2012 Subaru WRX Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 Subaru WRX, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance125.0%
- Engine125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
- Steering125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING NORMAL DRIVING ACTIVITIES, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL STOP FUNCTIONING. AT THIS TIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE ENGINE IDLE IS HELD STEADY AT APPROXIMATELY 1500RPM. THE CAR CANNOT ACCELERATE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. SHUTTING THE CAR OFF FOR 60 SECONDS OR MORE IS REQUIRED. ATTEMPTING TO START BEFORE THE 60 SECOND TIME RESULTS IN THE ENGINE NOT STARTING. AFTER THE 60 SECONDS, THE ENGINE STARTS AND APPEARS TO OPERATE NORMALLY EXCEPT WITH THE CEL ILLUMINATED. THE ASSOCIATED CODE FROM THE ECM IS P2138.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD CHECKED MY OIL ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. I WAS OUT ON THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO GET MY OIL CHANGED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME ALL OF MY FULL SYNTHETIC OIL WAS GONE FROM THE ENGINE AND IT WAS BLOWN. THERE WAS NO SMOKING NO LEAKING NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING TO LET ME KNOW SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. SUBARU HAS BEEN ARGUING WITH ME FOR MONTHS AND FINALLY SAID THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS BUT I DO NOT FEEL I AM RESPONSIBLE AT ALL. I SHOWED MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO A SUBARU ENGINEER WHO SAID IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM GETTING THE ENGINE FIXED AT NO COST TO ME. WELL APPARENTLY THAT DECISION WAS REVERSED BY SOMEONE AND NOW I ONLY GET HALF OF THE HELP THEY PROMISED ME. MY ENGINE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE GET GO AND SUBARU NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT. SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING THAT ENGINE AT 56K ORIGINAL MILES AND I HAVE EVERY RECORD SHOWING I TOOK AMAZING CARE OF THAT CAR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD CHECKED MY OIL ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. I WAS OUT ON THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO GET MY OIL CHANGED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME ALL OF MY FULL SYNTHETIC OIL WAS GONE FROM THE ENGINE AND IT WAS BLOWN. THERE WAS NO SMOKING NO LEAKING NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING TO LET ME KNOW SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. SUBARU HAS BEEN ARGUING WITH ME FOR MONTHS AND FINALLY SAID THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS BUT I DO NOT FEEL I AM RESPONSIBLE AT ALL. I SHOWED MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO A SUBARU ENGINEER WHO SAID IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM GETTING THE ENGINE FIXED AT NO COST TO ME. WELL APPARENTLY THAT DECISION WAS REVERSED BY SOMEONE AND NOW I ONLY GET HALF OF THE HELP THEY PROMISED ME. MY ENGINE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE GET GO AND SUBARU NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT. SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING THAT ENGINE AT 56K ORIGINAL MILES AND I HAVE EVERY RECORD SHOWING I TOOK AMAZING CARE OF THAT CAR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD CHECKED MY OIL ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. I WAS OUT ON THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO GET MY OIL CHANGED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME ALL OF MY FULL SYNTHETIC OIL WAS GONE FROM THE ENGINE AND IT WAS BLOWN. THERE WAS NO SMOKING NO LEAKING NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING TO LET ME KNOW SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. SUBARU HAS BEEN ARGUING WITH ME FOR MONTHS AND FINALLY SAID THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS BUT I DO NOT FEEL I AM RESPONSIBLE AT ALL. I SHOWED MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO A SUBARU ENGINEER WHO SAID IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM GETTING THE ENGINE FIXED AT NO COST TO ME. WELL APPARENTLY THAT DECISION WAS REVERSED BY SOMEONE AND NOW I ONLY GET HALF OF THE HELP THEY PROMISED ME. MY ENGINE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE GET GO AND SUBARU NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT. SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING THAT ENGINE AT 56K ORIGINAL MILES AND I HAVE EVERY RECORD SHOWING I TOOK AMAZING CARE OF THAT CAR.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .