2002 Subaru Impreza Problems, Recalls & Reliability
339 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Subaru Impreza, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 93/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 60,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2002 Subaru Impreza sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1997–1998, 2006, 2010.
Avoid
Where 2002 sits among all Impreza years
What owners report
“For the last 5 years now, when the car is cold, sitting in the garage, then you start it up and your vents are open to the outside air, the interior smells of gasoline. I live in hawaii and the recall does not cover our state. The only way to not let the smell in the inside compartment is to close…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Impreza
“When the wrx with an automatic transmission is at high idle, the car does not generate enough vacuum to energize the power brake booster. According to subaru, this is "normal". Durning high idle, braking performance is severely reduced. From 10mph you can floor the brakes and it won't lock up the…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Impreza
“Contact owns a 2002 wrx imperza. Current and failure mileage was 71,000. Contact stated while backing out of the driveway the driver side lower control arm broke in half due to rust. The manfacturer offered to pay for 50% of the repairs but the contact they should pay the total cost. Contact feels…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Impreza
“Put my car in park and it started rolling backwords.... Same exact day in was at a stop light on a incline and my car rolled backwords faster then it should while in drive. Car has 101000 miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Impreza
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 224 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 67,007 miles. Half of those reports fall between 37,000 and 115,541 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS,…
Fix: SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE…
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 IMPREZA WRX VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF SOUTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA, IDAHO, IOWA, MONTANA, COLORADO, WISCONSIN, NEW YORK, WYOMING, MICHIGAN,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LINE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
SUBARU IS RECALLING 36,791 MY 2002-2003 IMPREZA WAGONS. THE STUD BOLT(S) OF REAR GATE STAY MAY HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED WITH INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING TORQUE AND A GAP MAY HAVE RESULTED BETWEEN THE REAR GATE PANEL AND STUD BOLT BASE. AFTER REPEATED REAR GATE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY GAP AT THE STUD BOLT OF THE REAR GATE STAY INSTALLATION. IF A GAP IS FOUND, THE STUD BOLT WILL BE REMOVED TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE TO THE WELDING NUT. IF THE…
ON CERTAIN SEDAN AND WAGON MODEL VEHICLES, THE LEFT FRONT BOLT THAT RETAINS THE FORWARD PART OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE SEAT SLIDE RAIL MAY LOOSEN. IF THE SEAT SLIDE RAIL BOLT LOOSENS, IT WILL EVENTUALLY FALL OUT, AND THE SEAT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE SEAT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LEFT HAND DRIVER'S SEAT RAIL MOUNTING BOLT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TAB ON THE THROTTLE SHAFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM COMING OUT OF ITS TRACK. OWNER…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 11V464000.
Led to recall campaign 09V468000.
Technical service bulletins
169 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2002 Subaru Impreza. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Impreza TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Subaru Impreza reliable?
The 2002 Subaru Impreza drew 339 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 93/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2002 Subaru Impreza problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Subaru Impreza are fuel system (96 complaints), brakes & stability (65), and suspension (50).
At what mileage do 2002 Subaru Impreza problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Subaru Impreza problems around 67,007 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 37,000 and 115,541 miles.
Does the 2002 Subaru Impreza have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Subaru Impreza. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.