Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport Subaru Impreza

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Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport repairs by problem area

Engine (38%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (12%)

Brakes and Traction Control (5%)

Suspension and Steering (14%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (19%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (8%)

Other (4%)

Chart based on 1977 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport.

Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (8%)

$1000 - $2499 (13%)

$500 - $999 (15%)

$100 - $499 (31%)

< $100 (32%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 620 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2017 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

152-horsepower 2.0L H4 7-speed shiftable CVT AWD

35541 mi

US $950
replace muffler 

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2017 Subaru Impreza 4dr Hatch

152-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

5000 mi

US $20
the program that control the cooling had an update to stop overheating RECALL 
18000 mi

US $59
oil change 

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2017 Subaru Impreza 4dr Hatch

152-horsepower 2.0L H4 7-speed shiftable CVT AWD

100000 mi

US $500
Coolant had leaked out due to water pump failure. Water pump replaced. 
620 mi back up camera..cooling fan 

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2016 Subaru Impreza 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

7000 mi oil leak. Oil pan gasket was replaced 
62000 mi They had to REPLACE the engine. 

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2015 Subaru Impreza 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

77000 mi

US $200
Key sometimes gets stuck in ignition at end of driving. TSB apparent exists for this. 
38440 mi

C $50
Heat shield lose and rattling. Reattached by shop. 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

2000 mi Check engine light kept coming on and along with traction control light. Took car to dealer who pulled the code said it was throttle out of range and that it would go away on its own. Kept happening for almost a week problem went away. 
48000 mi

US $100
Cam sensor problems, multiple trips required to diagnose. Replacing sensor, ecm, and various timing parts to solve it. 
83000 mi

US $800
Exhaust system rotted out, complete replacement 
86000 mi

US $400
Repeated OBD codes for cam position sensor, dealer had previously swapped the two sensors into the other position and the code followed the bad sensor to the new location. Dealer replaced the bad sensor and oil control valve 
54000 mi

US $996
The flange on the muffler was rusted and there was a hole causing excessive noise. 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

118000 mi

US $1050
Replaced leaking radiator. Replaced muffler and exhaust pipes 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

16000 mi

US $950
piston broke, channel that holds rings. had to replace piston, 3 days later bearing for connecting rod on same piston disentigrated 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

11000 mi accelerator pedal replaced 
16000 mi vehicle was out of time. vehicle re-timed 
24600 mi gas pedal replaced 
34000 mi Failed rod bearing. Rebuilt engine and replaced turbo unit. 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

37 mi

C $60
Aux. Drive Tensioner Failed. Tensioner replaced under warranty. Belt Replaced. 
67580 mi

C $165
Exhaust donut seized. 1 hr plus parts. Noted at time of last service but not contacted or carried out by dealer at that time 

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2014 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

36000 mi There is no repair, but I wanted to communicate that this car is burning oil, and I'm having to add oil 2-3 times in between 7500mi oil changes. I have complained to Subaru, and they say this is "normal" which is a crock of bull. 
43000 mi Oil sensor light kept going on. It turned out that a piece of silicone was tripping the sensor. The dealership either replaced the piece or tucked it back into place and it's been fine since. 

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2013 Subaru Impreza / WRX

Engine not specified

28000 mi oil level low 

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2013 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

75000 mi Oil consumption problem 
78000 mi Oil consumption. No solution found. 

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2013 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

18700 mi Check Engine Light Up, Cruise Control Disabled, Traction Control failure light on, Limp-home mode enabled. Dealer reports it was an oil-related CEL and reset it after confirming no issue existed. 
66340 mi

C $870
Replaced leaking radiator. Flush and fill. Checked thermostat for proper function. 

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2013 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

115000 mi The car had started indicating a low oil level but checking the dipstick did not indicate a low oil level. As part of routine maintenance visit the dealer said they found a leak that would require taking apart the engine. Estimated repair cost was nearly $4k. Chose not to repair due to age of car. I'll simply add more oil if the low oil light comes on. A factor in that decision is a lack of trust with the dealer, Mike Shaw Subaru in Denver, and car. The engine was disassembled as part of the valve springs recall in 2019 and since then the car has never run as well as it did before. It's approaching 10 years in service and the dealer tells me it has gone beyond its expected useful life. 
71000 mi The intake hose literally separated from the intake on the front grill, and also separated from the engine. Car stalled on road. The attachment screws had either shaken loose and/or were missing. Shop reordered screws, reattached hose to engine, retightened fuel line as well. Not sure why this happened - whether it was excessive engine vibration, or if my previous shop didn't record that they touched my intake line when they replaced my air filter, and then didn't torque the screws/bolts enough. 
64000 mi

US $89
excess oil consumption. took car to dealer, they (at my cost) changed oil and filter again ( i have been changing it regularly and changed it last time a couple months ago) to baseline oil fill quantity then advised return visit in 1000 miles so they can measure oil level, and then confirm for themselves whether excess consumption or not. 
64000 mi Gauge cluster Warning light for low engine oil illuminated within couple months of the last oil and filter change. To verify excess oil consumption Dealer changed oil again and required oil level check again in 1000 miles. Prescribed check completed and problem confirmed. dealer replaced engine short block with new assy. 
30000 mi

US $1500
Ran into a large puddle and got water into the intake. This broke the MAF sensor, as well as the fog light bezels. Because if this several other items were done as preventative maintenance at the same time. 
55000 mi

US $1289
ignition switch and 3 sets of keys needed to be replaced along with reprograming the car along with all locks being re-keyed. The key had been getting harder and harder to remove over several months and I couldn't figure out why. Dealership said because I had a group of keys dangling from the ignition key and the swinging weight over time caused excessive wear on the lock. 
8000 mi Check engine light came on, faulty oil control valves needs replacement 
29700 mi Extended crank when starting, updated ECM with new software. Car still occasionally has extended crank. 
Unable to start the car. Cranked for long time and would not start. Waited hours - still wouldn't start. Subaru sent out flatbed - driver unable to start car. Car towed to dealer. Next day dealer reported that it started like it was flooded 

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2013 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

32000 mi Extreme oil usage 
14000 mi Burning oil. Turned out to be a factory defect in that year Impreza. Replaced entire bottom half of engine. 
16000 mi Engine is using oil. Dealer says it's within spec. 
18000 mi Car still using oil. Dealer replaced oil level sensor and flashed ECU. It's still using oil. 
63000 mi Warranty short block replacement due to oil consumption 
71000 mi

US $1400
Clutch replacement 
31000 mi Oil consumption. 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

24200 mi CEL p0455 - Evaporative Systems Leak. Faulty leak check valve. 
25000 mi CEL p0455 - Evaporative Systems Leak. Corrupted charcoal canister. 
27700 mi noise coming from around turbo area at high revs. dealer can not find problem. 
37000 mi replaced blow off valve and hose at turbo. covered under warranty 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

33000 mi Cam shaft position sensor repair, Check engine light on, covered 100% by extended warranty 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

53 mi Engine replaced at 35,000 miles for excessive oil consumption after 12 visits for the issue. 
35000 mi Reprogramming File Availability for Extended Engine Cranking (Delayed Starting), TSB 11-156-15 
64000 mi

US $100
cam tower oil leak, oil very slowly seeping 
60000 mi P000C OBD2 code. Dealer changed oil and replaced Cam Position Sensor. 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

62000 mi

US $1000
Engine replacement under warranty. Replace shortblock and while in there replacement of clutch throwout bearing, pressure plate and flywheel 
18000 mi The car had been using an excessive amount of oil. After updating the engine control module, the problem went away. 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

49220 mi Turbo charger was failing and was replaced. Cracked plastic intercooler pipe replaced. 
81220 mi

C $400
Engine misfire. Ignition coils replaced. 
84320 mi

C $200
Variable valve timing solenoid failed and needed to be replaced 
20000 mi Connecting rod bearing failed at approximately 18,300 miles. Vehicle towed to nearest Subaru dealer. Short block replaced under warranty. 
30300 mi Missing at 30000 mile service. They cleaned the fuel system. Could have just been bad gas. 
40200 mi

US $105
A connection between the plumbing from the inter-cooler to the throttle body came loose. Shop removed inter-cooler and fixed the leaking connection. 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 CVT AWD

74400 mi

C $702
Timing cover oil leak 
19000 mi all 4 piston rings replaced under recall. Engine oil light went on at 8k. This is a MAJOR RECALL. 
45880 mi leaky oil pan 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 6-speed shiftable CVT AWD

19000 mi Oil psi sensor seal compromised, sending spurious signal to MIL due to water infiltration. Replaced seal & rubber cap over sensor. 
90000 mi

US $250
Replace spark plugs as what dealer considered normal wear and tear. 
47000 mi

US $500
Oil pan leaking. Gaskets replaced and resealed. 
96000 mi

US $1200
The car has been burning a quart of oil every 1500 miles give or take and recently the smell of burning oil coming thru the vents is awful. I told the dealer about it when it was in for the 90,000 mile service in March but they don't care. 
107000 mi

US $255
complete engine failure while driving 60 mph on highway.Dashboard lit up with every light & engine cut out & would not start again.The dealer took 17 days to tell me a fuse blew in the wire harness between the computer & engine.Replaced ECM 
56500 mi

US $5000
Camshaft seals replaced 
35000 mi ENGINE USES 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 6,000 MILES. i AM TOLD BY THE DEALER THIS IS NORMAL. i READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS NORMAL? 
37000 mi Losing oil 
49000 mi low oil 
51900 mi low oil 
68800 mi Replaced short block. 
142000 mi

US $1500
catalytic converter 
102200 mi Began experiencing extended crank times at 96K miles. Brought it to the dealer to have TSB completed. Issue resolved at no cost to me. 
116000 mi

US $230
Serpentine belt began to chirp at startup. Couldn't figure out which pulley was out of alignment so I replaced the belt, the three idler pulleys, and the tensioner for less money than it would have cost to have a mechanic diagnose the issue and replace even one pulley. Could have done the entire job for $120 but I opted to go with OEM Subaru components. Issue has been resolved and I believe it was the 80mm idler pulleys that had gone bad. Both of the 80mm pulleys can be replaced for about $32 for the two of them. 
133000 mi

US $6
Dealer conducted a coolant flush and failed to put in the Subaru Coolant Conditioner (despite me reminding them) resulting in a steady loss of coolant over a few hundred miles. Got a bottle of Subaru a Coolant Conditioner from Amazon and added it to the radiator and drove it for 90 miles to mix it properly. Topped the coolant level back up to full and it hasn’t dropped over the past 1500 miles. 
132948 mi

US $36
Engine burned 1 quart in about 1000 miles. Replaced the PCV valve and PCV hose (99071AD690). Oil consumption went away. Plan on buying a replacement hose if you are DIYing this one. Mine was very brittle and cracked in half upon removal. 
139898 mi

US $204
P0031 code thrown - Low upstream oxygen sensor heater voltage. This caused the brake light and check engine light to illuminate and the cruise light to start flashing. Replaced both upstream and downstream sensors (figured matching new sensors couldn’t hurt). Code cleared on it’s own. Total cost was $204 for new Denso sensors online. Old ones came out very easily and no contortionist moves needed. 15 minutes to replace both. 
113000 mi

US $120
Had to remove rattling heat Shields. No biggie. 

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2012 Subaru Impreza / WRX 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

120000 mi

US $650
Engine burns oil throughout life. Manufacturer class action suit. Engine replaced. Clutch went out. Changed out in conjunction with engine replacement. 
53000 mi

US $20
Accessory belt started squeaking prematurely. 
20000 mi Car continually burning oil - got rid of car - not reliable - could not go anywhere without the oil light coming on and having to add a quart of oil 
50300 mi

US $100
CEL, mass airflow meter replaced 
15800 mi PCV valve replaced due to oil consumption. Oil change was done. Performing oil consumption test every 1200 miles. 
20000 mi Oil consumption issue ongoing since purchase of vehicle. Low oil light constantly comes on. 1/2 quart was placed in vehicle and oil light had to be reset through ecm. 
81000 mi

US $25
Oil pressure indicator turned on (dimly) even though oil level was good. Replaced oil pressure sensor myself. 
53800 mi Set number three of cam gears and a new oxygen sensor 

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2011 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

17000 mi

US $1000
Cracked ring land on the number four cylinder. Subaru found Youtube vide of me at an autocross event and denied warranty. Replaced on a good faith with a $1000 deductible. This was after two months in the shop. Never buy a Subaru again! 
75000 mi Cracked radiatoir 
18000 mi power loss during hard acceloration 
22000 mi Still having power loss under hard acceleration. Reflashing the computer fixes it for a month or so. 

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2011 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

21000 mi Took car in for Turbo Boost Problem and running rough - No trouble found, couldn't duplicate Took car in for Turbo Boost Problem and running rough - No trouble found, couldn't duplicate 
26000 mi After 3 trips to one dealer and a Subaru Engineer telling me there was nothing wrong with my car I finally took it in and another engineer said I had a cracked ring land and Subaru would not fix it under warranty! 
26500 mi Subaru claimed car was modified which caused cracked ring land and after 3rd party and another Subaru dealer verified it was not modified Subaru still refused warranty work - Either rebuild the engine myself or sell the car! 
28000 mi Engine rebuild out of my pocket ($8000) because Subaru has a design flaw in the piston that causes the ring lands to crack. This will happen even if you have not modified your STI so beware. Engine shop said this was VERY common in STI's. 
54000 mi

US $2400
secondary air pump recall https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM546139/RCRIT-16V738-2254.pdf 

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2011 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

40000 mi bad gas cap 
20000 mi Exhaust leak 
23000 mi Exhaust gasket replaced. 
48360 mi

C $2000
Car slipping in all gears. Clutch replaced 

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2011 Subaru WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

35000 mi

US $67
Hose from intercooler to throttle body became cracked. Dealer said it's a common problem with this car. 
28000 mi car had been misfiring at low load and idle. soldered a ground in the wiring harness based on something I read on a forum. Misfires are gone. 
23000 mi cylinder #1 overheated and went out of round. replaced engine.  Turbo had leak in cool side. Replaced turbo. 
47000 mi Timing belt tensioner replaced, as well as timing belt and tensioner pulley. 
12000 mi Clamp holding hose to cool turbo fell off causing the car to buck. Common problem according to better half. 
24000 mi Replaced Clutch 
110000 mi

US $500
Thermostat replacement Head gasket  and turbo replacement. 
19900 mi Took car in days after software reflash. Check engine light was on, car vibrated upon ignition. Took it in to deal. Mechanics left dome light on causing dead battery. Codes were lost. Couldn't find problem after battery died. Lost all codes. 
11000 mi Hesitation under part-throttle. Dealer unable to reproduce; suspected bad gas. Dealer re-flashed ECU. Dealer noted oil was low; changed oil. 
11500 mi Second trip to dealer for hesitation/surging. Dealer able to reproduce. Faulty #1 oxygen sensor replaced under warranty. 
30000 mi Engine light on along with traction control 
50300 mi

US $1600
Clutch going out, just worn out at 50,000 miles. 
54000 mi Engine light, traction control light on. Was cleared and i was told cylinder misfire for unknown reason 
57000 mi

US $130
Cracked power steering belt found when i went for oil change Belt repair prior installed incorrectly resulting in both belts failing and the original dealer not reimbursing in TX. The belt that was originally repaired that started all this had piece missing that was not caught by dealer visit thus necessitating another trip for repair 

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2011 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

60000 mi

US $200
Exhaust rattle noise fixed on time/material 
93000 mi

US $650
Replace front and rear catalytic converters due to rust through 

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2011 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

88700 mi

US $1072
Hole developed in a very rusted muffler and muffler and tailpipe from cat and back had to be replaced 

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2011 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

45800 mi

US $125
Exhaust heat shield rusted and disconnected. Repaired by weld. No noise since. 
44000 mi

US $100
Head gaskets were leaking heavily and needed to be changed. 
59000 mi

US $100
Heat shield for catalytic converter came loose and needed to be repaired and refastened. Replaced two serpentine belts 
71000 mi

US $525
While inspecting car during brake repair tech noticed leaking head gasket. This was the 2nd time in the past year the gasket failed. 
6200 mi Update computer for gas ignition. 
26020 mi

C $60
Exhaust system 

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2010 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

48360 mi

C $300
Injector changed because of hesitation. Problem still there. 
30200 mi Emissions sensor was throwing check engine light; replaced sensor under warranty 
45000 mi

US $100
Replaced exhaust oil control valve solenoid (driver side) 

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2010 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

73300 mi

US $11000
Car developed knock at 73,000 miles. Diagnosed as spun rod bearing. Entire engine and turbo destroyed itself. $11K repair. 
52000 mi

US $450
Fuel leak. Not a successful repair. 
Exhaust louder than usual for about 2 wks. The problem got away simply by moving the flexible joint around (during inspect.) Probably foreign material got caught between the flange and the gasket while going through a large puddle in cold weather 
30000 mi When the dealer installed a Subaru Performance Technology boost gauge about a year ago, they apparently damaged the pressurized air line between the intercooler and throttle body. Over the past year it continuously got worse. 
30000 mi

US $1400
The clutch and flywheel had to be replaced. Lining wore out, doesn't handle stock torque well. Had them replaced with aftermarket parts rated for 420 torque, so it should last a while. I would recommend getting an aftermarket clutch. 
90000 mi

US $3000
Head gasket, timing belt, water pump, clutch replaced. 

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2010 Subaru WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

35000 mi

US $4300
piston ringlands were busted 
83700 mi

US $75
oil leak, turbo replacement 
23000 mi Blown Baffles in muffler, will replace under warranty next week. 
158000 mi

US $8700
Almost certainly got a bad tank of gas. Car was on a long trip and running great. Refueled and immediately started knocking. Should have pulled over, but was on hour four of a five hour drive so kept going. Engine ate itself about 60 miles later. Not catastrophic (no hole punched in the block) but small block needed replacement. Heads are being refreshed, original clutch & flywheel are being replaced. Installing ARP studs and killer b pickup for future safety. 
94000 mi

US $150
CEL indicated misfire on all cyl. Exhaust rattle noise only at idle & only when engine is at operating temp. Apparent loss of HP. 
99200 mi engine noise ( rattling sounds in exhaust ) persists at idle when engine is at operating temp. 
105000 mi

US $800
Noisy exhaust note @ idle. Problem identified as issue with muffler. muffler was replaced. time in shop included 105k service which included timing belt replacement. 
53000 mi

US $1
Exhaust has developed a mild drone at ~2500-3000 rpm. Shop was unable ot locate any leaks or loose hardware. 
110000 mi

US $1700
gasket issue 
60760 mi

C $2200
Clutch and flywheel replaced due to worn liner. 
17800 mi Exhaust rattle at idle. I thought it was a hanger, but it turned out to be stuff broken off inside of the muffler. Dealer replaced muffler under warranty at no charge to me, except some lost time. 
51700 mi

US $160
Check engine light came on for VVT Cam lockup and CANBUS comm error 
66000 mi

US $4000
Piston slap, need I say more? Needed a new engine, which I declined. 
60700 mi

US $700
Rattle coming from final muffler. Dealer used a rubber mallet on bottom of muffler and rattle stopped then. 3000 miles later, rattle has returned 

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2010 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

25000 mi Had to de-carb the engine. 
43100 mi

US $50
Heat shield came loose and was vibrating, causing a metallic noise on starting the car. 

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2010 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

35960 mi Heat shield was loose and making noise while accelerating 
65000 mi

US $95
Power steering belt coming apart. Replaced belt. 
61500 mi Heavy steering at low speed. Traced problem to failing serpentine belt. Replaced for free under warranty as the belt was replaced only seven months ago. 

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2010 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

146000 mi

US $200
Check engine 
174300 mi

US $1600
Replace gasket heads 
232000 mi

US $1000
Oil leak in engine 
249000 mi Getting oil blow by. Will not choose to rebuild engine. 
101680 mi

C $3300
Head gasket and timing belt 

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2010 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

103000 mi

US $375
Coolant Drained Thermostat Replaced 
46000 mi

US $6500
Engine threw a rod & was replaced. Subaru refused to cover under warranty, despite report from independent mechanic stating that the engine was faulty. 
78120 mi

C $110
Alternator belt was worn/cracked 
81840 mi

C $730
Loose power steering belt 

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2010 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

53200 mi

C $200
Muffler rattle, not yet repaired 

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2009 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

50000 mi

US $5000
Engine failure 
49200 mi In for repair for over a year. Subaru warrantied 2 full engine replacements during the period. It was worked on by two different dealers during the period. The first dealer was horrible. 
45000 mi Sporadic check engine light caused by a seizing valve in the emissions system. The repair would have been $1500 but it should have been covered by an extended warranty. 

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2009 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

91300 mi

US $8000
Spun rod bearing, had to replace entire short block and do major service on the heads. New shortblock, machined & cleaned cylinder heads/cams/valves/etc, New variable valve timing controllers (AVCS or VVTI, whatever they're called), oil pan, pump, p 
145000 mi

US $4500
Valve problems. Valve job and machinist work on cylinder heads 
150000 mi

US $1100
Avcs camshaft actuators replaced 
5303 mi Engine failure (at 5,300 miles!). Engine spun a bearing and threw a rod. Block replaced under warranty. 
37700 mi

US $400
Clutch was replaced. Subaru paid for part of the repair since it happened at such low miles. Still very frustrating. 

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2009 Subaru WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 265hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

43000 mi

US $250
Faulty wiring in throttle position sensor put car into limp mode. Vehicle was towed to dealer, wiring was inspected, and faulty wire was repaired. 
10000 mi

US $8000
Crankshaft bearing went bad. Outcome was that the vehicle needed a new engine. 
13000 mi

US $2400
Spun bearing. New short block. 
111600 mi

C $550
Leaking oil pump. Resulted in having to also having to replace timing belt as it was damaged from the oil. 
31200 mi

US $190
 
78200 mi

US $1450
Clutch replacement 
160000 mi

US $2900
Secondary air pump failure Intake valve replacement 

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2009 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

114000 mi

US $180
MAF is faulty and will require replacement. For reference the car stutters and bucks from 1k to ~3k rpm. Smooth idle and smooth breifly after disconnecting and reconnecting MAF. 

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2009 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

42000 mi

US $27
exhaust system rattle, dealer adjusted mounts and clamps 
74400 mi

C $1800
head gasket blown and leaking on driver side 

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2009 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

75700 mi

US $55
Repaired loose heat shield 
53000 mi

US $660
Radiator and hoses replaced 
118000 mi

US $100
Check engine light came on due to catalytic converter running inefficiently. Car just passed emissions test. Catalytic converter still runs fine and so does the car, but it would need to be replaced to completely fix the problem. Check engine light was reset, but it came back on within a week due to the same problem. Subaru code is P0420. Driver decided to drive the car as is for now. Impreza model has 3 catalytic converters, all of which would need to be replaced to completely solve the issue. Repair would cost several thousand dollars. 
130000 mi

US $1102
Code P0420, catalytic converter was replaced with after market part. Plugs and battery ok for now. 

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2009 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

68000 mi

US $450
Replaced plug wires 
69000 mi

US $150
CEL came on. Cyl 2 misfire. 
75000 mi

US $100
Got a CEL, pulled a P1443 code. Usually the result of a loose gas cap or a leak in the evaporative system. After much trial and error, the gas cap was replaced. 
145000 mi

US $2000
Cam seal failed, sprayed oil on the timing belt causing the belt to slip. The engine lost timing and the valves on cylinder 2 were damaged as a result. 

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2009 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

16000 mi some sensor was not operating after leaving the car in the snow/ice for a month without running. Could have broken something myself while driving off too. Brought to the dealer and they replaced it all under warranty in an hour+. 
93500 mi

US $300
Repair to heat shield, rear view mirror. 
96000 mi

US $3000
Head gasket coolant leak 
27900 mi

C $230
Cylinder missfire due to short in spark plug cable. Cable was replaced and the car now has its lowest ever recorded MPG. 
29220 mi

C $100
Heat shield was loose under the car. 
41540 mi

C $200
Oil valve near engine was rusted and leaked. Was replaced. 

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2009 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

93200 mi

US $675
Engine light was on, was o2 sensors plus oil change, tires rotation and rear brakes worked on 
104000 mi

US $956
Entire exhaust including manifold was replaced. 

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2008 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 305hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

57000 mi

US $1600
Catastrophic engine failure. Factory replacement of short block, heads, turbo, oil pump, flywheel, clutch, etc. 
15500 mi Replaced LongBlock due to failed ringland in piston #4. 
15700 mi Cracked ringland on piston #4, longblock replaced under warranty. 
53000 mi

US $110
Replaced accessory belts due to excessive wear. Replaced accessory belts due to excessive wear. 
95000 mi

US $882
Both secondary air injector valves and connecting air pump were either failed or failing. SOA covered half of the bill due to original 2k estimate. Design change in 2010, metal to non-metal, shold no longer be an issue. 
118000 mi

US $2000
Blown headgasket 
156200 mi

US $650
Radiator failed 
165000 mi

US $6100
Spun bearing in Piston #3, extensive metal damage throughout. New shortblock required. 
62500 mi

US $2500
Piston Ringland failure; 
50000 mi

US $8000
Engine catastrophically failed, rod through block, #1 piston destroyed. Replaced entire longblock. 
29200 mi

US $100
Oxygen sensor malfunction, required replacement 
73300 mi

US $400
Secondary air pump system failed. 

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2008 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

1000 mi Engine light went on and gas consumption increased substantially. 
126200 mi

US $1000
Secondary Air pump failure Headgaskets became weepy Intake manifold gasket not always sealed Clutch replaced 
129500 mi Overheating, radiator clogged,radiator fans not spinning at full speed. 
129200 mi

US $225
MAF sensor voltage reading incorrectly. MAF sensor replaced, causing no reading at all and CEL. Connector replaced/harness repaired. 

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2008 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

7000 mi Turbocharger oil supply pipe too weak, bracing installed by dealer at no cost to owner. 

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2008 Subaru WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

57040 mi

C $800
worn out clutch plate, routine wear 
29000 mi

US $299
A/F sensor died, car had to be towed home, replaced in my driveway myself. 
49600 mi

C $2200
Engine Long block replaced under warranty after 2 week fight with dealer. Failure due to issues identified in a number of web forums but not easily admitted to by dealer turbo charger replaced and engine block flushed. Failure due to clogged turbo oil inlet filter. Dealer blamed lack of mtc, but all oil changes done, not all paperwork avaialbe at time. I suspect clog was due to main bearing failure occurg 
72480 mi Crank Bearing failure due to manufacturer defect, Engine replaced under warranty after fight with local dealership Occured July 2010 
96100 mi

C $470
camshaft oil seal, crank oil seal failed and pushed out into timing belt, timing belt and seals replaced 
4500 mi Rear 02 wires cut by the driveshaft. Front and Rear 02 sensors were replaced under warranty due to a short. It was found that they had shorted out at the ECU and the wire had expanded, pulling out of the pin. Wire was put back in pin and is working fine. 
107000 mi

US $250
Drive pulley needed to be replaced 
25000 mi

US $450
Exhaust pipe cracked between muffler and pipe to front. Commented to dealer while under warranty, they did nothing. Since the pipe has completely broke off where it connects to muffler, no longer under warranty. 
29200 mi Subaru dealer wouldn't fix exhaust as they "don't do welding" and wanted to sell me a new Subaru exhaust for something like $800. I applied my own exhaust patch kit, which held up for about a month. 
30000 mi

US $10
Took the muffler off myself at home and had a local exhaust shop re-weld it for $10. 

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2008 Subaru WRX 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

26000 mi

US $200
Cool packs on cyl 3 and 4 went bad. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

98260 mi Evap control solenoid frozen 
127100 mi

C $2
Oil pressure switch had sprung a leak and was oozing oil over motor, replaced bad switch with a used one off an old motor I had lying around. 
133920 mi

C $20
Oil pressure switch sprang a leak. Replaced with non-oem switch. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

47400 mi

C $250
Ignition coil had a fault, causing misfiring in 2 cylinders. Had coil and spark plug wires replaced immediately. 
61000 mi

US $150
Engine valve covers/seal gaskets were leaking and were replaced. 
95000 mi

US $150
Valve cover gaskets were leaking, needed to be replaced. 
95800 mi

US $150
Valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube seals were leaking and were replaced. 
44000 mi upper and lower radiator hoses and radiator cap. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

44144 mi

C $2235
after a turn to atelier leclers et fils from ste-marie qc. they replace my oil sensor, and broke the head of the motor, subaru got to change the head of the motor and the 3 other oil sensor too. the motor was leaking a lot, go to atelier mécaniquej.l.leclerc et fils . they found its the sensor for the oil pressure and change it. The problem was more important, go see the garage and refuse waranty is work, my warenty refuse to protect me cause they lie to when they doesnt talk to accept this garage for the job. after this i go see the dealer for see what's appen and told me they broke my head by torking the sensor in the piece of aluminium and the head crack. cost me 2175,13 $ to repair it... 
62800 mi needed 2 cracks in the exhaust system welded 
107000 mi

US $300
Solenoid replaced. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport

Engine not specified

70000 mi

US $2500
Stock turbo failed causing major oil to leak through to the exhaust system resulting in catalytic converter failure,also. Replaced turbo, oil lines to turbo and exhaust downpipe. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

38440 mi

C $170
Oil leak from the Oil pressure sensor, which broke. Oil fumes started once the leak got to the muffler. Dealer refused to cover it under motor warranty as it was a sensor. Tried to contest it unsuccessfully with Subaru. 
118000 mi

US $150
The car had a misfire on the 3rd cylinder. The spark plug was grounding out to the block. New spark plugs with die electric grease fixed the problem. 
16120 mi CEL went on, then went away the day before my appointment @ dealership. Was told it was my MAF sensor, and to keep an eye on it and call in if it goes back on. 
142000 mi Leaking Head gasket 
98400 mi

US $2000
Head gaskets leaking oil onto exhaust manifold. Causing oil smell in passanger area. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

114000 mi

US $2200
Head gaskets, plus complete timing belt repair 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

170-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

151800 mi

US $930
Rear main seal failure; also replacing all cam seals and head gaskets 
176000 mi

US $300
replaced water pump, thermostat, timing belt and pulleys 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Hatch

148-horsepower 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

97960 mi

$1000
Car had been having overheating issues for a while. The whole cooling system was repaired and then the head gasket was replaced. 

