This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Subaru WRX powertrain problems
moderate 18 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 18 powertrain complaints filed for the 2015 Subaru WRX, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 6 model years of Subaru WRX we track for powertrain problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 18.
Powertrain accounts for 35% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 5 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin announces design changes made to the rear axle hubs. These changes have been implemented to reduce cases water intrusion further leading to harmonic, humming, and grinding type sounds heard from the axle hub while driving.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin has been developed in response to a small number of customer concerns regarding fluid seepage found coming from the CVT assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces a design change to the CVT select lever (shifter) mechanism in response to isolated customer concerns of not being able to remove the key from the ignition switch when the vehicle is in Park.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces a design change to the CVT select lever (shifter) mechanism in response to isolated customer concerns of not being able to remove the key from the ignition switch when the vehicle is in Park.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Clutch failure dominates this complaint set. Owners describe burnt plastic smells, slipping, and catastrophic clutch burnout happening as early as 1.5k miles—one person was on her third clutch by 35k miles. A 44-year-old woman who'd driven manuals her whole life reported a bearing failure and clutch replacement at 22k miles. Multiple owners say they replaced clutch and flywheel twice before exceeding 75k miles, yet Subaru refuses warranty coverage on later failures. A service manager told one owner a loose plug caused the clutch to remain engaged, leading to repeated failures.
Shifting problems are equally severe. Owners report sudden inability to shift into any gear—neutral, first, third, or fifth—while sitting at red lights or driving. Dealerships cannot reproduce these issues during service. One owner's transmission teardown found a broken differential part; most cases go undiagnosed. A few owners got temporary relief by revving to 5k RPM and forcing the car into gear or restarting the engine.
Engine failures also appear: one connecting rod bearing seized without warning at 75k miles, shattering and contaminating the entire oil system. That repair cost $7,868, and Subaru blamed the owner's maintenance despite documented regular oil changes.
An automatic transmission model showed four paddle-shifter failures in its first 6,200 miles. Clutch throwout bearing failures occurred at 7.2k and 11.7k miles, and a transmission engine mount separated from the firewall at 50k miles.
Dealers consistently deny coverage, claim driver error, or say they cannot replicate problems.
Same Subaru WRX powertrain reports on nearby years: 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Clutch failure / premature wear
Clutch catastrophically fails, slips, or burns out far below normal service life. Owners report burnt clutch odor, loss of power delivery, inability to engage gears, and multiple clutch replacements within first 35k miles. One owner on third clutch at 35k miles; another at 22k miles; another twice in 2k miles.
When: 5.1k–35k miles; one at 1.5k miles
Symptoms owners cite: burnt rubber/plastic smell; clutch slipping; inability to engage gears; loss of vehicle power; squeaky clutch pedal
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple clutch and flywheel replacements; one owner paid $7,868 for engine damage after connecting rod bearing failure; dealers replace clutch under warranty early on, then deny coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru issued two design-change service bulletins for 2014–2017 WRX clutches per owner report. One dealer found loose plug causing clutch to remain engaged. Most warranty claims denied at higher mileage despite recurrence.
Shifting difficulty / inability to enter gear
Manual transmission refuses to shift into gears (neutral, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th) at stop lights and during driving. Symptoms appear intermittently; dealerships cannot replicate. One owner found differential part broken inside transmission; most cases undiagnosed.
When: 24k, 28k, 50k miles; onset varies from 3 months to 8 months ownership
Symptoms owners cite: unable to shift into neutral or any gear; grinding noise when attempting shift; temporary resolution after engine restart or high-RPM shift; hesitation getting into gear; shifter stuck in current gear
Repairs/costs cited: One transmission disassembly found broken differential part; most cases undiagnosed at dealer because issue does not reproduce during service visit.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers report inability to replicate; corporate denies problem exists. One owner reported issue multiple times at service intervals; dealer would not acknowledge or repair.
Connecting rod bearing failure / engine damage
Engine bearing fails catastrophically without prior warning. Bearing slides out, shatters, and sends metal debris through oil system, requiring replacement of all oil-touched components. One owner had loud ticking, power loss, and complete engine failure requiring $7,868 repair.
When: 75k miles (one case); unknown mileage in second case
Symptoms owners cite: loud ticking sound from engine; significant loss of power; metal shards in oil system
Repairs/costs cited: Complete internal engine rebuild required; one owner paid $7,868 out of pocket. Subaru blamed owner for inadequate maintenance without requesting proof of service records.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru refused responsibility, blamed owner maintenance despite regular oil changes per Subaru specs; no warranty coverage offered.
