVER, A PAIR OF NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS AND A FLASHLIGHT. I JUST HAD TO REMOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE (TWO SCREWS IN THE BACK SEAT ONE ON EACH SIDE AND ONE UNDER THE HAND BRAKE BOOT, DISASSEMBLE THE GEAR SHIFTER COVER. (ALL PLASTIC CLIPS EASILY UNDONE WITH A FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER), KNOB, AND DUST COVER TO EXPOSE THE SWITCH AND THEN BEND THE EXPOSED END OF THE SWITCH SLIGHTLY UPWARD SO THE SHIFTER KNOB'S PLUNGER WILL ACTIVATE IT AGAIN. THE SWITCH LOOKS LIKE A SMALL FLAT PIECE OF METAL. I JUST HELD IT FIRMLY IN PLACE WITH A FLAT SCREW DRIVER THEN PULLED UP (GENTLY) ON THE END OF IT WITH NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS TO BEND IT SLIGHTLY UPWARD.

NHTSA ID

11396386

Incident

Feb 15, 2021

Mileage

16,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE KEY INTERMITTENTLY REMAINED STUCK INSIDE THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND EXCESSIVE EFFORT WAS NEEDED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT CALLED SUBARU SANTA MONICA (1229 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90404) AND WAS INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS A COST FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.

NHTSA ID

11386833

Incident

Sep 2, 2018

Mileage

15,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER GRAND PRIX SUBARU LOCATED AT 500 S BROADWAY, HICKSVILLE, NY 11801, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11372874

Incident

Sep 1, 2017

Mileage

27,000 mi

EVERY TIME I PUT MY CAR IN PARK, I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. EVENTUALLY IF I KEEP SHIFTING OUT OF AND BACK INTO PARK IT WILL LET ME REMOVE THE KEY. IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO A SUBARY SERVICE BULLETIN #: 16-112-18R

NHTSA ID

11343963

Incident

Aug 7, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARK AT MY HOME. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SET UP WITH THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS DROPPED OFF THAT EVENING AND WAS LOOKED AT THE NEXT DAY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAD AN ISSUE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS DUE TO THE SEAT BEING WET. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2018 WITH 35,278 MILES AND NOW HAS AROUND 46,000 MILES. THE SEAT HAS NEVER BEEN WET IN MY TIME OWNING IT AND WAS NOT WET PRIOR TO OWNING IT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED SEATS AND I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS IN LINE WITH LAST YEARS FORESTER PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR RECALL IN WHICH 366,000 VEHICLES WHERE RECALLED FOR A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE. I HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY AWARE IF SUBARU OF AMERICA IS WILLING TO COVER COST TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. SINCE THEY ARE UNSURE WHEN SUBARU WOULD GET BACK TO THEM, I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND IT IS CURRENTLY PARKED AT MY HOME. I WAS INFORMED TO AVOID SAFETY RISKS TO NOT HAVE OCCUPANTS TRAVEL IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FOR THE TIME BEING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COULD TURN OFF AT ANY POINT. SINCE PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES ILLUMINATE UPON START, BUT NO LONGER STAYS ON. IF A FOLLOW UP CONTACT IS REQUIRED I WOULD PREFER AN EMAIL OVER A CALL.

NHTSA ID

11341222

Incident

Jul 7, 2020

Mileage

46,110 mi

I HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH (RECALL) REPLACED A MONTH AGO. NOW THE KEY WON'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AS IT SHOULD WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN PARK. I HAVE TO PUT THE SHIFTER IN DRIVE AND PULL FORWARD, THEN REVERSE AGAIN TO TRY AND SEE IF IT WILL COME OUT. IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE IT WORKS PROPERLY. I HAD NO PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE BEFORE AND IT WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL JUST THIS WEEK. I HAVE 70,800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND AM GREATLY DISAPPOINTED IT ALREADY NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED.

NHTSA ID

11252120

Incident

Aug 27, 2019

Mileage

70,800 mi

THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION BECAUSE THE SHIFT GUIDE PLATE ASSEMBLY IS FAULTY. IT DOESN'T NOT RECOGNIZE THE CAR IS IN PARK AND OTHER RANGES DO TO THE PLATE BEING BAD. WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS SWITCH INTO GEAR BECAUSE THE PLATE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE CHANGED GEARS AND LEAVES YOU GOING IN REVERSE WHEN YOU HAVE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN THE DRIVE POSITION AND VICE VERSA. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW BUT HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT.

NHTSA ID

11252060

Incident

Aug 28, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHEN CAR IS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF, I CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IT HAPPENS ABOUT 30 -40 PERCENT OF THE TIME LATELY.

NHTSA ID

11223150

Incident

Jun 27, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PUSHING THE START BUTTON. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OTHER UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL KOLB JR. SUBARU (LOCATED AT 252 NY-303, ORANGEBURG, NY 10962, (845) 359-7777) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS INDEPENDENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ID

11210392

Incident

Mar 20, 2019

Mileage

71,000 mi

WHEN TURNING OFF CAR AND IN PARK IGNITION SWITCH GETS STUCK AT ACC AND WILL NOT GO TO LOCK POSITION. YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUALLY TRY TO TURN KEY ON AND OFF AND JIGGLE THE SHIFTER. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC CVT ENGINE AS WELL. CAR HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES/2015 MODEL YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11109821

Incident

Jul 6, 2018

2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11084092

Incident

Mar 21, 2018

FRONT OVERHEAD INTERIOR LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. IT WAS AT NIGHT, I WAS VISITING, I CALLED SUBARU FOR HELP. RESPONSE ; CALL BACK TOMORROW. I PRIED THE PLASTIC COVER OFF AND TOOK OUT THE BULB. DEALERSHIP RESPONSE WAS ' LEAVE IT ON, THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE BATTERY IS DEAD, CALL OUR ROAD SIDE SERVICE AND WE WILL CHARGE YOUR BATTERY.

NHTSA ID

11058156

Incident

Dec 20, 2017

Mileage

36,000 mi

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILS TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY A HUMAN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. MORE THAN HALF THE TIME SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS NOT ACTIVATED. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, STATIONARY, AND ON IN STREET TYPES OR STREET CONDITIONS. THE AIR BAG ALSO FREQUENTLY ACTIVATES WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IS DANGEROUSLY BADLY DESIGNED. IT USES A CAPACITANCE SENSOR TO DETERMINE IF AN OBJECT WITH A SIMILAR CAPACITANCE TO A HUMAN IS IN THE SEAT. HOWEVER, THE CAPACITANCE OF A HUMAN CHANGES DRAMATICALLY DEPENDING ON THE COMPOSITION OF THAT PERSON'S BODY, THE CLOTHES THAT PERSON IS WEARING, IF THEY ARE HOLDING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, OR TOUCHING SOME PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD GROUND THEM. THE TRADITIONAL WEIGHT SENSORS USED IN ALMOST ALL OTHER VEHICLES ARE A TIME-TESTED AND ROBUST DESIGN.

NHTSA ID

11033013

Incident

Oct 12, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER PRESENCE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED CONSTANTLY. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE A PASSENGER WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ID

10896059

Incident

Aug 15, 2016

Mileage

19,000 mi