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2008 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4-door

turbocharged 4-cylinder manual AWD

68200 mi

$100
piston cracked in 2011 coil pack failure 
68200 mi

$500
Valve shim making noise 
78740 mi Valve him noise never fixed despite several attempts. 

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2007 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 293hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

98300 mi First catalytic converter crumbled and clogged the second converter. Replaced down-pipe with performance catted down-pipe from Invidia, then install a Cobb "OTS stage 2" ecu tune. 
107000 mi

US $5
bolt broke on alternator tensioner 
119500 mi

US $3000
cracked ring-lands caused by bad turbo inlet 
155000 mi

US $15
Replaced aftermarket radiator hose, that was leaking in below 20F weather. 
165000 mi

US $500
Symptoms of a bad head gasket, overheating and bubbles in overflow bottle, there is a crack in a cylinder wall, head gaskets were fine. Will require a new engine block to resolve 

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2007 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

116300 mi

US $1400
Turbocharger had worn out oil seals, causing oil and smoke in exhaust. 
136000 mi

US $300
AC idler pulley let go and crashed into timing cover. Cover and pulley were replaced. 
142000 mi

US $25
Oil cooler was leaking oil, changed out gasket to attempt to stop leak. Also changed oil and flushed coolant, price of maintenance not included. 
153000 mi Radiator blew after coolant leak detected. Likely end tank separation. 
106000 mi

US $5000
Engine lost oil pressure and needed complete rebuild 
45000 mi CEL on, computer showed problem with gas re-circulation system. Tests showed no problem, so my mechanic simply reset the CEL. 
66000 mi

US $250
Secondary air injection valves failed. Replaced. 
97700 mi

US $1320
Secondary air pump valves failed. $1320 was dealer quote to fix system. 
105000 mi Broken exhaust midpipe. Replaced with aftermarket catback. 
119000 mi

US $650
Radiator cracked, was replaced by shop along with upper and lower rad hoses. 
109000 mi

US $230
Valve cover gaskets leaking oil, replaced gaskets on both sides 
160700 mi

US $5085
Developed cyl #1 misfire just prior to clutch overhaul appointment. Found burnt valve and then bilateral cracked cylinder heads. 

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2007 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 224hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

89000 mi

US $2500
Replaced Clutch and Flywheel. My 17 year old son finished off the clutch which evidently was already at its wear limits. 
97000 mi

US $100
Replaced O2 Sensor 
43200 mi

US $770
check engine light (A0456), leak in emissions system, required "smoke test", required removal of gas tank to replace valves.  

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2007 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

92000 mi Excessive corrosion required replacement of exhaust resonator and welding repair of an exhaust hanger. Additional exhaust clamps were required to fix heat shield rattles as well. 
105000 mi

US $200
Rattling exhaust resonator (noise issue) likely due to corrosion. The muffler shop removed the resonator and straight-piped the section. Exhaust was not noticeably louder after the fix and the rattle was gone! 
79000 mi

US $1300
Catalytic converter inefficiency fault code. Converter replaced at no charge under state emissions warranty. Repair necessitated replacement of rusted exhaust mid pipe and muffler. Engine accessory belts & rusted idler pulley also replaced. 
89800 mi

US $415
Valve cover gaskets leaking oil into spark plug tubes and external motor components. 
79360 mi

C $600
Rusted down-pipe and spring clamps needed to be replaced to solve an exhaust leak. Oil temp sensor seal failed, leaking oil which resulted in smell/light smoke. 

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2007 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

75000 mi

US $414
Intake O2 sensor replaced 
31000 mi

C $400
Brittle Serpentine belt squeaky - replaced and paid for by customer. Bad oil pan leaking onto spark plugs - replaced and paid for by customer. Total $400 not covered by warranty - wear and tear at 48,000 service. 
27900 mi

C $120
Oil pressure switch had a small oil leak. New part installed. 
39060 mi

C $450
Replace oxygen sensor. 
79000 mi

US $1300
Evap system leak, don't recall what all was replaced but it was a lot of parts. Subaru gave me coverage due to low miles even though the car was out of warranty, otherwise repairs would have exceeded value of the car. 

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2007 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport

Engine not specified

92000 mi

US $2000
Head gasket leaking- gasket replaced on both sides, heads planed 

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2007 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

98500 mi

US $980
Routine clutch replacement 
94240 mi

C $800
Muffler and timing belt change 
63300 mi

US $950
Dreaded Head gasket leak -driver side. Mechanic said that he's repaired a few Subaru 2.5 engines for gasket leaks. He thinks it's caused by inferior head gaskets. 
59000 mi

US $9
Temp gauge went to red during 3hr trip. Coolant spill all over engine. Added coolant on the way home. Shop did pressure test, found no leaks. Performed tests and could not replicate engine overheat. 
140300 mi

US $1140
Replaced head gaskets, decked heads, replaced water pump, plug wires, etc 
87420 mi

C $39
VVL Oil pressure switch failed on the Driver side (trouble code P0028) 
132000 mi Spark Plug Tube Seals were worn out, allowing oil to seep into the spark plugs. Dealer replaced tubes, plugs, wires and valve cover gasket under 30-Day warranty. 
179000 mi

US $200
Idler pulley replaced. 
70000 mi

US $614
check engine light was a fuel system error due to a gas cap that wouldn't lock. Corrected with new OEM gas cap during routine 60,000 mile service. 
74000 mi

US $275
Check engine light related to fuel system leak. Independent shop diagnosed the problem as a crimped gasket in the fuel tank access---owner suspects that this was probably introduced by the dealer during a recall trip in Dec 2009. 

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2007 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

69520 mi

C $300
gasket replacement 
41295 mi

US $825
Replace cylinder head gaskets and all related gaskets 
67104 mi

US $1020
Replace water pump, thermostat, timing & drive belts, coolant 
79000 mi

US $76
Remove exhaust heat shield - rattle noise, Weld cracked exhaust pipe 
95030 mi

US $743
Replace drive belts (V-belt and A/C) Replaced oil sender switch - leaking 
134000 mi

US $2800
Replaced failed turbocharger. This occurred due to clogged filters. 
60000 mi

US $30
PCV Valve was stuck open. 
78000 mi

US $450
Head Gasket 
78000 mi

US $80
Head gaskets both needed to be replaced. Significant oil leaking 
81000 mi

US $150
Hesitation and fluttering noise on acceleration from stop. Very dirty Throttle body. Partially fixed the issue by cleaning , but not completely. Still unclear what is causing the hesitation and fluttering noise 
86000 mi

US $800
Whistling and hesitation from muffler and starting from dead stop. Tried a 3rd mechanic who fix the hesitation very easily (cleaned a very filty air intake valve I believe). The whistle he determined to be simple a small hole inside the muffler, so we just replaced it and the problem is all fixed! 

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2007 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4-door

4-cylinder manual AWD

15000 mi Air con compressor causing revs to increase dramatically (2000+rpm) when compressor kicked in 
23000 mi Diagnosis of cold start engine noise, possibly pistons or main bearing, awaiting warranty decision before strip down. 
28000 mi Cold start noise traced to the cambelt tensioner, item replaced, no recurrence to date 

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2007 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

76220 mi

$300
Radiator Fan Not Working 

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2006 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

18600 mi Replace clutch plate Replace motor sub-assembly Repairs covered by motorplan 
38440 mi Replace motor sub-assembly (coverd by motorplan) 
57040 mi

R 66000
overall motor (blown), replace turbo, replace clutch plate 
58900 mi

R 33000
Overall motor 
62000 mi

R 15000
Repair turbo, replace clutch kit 
63240 mi

R 3000
Turbo broke down immediately after leaving the repair shop Repair turbo, repair waste gate, repair oil leak, replace radiator hoses, replace turbo hosing 
63860 mi

R 8000
Radiator hose also perished.  
63860 mi

R 15000
Car still breathing oil from vent. Vent routed to ground. 
22000 mi Threw a P0422 CEL. I couldn't find anything so I reset it but it kept coming back so it went to the dealer. They couldn't find anything either so they did a full diagnostic and reset it. Hasn't come on again. 
34000 mi

US $1030
Both fuel cut valves in the gas tank cracked due to age and turned on P0442 CEL. It did not affect drivability. This is a labor intensive repair - 86% of the cost was labor. 
49000 mi Three 8mm bolts on cam gear that secures on a plate came loose. The plate is part of the variable valve timing system which uses oil pressure to control the timing so as the bolts came loose oil was leaking past the plate.  
52000 mi

US $300
Intake pipe developed a vaccum leak from a rip that went about halfway around it where it attaches 2 the turbo. Replaced the oem plastic pipe with an aftermarket metal one which was a mistake because the fitment was horrible.  
64700 mi Turbocharger had an external oil leak on a non-serviceable seal and also a whine associated with the part failing internally. Replaced turbocharger to correct the concern. 
65700 mi

US $400
Radiator started to develop a slow leak at the top. Also cooling hoses started leaking slightly where they attach to the thermostat housing and at the other end of the motor due to corrosion 
98000 mi

US $200
Radiator blew at 103,000 miles. Could drive home but definitely needed a replacement. 
113000 mi

US $108
Lower radiator return hose clamp got loose and started leaking coolant. Replaced both upper and lower radiator hoses. Should have replaced them when I replaced the radiator 10k miles ago. 

