2003 SUBARU IMPREZA Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Subaru Impreza. This model year has 64 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Fuel System.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2003 Subaru Impreza Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Fuel System
Brake System
Gasoline
Considering a 2003 Subaru Impreza?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Subaru Impreza. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System | 14 | — | 1 | — | |
| Brake System | 14 | 2 | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 13 | — | 1 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 13 | 2 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 4 | 3 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Air | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Subaru Impreza. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 64 most recent complaints
My 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX has a very strong fuel odor that is coming into the cabin when I start my car up on cold days. It's been unusually cold here in Washington state this winter with temperatures in Seattle dipping well below freezing. I see that there is a recall for this …
I NOTICED FRESH SMELL OF GASOLINE EVERYTIME I START THE CAR. I LOOK AT THE FUEL LINE AND ITS SIPPING FUEL.
SUBARU OF AMERICA RECALL WVK-21 OCCURED WHILE DRIVING AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE, CAUSING SMOKE TO RISE FROM ENGINE BAY. SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSED TO FIX THE ISSUE AS MY VIN DID NOT COME UP IN THEIR SYSTEM WITH THE RECALL.
ON THE NIGHT OF 12/6/2020 I WAS BACKING OUT OF A FRIENDS DRIVEWAY TO DRIVE HOME, WHEN I REACHED THE STREET, I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK AND A GRINDING NOISE. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED AND THE FRONT PORTION OF MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD…
HEAD GASKET ISSUE. WEEPING OIL BETWEEN THE HEADS AND THE BLOCK. NO LONGER OWN VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE BAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V468000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). KEARNY MESA SUBARU (4797 CONVOY ST, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111, (858) 278-7100) WAS CONTACTED…
LOWER PASSENGER CONTROL ARM TORE OFF. AS A RESULT, LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY.
FUEL LINE LEAKING GAS IN COLD WEATHER. I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE WITH QUITE A BIT OF GAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE THAT GETS VERY HOT AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
TAKATA AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SIDE IMPACT SENSOR DID NOT WORK. THE CAR TRAVELED SIDEWAYS INTO A LARGE OAK TREE IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH . THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS WHERE THE SIDE IMPACT SENSOR WAS LOCATED . NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED . SUBARU HAS BEEN VERY UNCOOPERATIVE WIT…
HTTPS://SERVICES.NEFRAMEWORK.COM/IMAGERETRIEVAL.ASPX?ID=974F272D-0461-4FF2-97A8-B175C14EC539 THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE CRASH HAPPENED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUFFERED BROKEN LEFT ELBOW, FRACTURE IN MY SKULL,RIBS AND SHOULDER. ALSO SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA. I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES,…
MY CAR IS LEAKING FUEL. I SMELL THE POISONOUS FUEL INSIDE MY VEHICLE EVERY TIME I AM INSIDE IT. I AM LOSING 50 MILES PER FULL TANK. CAN THIS LEAK CAUSE MY CAR TO BLOW-UP AND KILL ME OR OTHERS? I AM SCARED. MY NAME IS [XXX] FROM CLIFTON NEW JERSEY. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIR…
EXTREMELY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN CABIN IN COLD WEATHER (BELOW 32 DEGREES F.). *TR
TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CON…
IT HAS RECENTLY BEEN EXTREMELY COLD IN CHICAGO AND UPON INITIAL STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN. THE SMELL DOES NOT GO AWAY UNTIL THE CAR IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IT WA…
ONLY ON COLD DAYS I SMELL FUEL WHILE DRIVING, UPON INVESTAGATION I FOUND THAT THE LITTLE RUBBER LINES UNDER THE INTAKE WERE LEAKING FUEL ON TO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY SAID THE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL BECAUASE I DON;T LIV…
FOLLOWING INITIAL STARTUP IN COLD WEATHER, FUEL LEAK OCCURS IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LEAK CAUSES GASOLINE ODOR IN VEHICLE CABIN AND POSES FIRE HAZARD. ONCE ENGINE IS WARM, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, LEAK AND ODOR DISSIPATE. INITIAL OCCURRENCE WAS IN 2008 AT HIGH ALTITUDE. PROBLEM DID…
OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS MODERATE(75F), BUT ENGINE WAS COLD. UPON ENGINE START STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN CABIN AND IN ENGINE BAY AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TR
CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH AT ABOUT 45 MPH INTO A FIRE HYDRANT IN THE CITY OF BELL. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS EXPANDED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS SMELLED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SIGN OF A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHAN…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SMELLED OF GASOLINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL DELIVERY LINE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2003 Subaru Impreza.
Recalls for 2003 Subaru Impreza
6 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2003 Subaru Impreza. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2003 Subaru Impreza — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2003 Subaru Impreza reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2003 Subaru Impreza has 64 NHTSA owner complaints, 8 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Fuel System (14 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Subaru Impreza?▾
#1: Fuel System (14 complaints). #2: Brake System (14 complaints). #3: Gasoline (13 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Subaru Impreza?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2003 Subaru Impreza?▾
The 2003 Subaru Impreza has 8 crash-related complaints and 1 fire reports out of 64 total NHTSA complaints. 13 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2003 Subaru Impreza have any recalls?▾
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2003 Subaru Impreza. The largest issue: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2003 Subaru Impreza?▾
The 2003 Subaru Impreza has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Fuel System issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Subaru Impreza reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2003 Subaru Impreza
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.