RoadVitals

2003 Subaru Wagon

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
2
Latest Jan 9, 2006
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Subaru Wagon, most frequently naming the engine and exterior lighting categories. 98 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine150.0%
  • Exterior lighting150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 9, 2006

CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10147298
Incident
Nov 30, 2005
Mileage
35,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 10, 2005

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, I HAD MY FOOT SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT CREEP. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED SO HIGH THAT I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP FROM CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE ENTIRE TIME! *JB

NHTSA ID
10144903
Incident
Dec 10, 2005

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

15-308-23R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

15-304-22R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

Article Locator

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Techtips newsletter locator index.

15-333-25R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin

SubaruNet Annoucement (E

This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.

01-167-08R

This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Subaru Wagon by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003Viewing200—
2002400—
1994000—
1993000—
1992000—
1991200—
1990000—
1989000—
1988000—
1987000—
1986000—
1985000—
1984000—
1983000—
1977010—
1976010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.