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2006 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

83000 mi

US $1500
Timing chain, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, belts 
85000 mi Air pump solenoid failed. System disabled, car passes emissions fine without it. Common WRX problem. 
100000 mi

US $2000
Clutch and flywheel replacement. The lining wore out. Engagement was getting higher/harder to achieve smooth transitions, and was replaced prior to failing. Car gave plenty of warning to the end of life for the clutch. 
58280 mi

C $50
Emissions air pump valve had failed from corrosion. Replaced with block-off plate, tune updated to ignore resulting emissions codes. 
55000 mi

US $380
The driver's side secondary air combi valve failed in the open position. As a result exhaust was leaking via the air pump, and the CEL light came on. The part was $380 retail from Subaru. I did the troubleshooting, servicing and mechanical work myself. 
42000 mi

US $65
CEL at 42,856. Mechanic says OBD - fuel cap loose. Mechanic tightened fuel cap, problem went away. 
57000 mi

US $147
Timing belt snapped from age. Battery dead. 
77200 mi

US $1146
Replaced 2 IMR control valve. Repaired cose P2009. Intake Manifold Running control circuits low both banks. 
146500 mi

US $201
Leaky radiator hose led to coolant levels being too low to circulate. 
149000 mi

US $470
Radiator leaking 
91000 mi Head gasket went. Extracted engine myself, had heads rebuilt. Update: later discovered it was just a very hard to locate hose was spraying coolant. I took the opportunity to do a rebuild regardless. 
170000 mi

US $6000
Cost 6k all in for labor to reassemble the drivetrain and replace the short block (cylinder walls were corroded by coolant from head gasket failure). Had I not tried to fix it myself it would've been more like $3,500. 
41900 mi

US $300
Turbo wastegate was not moving freely, boost was not being controlled properly. Sometimes overboosting and sometimes under boosting. Replaced turbo exhaust housing from a used turbo. 
60000 mi

US $100
CEL due to stuck air valve. Air pump also noisy. Replaced air pump and air valve with used parts. Old valve was badly corroded and full of water. 
69000 mi

US $150
Crack in radiator causing coolant loss. Radiator replaced. 
56000 mi

US $900
A valve in the air intake system failed. 
145000 mi

US $700
Replaced radiator 
145000 mi

US $75
Bearings in one of the idler arm pulley went and had to be replaced 
85000 mi Oxygen pump, an emissions related issue had 7 codes stored in the ECU. Diagnosed and correct parts are in order... The previous oxygen sensor issue was resolved with the correct parts 
94000 mi

US $289
Alternator bracket cracked, replaced with parts I bought online from other subaru dealer Than one visited for repair and labor charged. 
100000 mi

US $30
Replaced squeaking A/C idler pulley 
68500 mi

US $1050
Clutch, pressure plate, engine rear oil seal (possibly seeping a little), throwout bearing, clutch fork and pivot. 
78500 mi

US $150
Radiator had a pinhole leak in top plastic cap. Replaced radiator, refilled coolant. 

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2006 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

132000 mi

US $2000
Engine failure 
110000 mi

US $950
Crack in radiator necessitated replacement 

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2006 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 230hp 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

118000 mi

US $3000
Cylinder #2 intake valve sleeve caused valve to be sticky in closing and thus causing damage to other valves in cylinder - bent one, caused valve seat insert to be dislodged slightly. Misfire CEL, low compression and leak-down. 

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2006 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

138000 mi

US $500
Cylinders random misfire due to old and corroding parts. Changed spark plugs, wiring, and coil packs. 
67000 mi

US $235
Replace leaking valve cover gaskets. 
72000 mi

US $40
Check engine light came on, then cleared itself after 1 day. Shop determined error code was "no start condition". Problem has not reappeared. 
85700 mi

US $140
belt was slipping, was replaces 
96000 mi

US $140
Idler pulley squealing 
84000 mi Intermittent code for converter low efficiency 

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2006 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

148780 mi Cleaned throttle body. The car wasn't idling correctly and kept setting off the check engine light with low idle codes, and cleaning that fixed it. 
186000 mi

C $900
Replaced all the wiring. Car kept stalling and wires were brittle. Oil pan rusted through. Replaced pan. 
100000 mi

US $1700
Right around 100,000 miles I needed the head gaskets replaced and went ahead and changed out the whole lower end at the same time. Water Pump, timing chain ect... Cost $1700 
186100 mi

US $240
Miss fire in Cylinder 1. New plugs and wires as well as a new Main Drive Belt to stop the squealing. 

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2006 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport

Engine not specified

23000 mi valve timing sensor replaced. 

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2006 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

71000 mi Slight seepage around head gaskets. Not fixed yet. 
79700 mi

US $2800
Replace head gaskets, resurface heads 
87300 mi

US $270
Muffler whistles, rear muffler replaced (broken baffles) 
90000 mi

US $576
Overheat at sustained high speed, cooling escaping. Replaced Radiator, thermostat, and cap. 
12000 mi Minor hesitation off idle solved with ECU (engine computer) software update. 
86000 mi Diagnose rattle/resonance from rear of car at 65 mph. Noise traced to very rusty, loose exhaust system. Driveability/reliability not affected. Elected to replace at later date. Was not charged for diagnosis. 
102900 mi

US $50
Diagnose exhaust rattle. Located broken weld. Referred to other shop with welding capability. Welded exhaust to fix rattle. Was diagnosed but not repaired by dealership. 
121500 mi

US $250
Replace muffler and other exhaust components to address previously diagnosed exhaust leak. 
107800 mi

US $600
Ignition coil cracked at wire connections. Replaced coil wires and plugs. 
141000 mi The car needed two quarts of oil on our trip to South Carolina- approximately 1400 miles round trip. We thought we saw an oil leakage. The shop couldn't determine the cause, saw no evidence either. Was told the headgasket was leaking oil. 
155000 mi

US $1200
I had a leaking head gasket on the passenger side. Had both replaced. They also replaced the timing belt and kit (?). Radiator hoses replaced. Also, o -rings on oil dipstick (?). Had to take it back for this a week later. No charge. 
165000 mi

US $800
The front catalytic converter was replaced. My check engine light had been going on and off for well over two years. I finally decided to get the repairs done. 
221000 mi

US $500
I noticed a noise in the rear. It was the heat shield above the muffler rattling around. The mechanic removed it and said I could replace it if I wanted to at a later time. He also found a rusted hole in the center pipe, so the pipe and the muffler were replaced with aftermarket parts. 
72000 mi Car used oil between oil change intervals from the beginning. Sometimes the oil got lower than it should have before owner added oil. Piston rod bearing eventually deteriorated and a new short block was recommended. 

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2006 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

173-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

91000 mi

US $2000
Head gaskets needed replacing. oil and antifreeze leaking everywhere 
130000 mi

US $400
Needed new throttle body. 
76880 mi

C $300
CEL was On and fault code indicated O2 sensor before cat., replaced sensor and checked connections and took voltage readings. All checked out ok but CEL came back, am stumped. 
76880 mi CEL turned out to be a bad pin connection in the main engine harness. 

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2005 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

104000 mi

US $3500
Burned exhaust valve in cyl 4 
111600 mi

US $850
replace radiator, thermostat 
89000 mi

US $95
Oil feed line from from block, to AVCS port to turbo started leaking. 
97400 mi

US $322
Passenger side cam cover gaskets were leaking. Indy replaced both sides. 
120000 mi

US $550
New sparkplugs for the 120K service. 
73000 mi

US $30
Power steering/alternator belt broke while driving on the freeway. Was able to change it myself at a gas station. 
80000 mi

US $45
The ac belt broke and I replaced it. 
29540 mi

C $500
Radiator has small leak, replaced(upgraded) with Koyo Al racing one 
44000 mi Whining noise in engine heard inside vehicle. Most likely one of the belt idlers or tensioner. Could not determine which one was faulty. 
55000 mi

US $125
Engine whine noise. Mechanic says it's either a valve or valves that need adjustment, or it's something in the timing-belt mechanism. Will pursue a repair in the not-too-distant future. 
54000 mi Seized water pump - blown radiator resulted in severe heat. This CAR IS AN STI AN STI AN STI overheating 247 degrees 
46000 mi

US $400
Differential temperature sensor replaced after false alerts on dashboard. add forums for Impreza WRX STi iwsti.com nasioc.com 
100000 mi

US $6500
Piston and rings needed replacement along with the head. No compression cylinder 4. Entire bottom end replaced. 
110000 mi

US $200
Replaced power steering pump 
99000 mi

US $20
Valve cover gasket replacement, passenger side 
23000 mi Radiator began leaking on the top seam. Warranty covered 100% of the bill. 
92000 mi

US $130
Radiator plastic end-tank developed a hairline crack which required the complete replacement of the radiator. 
101000 mi

US $95
Upstream wide-band O2 sensor started to fail 
103200 mi

US $45
Upper radiator hose developed a large tear. Replaced hose, refilled coolant. 
104200 mi

US $550
Passenger side valve cover gasket leak 
105000 mi

US $10
Oil filler neck gasket replacement. 
112000 mi

US $30
Evap recirculation purge value failed 
124000 mi

US $50
Radiator cap gasket failed after reinstalling once coolant flush was completed. 
128000 mi

US $500
Repaired leaky oil pan Replaced engine PCV and breather hoses, vacuum lines, etc. Many were glass hard and very brittle. Replaced PCV valve as some blow by was noticed. 
11000 mi valve spring 

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2005 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

114000 mi

US $220
Replaced lower coolant hose Secured heat shields 
120000 mi

US $140
Front O2 sensor 
98000 mi

US $2500
Original engine spun a bearing so I replaced it with a JDM replacement with AVCS. Didn't go to a shop, I did the swap myself. Not including any the price of mods 
88200 mi

US $196
Radiator hose leak 
98000 mi

US $25
upper radiator hose burst and was replaced. coolant refilled. 
129890 mi

C $1500
Radiator cracked and was leaking. Replaced radiator plus coolant flush/replacement Radiator cracked and was leaking. Replaced radiator plus coolant flush/replacement 
132680 mi

C $60
Replace tensioner pulley. It was chirping. 
97000 mi

US $422
Non-OEM spark plugs failed. Caused one of the coil packs to also fail. 
99000 mi

US $700
Replaced leaking radiator. 
127500 mi

US $23
The bearings went bad on the tension pulley for the belt driving the AC compressor. It made a loud screeching sound at all rpms. Replaced with similar sealed bearing pulley from an auto parts store. 
140000 mi Coolant smell in cabin on occasion; apparent small leak above intake manifold (turbo?). No significant coolant loss. 

