2010 Subaru Impreza
The Verdict
The 2010 Subaru Impreza has 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (15 complaints) and body (13 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 89/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Subaru Impreza, consider the 2023 model year which has 91% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2023 has 91% fewer complaints
View the 2023 Subaru Impreza dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 2001 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 86 | 59 | 8 | 121 | 24 |
| 2003 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 32 | 0 |
| 2004 | 29 | 6 | 14 | 39 | 8 |
| 2005 | 30 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 5 |
| 2006 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 18 | 5 |
| 2007 | 11 | 6 | 30 | 14 | 7 |
| 2008 | 45 | 9 | 49 | 46 | 59 |
| 2009 | 21 | 7 | 20 | 35 | 28 |
| 2010 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
| 2011 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 11 | 4 |
| 2012 | 35 | 12 | 113 | 61 | 21 |
| 2013 | 40 | 18 | 91 | 79 | 18 |
| 2014 | 27 | 4 | 48 | 21 | 8 |
| 2015 | 33 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 11 |
| 2016 | 32 | 6 | 20 | 5 | 12 |
| 2017 | 44 | 6 | 51 | 18 | 4 |
| 2018 | 61 | 3 | 65 | 11 | 0 |
| 2019 | 87 | 7 | 71 | 12 | 4 |
| 2020 | 70 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2010 Subaru Impreza stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle and the vehicle was able to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact replaced the battery, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no cause for the failure was found; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 90,000.
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The contact owned a 2010 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 60 MPH, he stated that he heard a loud bang from the engine compartment and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The son stated that an unknown warning light had illuminated. The son safely stopped the vehicle, exited, and noted that more smoke was coming from under the hood. The son stated that a small fire had ignited under the front end of the hood and eventually engulfed the vehicle. The police were on the scene and called the fire department. The son was not sure if the fire department extinguished the flame with water or chemicals. The fire department issued a report. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
The driver side visor hangs in the face of the driver. It will not stay up against the window, so it blocks the drivers ability to see. The driver must take a hand off the steering wheel to hold it out of the way, and have it block the blazing sun so that she can see the road. This is very unsafe. The passenger side visor fell right off, so the sun shines right in the driver's eyes from that side of the windshield. Both need to be replaced, and/or have their mechanisms replaced so they are safe to use and don't block the driver's vision.
The driver's side sun visor, which is supposed to stay where you put it (either up out of the way or down in front of the window) has lost its grip and now just hangs straight down obscuring my view of the road ahead and could swing into my face if I brake or accelerate quickly.
All four tires had to be replaced due to tire rot. The tires had a 45,000 warranty and had to be replaced with 14,000 miles on the tires. The tires were deemed unsafe to drive on. 08/05/2021
I HAVE HAD THE MOST RECENT AIRBAG RECALL PERFORMED ON MY CAR RECENTLY. I LATER RECEIVED TWO SEPARATE LETTERS IN THE MAIL ADVISING ME TO CALL/TEXT "FIX" TO PHONE NUMBERS 877-244-0533 OR 844-898-7574 BECAUSE MY CAR IS SUPPOSEDLY STILL IN NEED OF AN AIRBAG RECALL FIX. I HAVE VERIFIED THROUGH SEVERAL SOURCES THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER RECALLS. THESE LETTERS ARE APPARENTLY PHISHING SCHEMES, AS THE PHONE NUMBERS ARE NOT LISTED AS BEING NHTSA NUMBERS. THE LETTERS INCLUDE THE SUBARU AND NHTSA LOGOS AT THE TOP. THE WEBSITE LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF BOTH LETTERS IS "SAFEAIRBAGS.COM". WHAT DISTURBS ME MOST IS THAT THE LETTERS INCLUDE MY VEHICLE VIN INFORMATION, AS WELL AS MY NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS. THE ONLY WAY THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IS IF MY SERVICING DEALERSHIP SHARED OR SOLD MY INFORMATION TO 3RD PARTY COMPANIES. BETWEEN THAT AND THE FACT THAT THESE LETTERS APPEAR TO BE PHISHING FOR MORE PERSONAL INFORMATION, I AM OUTRAGED THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE, IF ANY?