Clutch throwout bearing failure
Throwout bearing fails prematurely, often in conjunction with clutch failure. Multiple failures within short intervals; one owner had bearing fail twice before 12k miles.
When: 7.2k miles, 11.7k miles (same owner); 22k miles (another owner)
Symptoms owners cite: clutch engagement issues; inability to engage gears; burning plastic odor from new
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer-replaced; loose plug found to be root cause in one case, causing clutch to remain engaged. Second failures occur despite replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty covers initial replacement; later failures may be denied.
Transmission pitcher stopper mount failure
Engine mount (transmission pitcher stopper) separates from firewall, allowing excessive engine movement. Produces creaking noise from engine bay and grinding when shifting.
When: 50k miles
Symptoms owners cite: creaking noise from engine bay; grinding sound when shifting between gears; vehicle jolts during acceleration/deceleration; mount visibly separating from firewall
Repairs/costs cited: Requires mount replacement; repair not completed by owner.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but offered no assistance.
Automatic transmission paddle shifter malfunction
Automatic transmission in manual mode fails to upshift when paddle shifter is engaged. Occurs multiple times early in ownership.
When: 6.2k miles; occurred 4 times within first 6.2k miles
Symptoms owners cite: upshift paddle does not respond; car will not upshift when commanded
Engine knocking / catastrophic engine failure
Engine makes loud knocking at idle and dies suddenly. Associated with high oil consumption. Tow distance 100 miles suggests total failure.
When: Unknown mileage; at 300 RPM idle
Symptoms owners cite: loud knocking sound at idle; engine dies without warning; excessive oil consumption
Repairs/costs cited: Towed 100 miles; repair status unknown.
Whirring noise when clutch engaged / clutch pedal noise
Audible mechanical noise emanates from clutch system when pedal is depressed.
Symptoms owners cite: whirring noise when clutch depressed; squeaky clutch pedal
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the drive belt, front drive axles, rear axle differential seals, and windshield washer reservoir. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
I am a 44 year old woman, driving a 2015 wrx. I have only owned and driven manual transmissions my entire life. My last car, a Mazda 3, I drove to 110,000 miles and the clutch never went out. My 2015 wrx is at 22,000 and the clutch is being replaced. A bearing went bad and did damage to the clutch. The dealership is putting a new clutch in the vehicle. *tr
At 300 RPM car made loud sounds and died side of highway. Had to be towed 100 miles. Also had oil issue - went through a lot of oil
Son had just purchased car. Took the car to an area which had an unplowed parking area to test the handling of the car in the snow. Car died while driving and there was an immediate strong smell of the clutch burning. Could not start the car with the car in gear and the clutch pushed in. Car would only start in neutral. When car started could not get the car to go into gear. Was able to…
I first noticed the car engine began making a loud ticking sound and significantly lost power as I exited the freeway heading toward my home after work. After towing the vehicle to the Subaru dealership, they tore apart the engine and found a connecting rod bearing had failed. It had slid out between the rod and crankshaft and shattered in the oil system sending shards of metal into the engine…
Driving on the freeway during rush hour and tried to downshift (manual transmission) from 6th gear to 3rd since traffic slowed down but the shifter won't go into gear and I was going up hill. I tried 4th, 5th, 3rd again, 2nd, and I'm slow enough to try even 1st and still won't go into gear. Fortunately I had enough momentum to get to the shoulder going up hill in the freeway. I had it towed to…
Manual transmission car. About 28000 miles when the issue happened. After driving about 10 miles, while coming to a stop in a traffic light the car could not be shifted to neutral from 5th gear. Clutch operated normally so I stopped using the clutch, while trying to shift out of 5th hear. As the light turned green I moved to the side of the road. Moving slowly in 5th gear caused clutch to smell,…
I was driving on the highway going up a hill and my Subaru wrx was not shifting correctly. It smelled like burnt rubber and it felt like my vehicle didn't have any power at all so I got off on the nearest exit. I stopped at a stop light, put the vehicle in 1st gear and it would not move at all. I had to push the car out of the road with a strangers help. The car smelled like burnt rubber and it…
Once, three months after purchasing, and a second time eight months later, my vehicle suddenly would not enter gears from neutral. In the first event, the car was still warming up, driving quickly. In the second event, the car was at running temperature, driven for one hour, driving conservatively. In both situations, I had to pull over to the side of the road and call a tow. ~1 hour later,…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2015 Subaru WRX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2015 Subaru WRX?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 18 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 13 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 13,000 and 50,000 miles, with the median around 24,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 13,000; a quarter make it past 50,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Subaru/WRX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.