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2005 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

118000 mi

US $88
AC idler pulley broke. Pulley put hole in timing belt cover. On seperate trip, ran over debris in road and destroyed tire. Took car into shop to have alignment and inspection done on running gear. 
148000 mi

US $420
Replaced fuel/air sensor 
165000 mi

US $450
Radiator replaced Top of radiator cracked, radiator replaced 
192000 mi

US $727
Replace timing belt and waterpump with idlers. Timing belt was damaged when AC idler pully broke. 

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2005 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

64000 mi

US $15
Fixed a pinhole leak in upper radiator hose. 
65000 mi

US $5000
Spun rod bearing in engine, replaced with new OEM engine. The engine was actually replaced before but they did a bad job of cleaning up the metal fragments so over the year I owned the car the metal shavings continued to circulate throughout my engine. 

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2005 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

181000 mi

US $50
Timing belt failed resulting in catastrophic engine damage. Cost is for diagnosis only. Car donated to charity. 

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2005 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

55000 mi Strong smell of raw fuel inside car. Needed to tighten fuel lines clamps on front of engine. 
117500 mi

US $1500
Head Gasket 
129300 mi Cam seal was leaking covered under warranty from the earlier head gasket repair 
138000 mi Timing belt broke and took out engine. Scraping the car 
78000 mi

US $2100
Head gaskets, timing belt, water pump. Shop detected head gaskets starting to fail through test, not detectable otherwise. 
84300 mi

US $200
Stopgap measures taken to stabilize an exhaust system needing replacement. 
90000 mi

US $1400
Exhaust pipe covers were jangling, then falling off. Then pipes as well seemed about to fail. Entire system following cat converter redone. 
92000 mi Gasket blew out between oil and coolant system. 
118000 mi Before buying this car the used car company replaced the head gaskets (smelled burning oil during test drive) plus as preventive water pump, thermostat, timing belt, and spark plugs. 
119300 mi

US $82
Replaced leaking oil pan gasket. 

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2005 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

48360 mi

C $100
Diagnosis for over-heating on highway was leaking left bank head gasket. Diagnosis for CEL was sticking EGR valve. Parts ordered. 
48980 mi Replaced left bank head gasket and EGR valve. Still waiting on new knock sensor to fix continuing CEL. 
50220 mi Replaced knock sensor. Still received CEL after a few days, so had all connections checked. So far, so good. 
60760 mi

C $300
Car overheated on highway. Stuck thermostat replaced. 
63860 mi

C $100
Radiator cap failed, replaced to repair. 
25420 mi radiator cap failed 
50840 mi

C $1650
Replaced head gasket to fix intermittent overheating problem. Problem may still exist though, but not to previous extent. 
108440 mi

C $2200
Oil leak, change the motor gasket and due change of timing belt. 
166200 mi

US $223
CEL on, misfires. Replaced air filter, plugs and wires. Also changed oil and filter. 
174000 mi

US $1500
Head gaskets. Also replaced during repair: valve cover gasket, plugs, timing belt, water pump, A/C and alternator belts. Plus exhaust repair. 
221000 mi

US $1200
Head gaskets we're starting to leak, so a friend pulled apart the engine and did a complete rebuild, including all gaskets, water pump, oil pump, timing belt, plugs, wires, clutch, flywheel. 
221000 mi

US $80
Was time for a new exhaust. 
236000 mi

US $277
Changed power steering belt - was squealing 
146034 mi

US $292
Engine was misfiring due to oil leaking onto spark plugs. Replaced spark plug gaskets, valve cover gaskets, valve cover washers, ignition wires, and plugs. Replaced valve cover and spark plug gaskets to remedy misfires due to oil on plugs. Also replaced plugs. 
157000 mi

US $900
Replaced water pump and timing belt, and tensioner 
174000 mi

US $2800
Replaced head gaskets Replaced plugs and ignition wires Replaced clutch. Engine was out for gaskets. clutch was very worn. 
202200 mi

US $12
Check engine light came on. Went to AutoZone, had code read. Misfire on cylinder 2. Bought and used fuel system cleaner. Code cleared. 
208000 mi

US $300
Leaking radiator, replaced radiator, water pump, timing belt, acc. belts pct valve, trans axle gear oil, neutral safety switch and cabin air filter. 

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2005 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

114000 mi

US $40
Heat shield loose. 
135000 mi

US $400
Rusting flanges on exhaust pipe. pipe replaced. 
156000 mi Fault in throttle position sensor 
83500 mi

US $200
A portion of the exhaust pipe was replaced for excessive rust. It may have to be completely replaced before Summer is over. Plus 80,000 mile check-up. 

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2005 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4-door

6-cylinder automatic AWD

97000 mi

US $1400
Went in for a recall item and noisy air conditioner, was told the head gasket was leaking. Tightened belt for air conditioner, completed recall (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM) 
97000 mi Traded when head gasket started to fail. I already replaced it in 2009, and decided I wasn't going down that expensive road again! 

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2004 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 300hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

110000 mi

US $6000
Spun a rod bearing, requiring full engine rebuild. The engine had previously been replaced at 104k miles, and was a crate smallblock from Subaru. 
113000 mi

US $600
Worn out Turbo, required replacement 
113300 mi radiator fan cut into radiator hose, causing a leak and requiring replacement. The problem was caused by a faulty installation. 

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2004 Subaru WRX STI 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 2.5L H4 6-speed manual AWD

134000 mi

US $450
Both valve cover gaskets leaking badly. Oil cooler leaking oil due to Sears Auto overtightening oil filter. Cooler was crushed and out of shape. Check engine light code P0457. Evap system is faulty. Replaced charcoal vapor canister + gas cap, but check engine light still returned. 
149000 mi

US $50
General maintenece, changed engine oil and filter, also changed transmission fluid 
150000 mi

US $4500
Replaced the turbo. Replaced fuel injectors and fuel rails. 
64000 mi

US $300
Radiator fan came into contact with upper radiator hose and wore a hole into the hose. Happens somewhat frequently based on reports on nasioc.com. Replaced hose. Also replaced radiator due to signs of leakage between core and end tanks. 
73300 mi

US $110
Leaking valve cover gasket on driver's side. Replaced both valve cover gaskets. 
69000 mi

US $100
CEL P0011 P0021 - changed oil, removed pre-avcs filter screens, problem went away. 

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2004 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

164000 mi

US $450
Engine ran too rich due to me switching sparkplug wires, catalytic converter ran hot and damaged turbo 
92000 mi

US $985
Thermostat failed;cracked radiator. Bill $1,050 including tax. 
119000 mi

US $1100
Raw fuel leak faulty hose common problem up to 2009 models 
124000 mi Clutch slipping 
110000 mi First replacement timing belt was squealing and then snapped. Mechanic put new one on no charge and it has worked without problems. 
93000 mi

US $260
Blown radiator. Car was perfect until 88k and then started falling apart so I sold it. Oh well. 
130000 mi

US $150
Top of plastic radiator tank split 
55000 mi

US $100
Just had to have adjustment made so check engine light wouldn't come on 
38000 mi Replace radiator 
90000 mi

US $1
A/C drive pulley locked up and ruined belt- replace belt and pulley 
127000 mi

US $46
Ac idler pulley was replaced 
148000 mi

US $120
Radiator and thermostat replaced 
148000 mi

US $150
Replaced valve cover gaskets. Both sides. 
38000 mi

US $500
Radiator leaked at the plastic top seam. Replaced with a Koyo all aluminum radiator. 

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2004 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

99000 mi

US $200
Cylinder 3 misfire due to bad coil pack. The same coil pack had been replaced approximately 20 months ago for the same issue. 

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2004 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

91500 mi

C $400
fuel lines leak during very cold weather, cause a smell of gasoline in the cabine 
114700 mi

C $30
Gasket from the turbo to the downpipe 
97000 mi

US $250
Plastic end tank on stock radiator cracked and leaking coolant. Replaced with new aftermarket radiator with aluminum end tanks (less expensive than new OEM plastic/aluminum radiator). Installed radiator and replaced coolant. 
106500 mi

US $85
Leaking turbo oil feed line. OEM hard line was cracked. 
112000 mi

US $100
O2 sensor failed. Replaced. 
69000 mi

US $100
Head Gasket - covered under extended warranty 
172000 mi

US $650
Map Sensor IAT Sensor 
119000 mi

US $220
The AC pulley went bad and started making a very loud whining noise. 
57000 mi

US $900
Been hearing occasional squeak. While in for an oil change, mechanic identified it as one of the belts. Since timing belts were about due, got all the belts and tensioners changed. A radiator hose was also changed. 
61500 mi

US $600
Crack in top tank of radiator. Replaced radiator, coolant hoses, thermostat. 
133000 mi

US $1800
Clutch replacement 
143000 mi

US $303
Leaking defective radiator which was replaced with a new aftermarket radiator 
80000 mi

US $450
O2 sensor failure  
103900 mi Check engine light on, cause unknown. 
106000 mi Broken connecting rod 
89000 mi

US $6000
hot day. accelerated up a slight hill. heard severe engine knock. Cam bearing failure. Engine toasted. Was told by friend who races cars that they had lost a few engines due to lightweight synthetic oil problems during very hot weather. 
156100 mi

US $400
misfire on cylinders 1,2,3,4. replaced coil packs. Still misfire on cylinder 2. Cylinder 2 compression down compared to 1,3,4. Most probable cause is a bad exhaust valve. Able to coax car to an emission test pass. Drives well. 
170300 mi

US $700
oxygen sensors replaced  repair of exhaust leaks 
133500 mi

US $480
clamps on fuel lines not holding hoses on and gas was leaking.clamps were placed at earlier visit 2 years ago when hoses had worn out and were leaking coolant hoses leaking/loose 
146000 mi

US $1200
new clutch and flywheel after 146,000 miles. stock clutch lasted 10 years beyond turbo upgrade, 340 lb/ft at the crank 
148000 mi

US $60
bottom radiator hose separated from radiator. coolant left radiator. reattached hose, added new coolant and Subaru coolant conditioner 
148000 mi

US $50
failed CO emissions. changed downpipe PCV valve old. put new PCV valve in. 
149000 mi

US $120
adjusted leaking fuel injectors/fuel rail driver's side, new fuel filter. transmission mount bushings were shot. 
185000 mi

US $100
replaced valve cover gaskets 

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2004 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

205000 mi

US $1800
Water pump leaking. Also replaced all timing components + belt. Replaced hydraulic tensioner and all four idler pulleys while in there. All had various amounts of play. Oil pump/seal was also leaking and oil pump had to be replaced. 
211100 mi

US $237
#3 coil failed causing misfire and flashing CEL. 
221000 mi

US $300
#3 cylinder coil failed again causing #3 cylinder misfire. #3 coil was replaced as we're all 4 spark plugs. 

