2004 Subaru Wrx problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Fuel System, Gasoline (26) · Fuel/Propulsion System (8) · Air Bags (3)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Subaru Wrx model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
35 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2023-02-13 · campaign 23V076000 · 130 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
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's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-23.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2020-01-02 · campaign 20V001000 · 258,813 vehicles
Defect: 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 Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passeng
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2020-01-02 · campaign 20V002000 · 127,547 vehicles
Defect: 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 Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B."
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2020-01-02 · campaign 20V003000 · 111,562 vehicles
Defect: 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 Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." Thes
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
Service bulletins (175)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-05 · SubaruNet Announcement (M · Other
this announcement provides information on a new software update for the midtronics dss and dca machines.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-18 · 13-109-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other
this announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-14 · 15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Electrical System 2026-09-14 · 15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of infotainment concerns. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Electrical System 2026-08-20 · 15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service information bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 175 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2018-04-13 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 60,000 mi“having recently moved to a cold weather state, i discovered that when the temperature is below freezing there is a smell of gasoline in the passenger cabin. after doing some research, subaru appears to be aware of this problem and in fact issued a recall on earlier model vehicles for the same issue. the fuel lines and clamps shrink in cold weat…”
2017-12-29 · Fuel/Propulsion System“during cold weather fuel smell coming from engine and is leaking…”
2017-01-23 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 103,000 mi“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…”
2016-08-23 · Air Bags“takata recall/subaru recall campaign wqr-53 nhtsa recall no. 15v-323 received a recall notice in may 2015 explaining that the airbag was recalled and would need to be replaced. letter states that until the repair is preformed, do not allow passengers to ride in the front passenger seat. i recently received another letter with the same informati…”
2016-01-12 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 100,000 mi“during vehicle operation in colder weather (32 deg f or colder), there is a strong fuel smell coming from the engine bay. fuel lines are leaking in an area close to the air intake. this does not happen during warmer weather.…”
2015-10-01 · Air Bags“was notified in july 2015 of defective passenger side air bag with warning to not use the passenger seat.upon followup with subaru on 10-1-2015 was told that parts would not be available until after 12-1-2015. this means 5 months without full use of my vehicle. their letter regarding nhtsa recall 15v-323 informed m to contact nhtsa at this website …”
2015-01-14 · Fuel System, Gasoline · 209,000 mi“strong smell of raw fuel coming into passenger compartment during very cold outside temperatures. *tr…”
2015-01-08 · Fuel System, Gasoline · 170,000 mi“in below-freezing temperatures, there is a fuel smell coming from the engine bay. it seems to start at approximately 20 degrees fahrenheit, and becomes increasingly strong at lower temperatures. on a recent morning when the temperature was 9 degrees fahrenheit, the smell was strong enough to cause a light-headed sensation. this appears to be a know…”
2014-11-11 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“as a result of a multi-vehicle traffic accident the passenger side airbag deployed causing the female occupant to have a frontal skull fracture from shrapnel like pieces and neuro trauma. these injuries lead her to be unconscious and on life-support for 6 days and ultimately her death......updated 11-24/14 *bf…”
2014-08-20 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 139,000 mi“fuel lines leak upon cold start up in the winter. fuel leaks all over engine block, my fear that this can cause a fire. subaru's answer is to bring it in, spend money to have the car looked at. all the while they will not provide me with a comp car and this is my only car. with work, school and trying to move at that time it was not possible to rel…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.