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2017 Subaru WRX
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 53 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 Subaru WRX, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 379 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2018 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 2018 | 1 | 2 |
| Aug 2018 | 4 | 6 |
| Sep 2018 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2018 | 2 | 9 |
| May 2019 | 2 | 11 |
| Jun 2019 | 1 | 12 |
| Jul 2019 | 1 | 13 |
| Nov 2019 | 1 | 14 |
| Dec 2019 | 1 | 15 |
| Jan 2020 | 2 | 17 |
| Mar 2020 | 1 | 18 |
| Apr 2020 | 1 | 19 |
| May 2020 | 2 | 21 |
| Dec 2020 | 2 | 23 |
| Jan 2021 | 3 | 26 |
| Feb 2021 | 1 | 27 |
| Apr 2021 | 1 | 28 |
| May 2021 | 2 | 30 |
| Jul 2021 | 2 | 32 |
| Oct 2021 | 1 | 33 |
| Apr 2022 | 1 | 34 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 35 |
| Sep 2022 | 2 | 37 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 38 |
| Dec 2022 | 1 | 39 |
| Jan 2023 | 2 | 41 |
| Feb 2023 | 2 | 43 |
| Mar 2023 | 1 | 44 |
| Dec 2023 | 1 | 45 |
| Apr 2024 | 1 | 46 |
| Oct 2024 | 1 | 47 |
| Dec 2024 | 1 | 48 |
| Mar 2025 | 1 | 49 |
| Nov 2025 | 2 | 51 |
| Apr 2026 | 1 | 52 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 53 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Electrical1420.0%
- Engine1217.1%
- Powertrain (other)1115.7%
- Steering68.6%
- Airbags45.7%
- Driver assistance45.7%
- Exterior lighting45.7%
- Visibility45.7%
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
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Experienced catastrophic engine failure with no known cause. The car had been inspected and had an oil change 3,000 miles prior to the incident. Thankfully, I had already exited the thruway and was on a quiet backroad but if this had happened 15 minutes earlier on the thruway this could have been a much different story.
- NHTSA ID
- 11735991
- Incident
- Apr 22, 2026
Car all the sudden stall/ lock up tires at high way speeds due to sudden no warning engine failure causing a massive safety concern My car locked up during a normal drive up a slowly passing a semi when my car died no power steering no engine power transmission locking due engine failure Car was checked and maintenance at the dealer less then a week prior for a small misfire then was dismissed due to car all the sudden running fine so I drove it 100 miles then it died and almost killed me due to the sudden lockup 2017 Subaru wrx WITH THE FA20 DIT Also worth mentioning cars 100% factory stock Car wasn’t terribly damaged, although I was very shaken up from sudden failure into a ditch
- NHTSA ID
- 11730211
- Incident
- Mar 5, 2026
Hit a deer. Airbags did not deploy, however I have reasonable suspicion to believe my head hit the A pillar during impact.
- NHTSA ID
- 11698178
- Incident
- Nov 5, 2025
Going about 55mph, I struck a deer head on. It struck towards the center, but more so on the passenger side. During the impact, no airbags deployed, however, based off IIHS videos, it seems likely that they should have. Additionally, I have reasonable suspicion to believe I hit my head on the pillar of the door, which would have been unlikely if the airbags deployed.
- NHTSA ID
- 11697979
- Incident
- Nov 5, 2025
Likely secondary air injection pump and/or its related relays, CEL P2444 came on 3 separate times. November 2024, brought it in to get replaced under warranty, came on again the day after picking her up in December 2024 due to faulty pump, didn’t get to bring her back in until March 1st 2025, fixed part again, brought her home [XXX]. Car engulfed in flames 10 days later on [XXX]. I do have the car’s ECU available for scan to check for previous codes. I could have been killed in a car fire, the building my car was in front of could have been turned to ash. No, the problem has not been reproduced, the car is totaled and in a pile of ash. Yes, the vehicle was inspected by police and fire force after the incident. The CEL light had come back on that morning. 9:11 am, came on, parked at 9:28am, car was on fire by 9:52am. I was parked and in an appointment when the cops came in in order to evacuate us because my car was in flames. Please contact Romano Subaru for information on my car, I do not have all of the paperwork available to me, but all of the work was done through that dealership. 315-475-7933 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11651199
- Incident
- Mar 17, 2025
The current issues with my recently purchased used vehicle are as follows: Clutch, odometer tampering, steering rack, 2 axle leaks, electrical issues, inspection issues. I tried to see if the dealership that I bought the car from is willing to fix these issues they keep going back and forth with me on these issues even though I just recently purchased the car stating that I have to pay for it. I purchased this car [XXX]. There were several issues with this car prior to purchase that were not disclosed when I purchased it. The dealership that I bought the car from, highline car connection/Yankee Auto sales, insisted we buy an extended warranty. Upon inspection at Dan Perkins Subaru, one of the biggest safety issues with this vehicle is the clutch, I was informed that the clutch cover was missing and there were aftermarket bolts used, I was informed that the clutch is a normal wear and tear item such as an oil change and because of these two issues my warranty will not cover fixing the clutch. As you can see in my documents I just recently purchased this vehicle and had it for 28 days. I also noticed that there was odometer tampering, I reviewed the paperwork the dealership gave me for the carfax report and I went online to retrieve my own carfax report, there are several discrepancies in which I included with my documents. My vehicle has been in the shop since December 6th 2024 it is not safe to drive on the road in the condition it is which is the same condition the car was sold to me in. For the last week I have been going back and forth with the original dealership the insurance company Allstate with the warranty and Dan Perkins Subaru trying to figure out a way to get my car safe on the road and no one is willing to assist me properly. Please review the documents and get back to me at your earliest convenience thank you for your assistance with these issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11630702
- Incident
- Nov 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru WRX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V522000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that while reversing, the backup lights intermittently failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that he had to pay the labor cost to have the recall repair performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11619054
- Incident
- Oct 10, 2024
- Mileage
- 70,000 mi
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while reversing, the reverse back up switch was activated; however, the reverse lights and the back over prevention camera feature failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the reverse switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V522000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11581730
- Incident
- Mar 8, 2024
- Mileage
- 118,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
ENGINE; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
ENGINE
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers).
POWER TRAIN
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
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
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 37.5 |
| 2023 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 48.6 |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 35.5 |
| 2020 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 42.4 |
| 2019 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 47.7 |
| 2018 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 57.6 |
| 2017Viewing | 53 | 1 | 0 | 52.1 |
| 2016 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 46.1 |
| 2015 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 44.0 |
| 2014 | 6 | 10 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 7 | 11 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 2 | 12 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 4 | 11 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 12 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 41 | 10 | 0 | 44.8 |
| 2008 | 65 | 7 | 0 | 44.9 |
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 45.9 |
| 2005 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 41.8 |
| 2004 | 42 | 5 | 1 | 54.4 |
| 2003 | 60 | 2 | 5 | 63.0 |
| 2002 | 427 | 2 | 5 | 58.4 |
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.