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2004 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

126000 mi

US $200
one cylinder lost compression completely. 

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2004 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

60760 mi Piston and gasket head replaced in engine to correct engine knock. 
43400 mi Top end rebuild to alleviate piston slap 

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2004 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

92000 mi

US $20
Heat shield breaking off. Re-attached the shield. 
94000 mi

US $250
P0030 code - Check Engine light went on kept coming back on even after resetting. O2 sensor in Bank 1 had to be replaced. 
100000 mi

US $65
collapsed radiator hose, hole blowing steam in it. Hose replaced, no other issue found. 
95000 mi

US $500
Replaced head gaskets as preventative measure after they were found to be leaking oil. 
102000 mi

US $1500
Replaced rusted exhaust components including new catalytic converter & O2 sensor. 
112000 mi

US $500
Raw fuel smell when very cold out (less than 15F) 
89280 mi

C $200
Got a Check Engine Light P0442 which is evaporative system (small leak). Have not solved it yet, but garages seem to want $100 just for a smoke test then unknown amount for determining and fixing the leak. Not too happy. 
65700 mi

C $850
3) gas fumes during winter months when gas lines leak into the air vents (can only fix via recirculating int air) 
68200 mi

C $200
Check engine light, and error codes pointed to the Emissions controls. Checked fuel cap, hoses. Reset the computer code, light went quiet for 1 week and is back on. 
71300 mi

C $5000
Manifold gasket leak / replaced. EVAP repaired 
62760 mi

C $2000
Timing belt, water pump, ignition system, head gastkets 
73780 mi Fuel smell in the cabin at -5Celcius or below 
126000 mi

US $27
Loose heat shield was spot welded together 
129000 mi Heat shield loosened again but in multiple places this time. Shop personnel spot welded heat shield and added a couple of retaining brackets for support. All work done at no cost. 
135000 mi

US $45
Engine overheating was result of faulty thermostat. Thermostat was replaced. 
137000 mi

US $43
I had ongoing problem with unwanted vibration because of loose heat shields. After failing to repair successfully, I had them removed. 
148000 mi

US $505
Check Engine light was on for over two weeks. Diagnostic test indicated oxygen sensor malfunction. Replacement of the sensor was necessary. 
149000 mi

US $845
My exhaust pipe rusted completely through between the 2nd & 3rd catalytic converters. I needed to replace 2/3 of my exhaust system, and since the cost was about the same as for OEM parts, I replaced it with a Flowmaster cat-back system. 
156000 mi

US $600
Head gaskets leaking externally, possible damage to cylinder heads; also, faint clanking sound emanating from engine suggestive of damaged bearings 
157800 mi

US $1200
Head gasket & oil pan leak and shifter cable frayed All parts were replaced including belts, water pump, seals, bushings, and related fluids. I am unable to separate these costs. Routine work performed at same time that I did not include. 
177000 mi

US $120
The evap canister drain valve failed and needed replacement. Two electronic codes--P0457 and especially P1443--led to this diagnosis. The canister evap vent valve was replaced with new unit. 
189800 mi

US $108
A/C belt drive idler pulley assembly contained damaged/worn bearings. Drive belt idler pulley was replaced. 
194000 mi

US $1170
External coolant leak in rusted metal bypass tube from water pump to heater hose resulted in damaged head gaskets and blown seals. All damaged parts plus water pump, thermostat, and timing kit were replaced. 
202000 mi

US $497
My car had a faulty ignition coil and ignition wire leading from coil to cylinder 2. Both coil and wire replaced. 
202000 mi Sporadic CEL related to the evap system or fuel system something-or-other. 
91000 mi

US $130
O2 sensor failed and replaced. 
119500 mi

US $2500
Replace leaking head gaskets. 
134000 mi

US $200
small piece of rubber fuel line leading to passenger side injectors was leaking fuel power steering belt was squealing and was replaced 
44640 mi

C $316
Car stalling during cold start 
61060 mi smell of raw fuel within cabin when car started in cold weather. It goes away once car is warmed up. Apparently, a common problem according to the forums; due to crack injection lines under the manifold 
62620 mi Hole in exhaust at mounting bracket 
66200 mi

C $820
Repaired exhaust at centre mount; cut out corroded section and bracket and installed new section and new bracket. 

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2003 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

106000 mi

US $300
Original radiator developed leak in plastic top. Replaced with OEM style radiator. 
114000 mi

US $120
Replaced exhaust gasket on exhaust side of turbo. 
117000 mi

US $150
Oil return gasket on turbo failed leaking oil down the outside of the return hose onto the underside of the vehicle. 
79300 mi

US $3000
Turbo seals were bad, 
77000 mi

US $350
Radiator crack and leak. Replaced. 
85000 mi

US $300
LEAKING EXHAUST DOWNPIPE GASKET 
151000 mi

US $500
Cracked/leaky radiator removed & replaced. Installed Koyo radiator, upper & lower radiator hoses, reservior tank cap, radiator cap, and coolant hard pipe. Pressure test performed on radiator/cooling system. 
168000 mi

US $8
CEL P0171 Fuel System Too Lean; I cleaned Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor with MAF sensor cleaning spray. During removal of MAF sensor, I also noticed that the housing for the air cleaner looked slightly misaligned, so I reseated the air filter and realigned the housing and clips. If there indeed was a misalignment, the air "leak" could have caused the CEL, which occurred during one of the hottest days of the summer. 
92071 mi

US $150
CEL on. Cat Converter. Mechanic said "don't touch it", runs fine. 
100000 mi

US $160
radiator started leaking, replaced with aftermarket unit 
125000 mi

US $25
Hose broke 
148000 mi

US $40
Lose belt 
73000 mi

US $1000
Leaking radiator replaced. 
182200 mi

US $6500
burnt valve on no 4 cylinder. completely rebuilt motor while it was out 

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2003 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

106700 mi

US $1100
Oxygen sensor replacement Timing belt replacement 
175000 mi

US $1200
Check Engine Light with code P0420. Further computer report showed no presence of a front catalytic converter. Replaced front catalytic converter. 
61971 mi

US $513
While replacing the timing belt, the tech discovered that the timing belt tensioner and 2 idlers were making noise. Parts $297.65. Labor $216.13. Total $513.78. 
96200 mi

US $30
Upper radiator hose developed a leak. I went to Advanced Auto Parts and bought a new hose for $15, and some coolant for $15. Took me about an hour to replace the hose. 
75000 mi REPLACE FAN BELT 
93000 mi

US $530
TIMING BELT & ASSOC NORMAL WEAR PARTS - DRIVE BELTS, SPARK PLUGS, LOF REPLACED THERMOSTAT 
142000 mi

US $400
Hole in radiator, replaced. 
152100 mi Timing belt jumped. Replaced timing belt, water pump, and thermostat. 
163804 mi

US $30
Car gave check engine light for small fuel system vacuum leak. Replaced fuel cap, but did not solve problem. 
210477 mi

US $300
Clutch worn. Replaced clutch, and flywheel.  Transmission mount  and right intercooler mount were found damaged and replaced also. 
218089 mi

US $80
Car is not producing power at high RPM/high load conditions. Suspected failing fuel pump and replaced it, but no improvement. 
26000 mi

US $200
intercooler hose 
159000 mi

US $775
PCV valve was clogged and causing oil to leak from the engine. 
145000 mi

US $506
Small leak from radiator noticed during oil change. Replaced radiator one week later after symptoms of cooling system failure began to show up and didn't want to risk further problems. 
150000 mi

US $500
Slight seepage from valve cover gaskets noted. Time to replace them before oil seeps onto some electrical components nearby and cause more problems later. 
174900 mi

US $350
Replaced the worn out and catalytic converter that also had a hole in it with down pipe and cat from another WRX whose owner had upgraded the factory exhaust and sold the original parts to me. 
166000 mi

US $4200
Timing belt pulley seized, taking the engine with it. OAKOS is replacing the top halves of the engine and we're doing other things while in there like an STI oil pump, Killer B oil pickup, and replace the clutch. Bad luck! 
198000 mi

US $100
The belts that had been new after the engine rebuild had loosened with use such that they were starting to squeal on cold mornings. So I had them tightened and they are fine. 
206000 mi

US $400
Radiator replaced. 
206000 mi

US $800
My Grimmspeed ceramic catless up pipe developed leaks in the flex pipe portion of it. A perfectly rebuilt engine sounded like crap and I had to buy a new up pipe and have it installed. Rotten luck for an otherwise well built up pipe to fail me just as I'm about to put the car for sale. 
174000 mi

US $94
#1 O2 sensor failed and was replaced. 
180000 mi

US $1615
Timing belt tensioner was failing. Mechanic replaced timing belt, tensioner, rollers, water pump, crank seal and cam seals while the car was being serviced. 

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2003 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

114000 mi

US $750
The radiator cracked and was leaking severely...dealer replaced the radiator. 

