2002 Subaru WRX Problems, Recalls & Reliability
461 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Subaru WRX, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 49,134 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2002 Subaru WRX sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2004, 2009, 2015–2016, 2019, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2002 sits among all WRX years
What owners report
“Any time the weather is cold there is a strong smell of gas inside and around the car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 WRX
“Abs failed to resume braking after being activated by bumps in road on clean, dry asphalt.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 WRX
“Strong smell of fuel in my 2002 subaru wrx. I have been on numerous forums about this topic. Fuel line clamps are coming loose and subaru is turning a blind eye to a potentially dangerous situation. There should be a recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 WRX
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 344 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 42,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 29,183 and 65,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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.
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.…
Fix: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 09V468000.
Technical service bulletins
112 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2002 Subaru WRX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
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 WRX reliable?
The 2002 Subaru WRX drew 461 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2002 Subaru WRX problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Subaru WRX are fuel system (281 complaints), brakes & stability (83), and other (30).
At what mileage do 2002 Subaru WRX problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Subaru WRX problems around 42,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 29,183 and 65,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Subaru WRX have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Subaru WRX. 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.