2004 Subaru WRX Problems, Recalls & Reliability
46 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Subaru WRX, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 73,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Subaru WRX has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all WRX years
What owners report
“I have a 2004 wrx and whenever it gets cold lots of fuel leaks from under the intake manifold theres a recall for the same issue in 2002 2003 but it still does it on my car”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 WRX
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 38 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 73,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2004-2005 Impreza and WRX vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the passenger inflator and if necessary, install a new inflator kit, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 14, 2023. Owners may contact…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7,…
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
Technical service bulletins
166 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on airbags and electrical — are on file for the 2004 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 2004 Subaru WRX reliable?
The 2004 Subaru WRX drew 46 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2004 Subaru WRX problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Subaru WRX are fuel system (35 complaints), engine (4), and airbags (3).
At what mileage do 2004 Subaru WRX problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Subaru WRX problems around 73,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Subaru WRX have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 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.