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The 2012 Subaru Impreza has 242 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2012 Subaru Impreza has 242 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 91 complaints, typically surfacing around 46,311 miles (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Impreza | 112 | 0 |
| 2010 Impreza | 45 | 0 |
| 2011 Impreza | 57 | 0 |
| 2012 Impreza (this page) | 242 | 1 |
| 2013 Impreza | 248 | 0 |
| 2014 Impreza | 108 | 2 |
| 2015 Impreza | 79 | 0 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2012 Subaru Impreza SW AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: airbags is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 46,311 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
The AC unit suddenly shutoff and there was a burning smell while I was driving. It turns out that the connector on the back of the climate control unit had either drawn too much current, or the resistance was too high, and the connector had started burning. Fortunately, the…
Hard left steering sudden loss of control to right while in motion 97k miles faulty rack and pinion mechanic verified 12/31/2018 860-774-4514 (ron-owner) *dt consumer stated design defect. *jb
2012 impreza... Bought new, nothing but headaches. All problems listed below occurred before I had even owned the car 2 years. 1. At 8-10k miles - while driving car would randomly turn off passenger airbags and illuminate no passenger seatbelt on the dash. Took car to dealer…
Oil keeps running dry before next oil change. It has been requiring about 1 quart every 3,000 miles. This has the ability for the engine to run without oil and seize. This can cause drastic damage and injury along with greater wear. I have been mitigating it with keeping oil in…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 242 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Subaru Impreza is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2012 Subaru Impreza is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 25 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 16,850–71,000 mi; Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 91 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 46,311 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 242 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Typical failure occurs around 46,311 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 91 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 46,311 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 46,311 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 242 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.