STEERING PUMP, CLUTCH AND LOSS OF POWER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND WENT TO THE FLOOR BOARD WITH THE BRAKES FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND BECAME OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED BY AN UNKNOWN DEALER UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC). THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES ARE RUSTING AND CORRODING, WHICH LEADS TO TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING OR SPRAYING OUT OF THE LINE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHICH LEADS TO LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND TRANSMISSION NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. SEE IN PICTURE THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE WAS FIXED BUT THERE IS STILL CORROSION. THIS TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE SEEMS LIKE THE SAME MATERIAL IN THE BREAK LINE RECALL FOR CORROSION.
AFTER 72 HOURS OF MY PURCHASE OF THE 2010 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX FROM TOYOTA BOULDER DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN BOULDER, COLORADO, I HAD EXPERIENCED MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE STARTER OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO FAULT IN THIS SITUATION, HOWEVER I WAS SIMPLY MISINFORMED AND THEREFORE PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT WASNT IN ADEQUATE, SAFE CONDITIONS. ON TUESDAY I HAD EXPERIENCED A LACK OF POWER WHEN STARTING UP THE VEHICLE . I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING HOWEVER AROUND NOON I HAD DRIVEN 10 MILES FROM MY WORK AND HAD DOWN SHIFTED TO 1 GEAR FROM 2ND AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I HAD THEN TRIED TO FIRE UP THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS ON PAR, THE BATTERY WAS AT 86% OF LIFE WHICH NARROWED IT DOWN TO EITHER THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR. HOWEVER BY THE LOOKS AND MY KNOWLEDGE OF THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES I BELIEVE THE ROOT OF THE MALFUNCTION LIES WITHIN THE STARTER. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY THE SECOND TIME I HAD TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE.
INSTALLATION OF INFERIOR PARTS IN THE ENGINE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CRAINKSHAFT AND BOTTOM END.
TAKATA RECALL MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A SPACE WHEN I LEFT TO GO AND EAT. WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR S0MEONE HAD BACKED INTO IT . THEY HAD IT REPAIRED AND IT WAS FINE.
VEHICLE HESITATES THEN SURGES FORWARD VIOLENTLY WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED WHEN ENGINE IS COLD OR IN COLD WEATHER. CONDITION IMPROVES WHEN ENGINE IS WARMED UP. DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE ISSUE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE VEHICLE AS THEY SAY IT'S UNSAFE, BUT ARE NOT WORKING ON SOLVING THE ISSUE.
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. CAR DIED WHEN STARTING. THE STARTER TURNED OVER AND THE ENGINE ENGAGED, BUT IMMEDIATELY DIED. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING CONCERNING THE HEALTH OF THE ENGINE (I.E. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ROUGH RIDING/ISSUES WITH GEARS). MY MECHANIC CHECKED INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP AND SAW THERE WAS A WIRE BURNED BLACK THAT CAUSED THE FUEL PUMP TO FAIL. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A FAULT OF EQUIPMENT AND NOT SIMPLE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR.
I AM UNABLE TO ADD ANY MORE FUEL TO MY CARE EVEN THOUGH MY FUEL TANK IS ALMOST EMPTY. I KNOW IT IS ALMOST EMPTY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 350 MILES SINCE MY LAST FILL. WHEN I TRY TO ADD FUEL, THE NOZZLE STOPS PUMPING AND GAS SPURTS OUT ALL OVER THE CAR.
ENGINE FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY AT 73K MILES. SUBARU ATTRIBUTED FAILURE TO "POOR LUBRICATION", BUT DENIES RESPONSIBILITY. THESE CARS BURN OIL EXCESSIVELY AND HAVE NO LOW OIL CAUTION LIGHT. MAJOR INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURES ARE COMMON WITH EJ AND FB ENGINES DUE TO FAILURE OF ROD BEARINGS, TURBOS, HEAD GASKETS AND DUE TO ABNORMAL COMBUSTION.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN INTERIM RECALL NOTICE MONTHS AGO AND THERE WAS NO TIME FRAME TO INDICATE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO SPECIFIC TIME FRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE RECALL DETAILS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE.
DUE TO THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP CONSTANTLY RUNNING IT HAS OVER PRESSURIZED MT CYLINDER HEAD AND HAS CAUSED COOLANT PROBLEMS. POSSIBLY HAS BLOWN THE HEAD GASKET BY CREATING EXCESSIVE BACK PRESSURE IN THE CYLINDER.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
45 total