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2003 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

195800 mi

C $1000
fuel tank changed 
201000 mi

US $756
car was overheating. Radiator replaced. 
210000 mi

US $800
misfire 

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2003 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

122000 mi

US $120
Idler arm pulley bearing fried, replaced idler arm pulley for AC. 
97000 mi

US $400
Exhaust noisy. Replaced catback pipe and muffler due to rust perforation 

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2002 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

107000 mi

US $881
Timing belt was old and slipping so produced a burning rubber smell on long drives. A replacement corrected the problem. 
126000 mi

US $4400
A rod bearing clicking between 2500-3500. Waiting for a failure of the bearing could have damaged the heads. The short block (engine block with pistons etc. already installed) was replaced. Valves were adjusted. Car had been protuned:+30%HP 
71000 mi

US $200
Repair shop damaged timing belt idler pulley while replacing timing belt. Problem was noticed after taking car on 100 mile trip. Repair shop replaced defective unit at no labor cost to owner. Owner paid for new idler pulley.  
86000 mi

US $160
Replaced alternator belt, ac/power steering belt, idler pulley. I broke and replaced plastic piece that was part of ac belt tensioner. Idler pulley was preventative maintenance. One of the two radiator fan had a broken fan blade. I believe it was my fault and was a by-product of my previous belt install. 
93000 mi

US $800
Replaced rear catalytic converter and midpipe. Preventative maintenance: replaced rear O2 sensor. 
143000 mi

US $90
Motor mounts worn out. They had nearly completely separated. Bought used Sti ones for $40, took 5 hrs. Did trans mount as well for $60, 
148000 mi

US $20
Replaced the a/c belt tensioner pulley. It was squeaking and I was certain of immanent failure. 
149000 mi

US $30
Lower radiator hose and thermostat gasket due to coolant leak. 
159800 mi Fuel smell on cold days, replaced fuel rail under extended warranty from Subaru. 
169000 mi

US $70
Replaced rear differential mounts. 
173000 mi

US $80
Vacuum lines became brittle. Replaced all with new t-joints and clips. 
195000 mi

US $150
Seized waterpump - this caused failure of timing belt. Engine is now inoperative. Update: sold car without this fixed in March. 
179700 mi

US $85
replaced the knock sensor 
186000 mi

US $630
timing belt tensioner pulley failed, which prompted a complete timing belt job. 
75000 mi

US $450
Ignition coil on #2 cylinder was failing, causing misfires, rough running & loss of power, as well as the Check Engine light to flash. Replaced ignition coil and it fixed the problem. 
78000 mi

US $270
O2 sensor 
93000 mi

US $500
Ruptured turbo inlet hose caused poor running, but vehicle still drivable. Factory inlet replaced with flexible silicone aftermarket (Samco) one. Primarily because it is easier than using factory part (intake manifold can stay on) 
96000 mi

US $2000
Wiring harness was modified by previous owner and is now requires complete replacement. 
55300 mi

US $2000
A/C Belt Tensioner replaced on 1st trip. Probably not the real problem due to "discovery" of bad timing belt tensioner. Dealer gave me free parts to compensate. Timing Belt Tensioner leak/rattle 
75000 mi

US $2200
Replaced clutch. Was still working but slipped when doing extreme acceleration ; ) Abuse related repair : p. Not Subaru's fault. Known 2002 wrx plastic radiator issue. Very slow micro leak at seam. Holds up during 1 hr pressure test but randomly leaks and makes a little stink while driving when engine is hot. Was sufficiently annoyed to finally change it. 
38000 mi Fuel line leak. 
88000 mi

US $150
alternator belt pulley loose from rusting replaced 
94000 mi

US $1400
clutch wore out, 13 yrs old, they replaced the pressure plate, clutch disc, bearing 
99000 mi

US $420
o2 sensor replaced 
101000 mi

US $180
oil pump sensor repalced 
101900 mi Catalytic converter replaced. 
new radiator 
122000 mi

US $840
shop overtorqued a number of items on timing belt/water pump repair. Per dealer, had to replace multiple bearings, pulley tensioner, etc. After previous visit to aftermarket shop not noting noise from engine, will only use for performance add-ons 
133000 mi

US $600
Return trip - smell of burning oil in cabin. Gaskets (head? valve cover?) were leaking and needed replacing. 
104700 mi

US $150
Leaking radiator, replaced radiator and hoses. 
161000 mi

US $140
While it was apart worn transmission mount was replaced. 
127580 mi

C $1000
Both head and valve gaskets. 
224000 mi

US $100
Replaced several dry and cracked vacuum crankcase lines. 
227000 mi

US $50
Replaced turbo coolant supply line. Coolant flushed. 
227000 mi

US $200
Replaced turbo oil return line. Including exhaust gaskets for: manifold, collector, up pipe, turbo, down pipe. 
230000 mi

US $200
Replaced radiator. 

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2002 Subaru WRX 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

51500 mi

US $900
valve leak, axle oil, fuel injection 
67500 mi

US $730
Cracked radiator Replaced cracked radiator. 
80000 mi

US $113
Check Engine light came on. Dealer determined it was because intake boot wasn't properly secured, causing unmetered air to enter intake. NOTE: this was not the problem as the Check Engine light came on again 9 days later! Motor oil cooler gasket not sealing, causing engine oil leak. Replaced left side valve cover gasket. This repair was an additional $393. 
80500 mi

US $525
Air intake sensor intermittently giving incorrect reading, causing computer to think fuel was running too lean. Check Engine light on. First trip shop said intake not secured properly. Second replaced sensor. 

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2002 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 5-speed manual AWD

128800 mi

US $900
Timing belt kit, thermostat, aftermarket catless up-pipe (factory catted one can break and kill the turbo), LWCP. 
108000 mi DTC PO031, O2 Sensor replaced 
122000 mi

US $100
Connection between pipes broke and needed to be re-welded. 
30000 mi Check engine light. ECU reflashed by manufacturer under warranty. 
57000 mi

US $185
Coolant hoses leak Coolant hoses leak. Replaced. 
67000 mi

US $135
Subaru recall # WVK-21. Strong fuel smell under the hood during cold morning startups, lasting more than 5 minutes. Two gaskets on engine replaced; as recommended by dealer service manager. Replaced two engine gaskets. Subaru recall # WVK-21. Strong fuel smell under the hood during cold morning startups, lasting more than 5 minutes. Fixed under warranty. 
71000 mi

US $1200
Mechanic misdiagnosed crank sensor problem and replaced clutch system first instead. Mechanic misdiagnosed crank sensor problem and replaced clutch system first instead. 
95000 mi

US $40
Radiator leak. Need to add coolant every month. 
95000 mi Radiator leak. Buyer replaced it. 
74000 mi

US $50
Leaking radiator; radiator was repaired a little over a year ago by auto insurance company's repair shop after a front end collision. Because defective part was originally repaired, it was covered under insurance company's warranty. 
65000 mi

US $45
Leaky valve cover on the passenger side caused smoke when the oil leaked on the up pipe. Replaced gasket and resealed but still seeping a small amount of oil. 
65000 mi

US $15
Oil leaking from passenger side valve cover. Replaced gasket again. 
74400 mi

C $150
The prestone reservoir started leaking too much (it was leaking before) and I had it replaced. The replacement was plastic instead of metal, which efectively solves the corrosion problem the older one had.  
76260 mi

C $240
Gas odor inside the car which happens at low temperatures was fixed, will have to wait until low temps to see if problem comes again. 
76880 mi

C $300
Had hesitation when giving gas. Diagnosis was a bad MAF, which I ordered seperately and installed myself. MAF replaced, runs like new. 
83080 mi

C $40
Replaced upper radiator hose which was worn on radiator fan.  Replaced uppipe that was cracked (bad used part) 
88040 mi

C $160
IAC gunked up and needed cleaning. Was causing misfires. 
90520 mi

C $100
Blown radiator, replaced radiator.  
96100 mi

C $600
Oil return tube was slightly leaking but the oil entered and fouled a coil pack. Coil pack had to be replaced with a new unit and oil return tube replaced. 
99400 mi

C $300
Radiator leaking, replaced with all aluminum radiator. A/C compressor strap went straight through timing belt cover. Will have to replace timing belt cover, A/C strap and pulley. 
100440 mi

C $300
Replaced AC belt and timing belt covers. 
111600 mi

C $30
Vibration in steering wheel. Replaced an engine mount bolt that was missing, probably from some previous repair. Eliminated a squeaking noise, but vibration in steering still present. 
130000 mi

US $310
Radiator replaced due to a crack in the top. 
177000 mi

US $32
Leaking radiator hose. 
212000 mi

US $1500
Burnt valve. Replaced all valves. 
186000 mi

US $4800
Whole Engine Replaced because of cracked piston. Also rack and pinion replaced clutch assembly and thermostat. 
105000 mi Strong fuel smell coming from engine compartment. Fuel rail fixed by dealer, covered by Subaru. 
108100 mi

US $1100
Timing belt, water pump, seals and gaskets 

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2002 Subaru WRX 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 227hp 2.0L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

149000 mi

US $500
Cracked radiator 

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2002 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

120150 mi

US $2500
Replace Headgaskets & rebuilt heads. 
130000 mi

US $300
Head gasket failure. Replaced oil pump, water pump and headgaskets while disassembled. 
166000 mi

US $85
Replaced faulty knock sensor after error indicated by check engine light. 
56016 mi

US $1980
Head gaskets replaced under warranty. Timing belt, brake rotors and pads, plugs, all fluids replaced, suspension pin. 

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2002 Subaru Impreza 4dr Sedan

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

39720 mi

C $2500
head gasket 
147000 mi

US $500
Replace head gaskets 

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2002 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport

Engine not specified

81220 mi

C $1700
Precat pipe was poorly welded at factory 
Returned four days after purchase because dealer didn't disclose salvage title at time of sale. One head gasket slightly sweating at the time.  

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2002 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

58000 mi

US $300
Spark Plugs. Wires. Ignition Coil pack for #2 cylinder. Map Sensor. 
119660 mi

C $500
Stalling and hesitation which was cured with new oxygen sensor - routine maintenance at this mileage (190000)? 
116600 mi

US $2000
Headgasket replacement, water pump change. 
83400 mi

US $300
replaced cracked exhaust 
90300 mi

US $1700
Replaces timing belt, clutch, water pump and AC fan belt. 
98000 mi

US $367
Spark plug hole seal was leaking, high oil consumption, replaced valve cover gasket 
106000 mi

US $1400
Muffler and catalytic converter replaced. 
144000 mi

US $800
Timing belt worn and replace belts. 
105300 mi

US $380
The radiator was cracked and needed to be replaced 
113000 mi

US $3000
Replaced catalytic converter Knock sensor replaced Spark plugs and engine working coil replaced. Coil had failed and was sparking to ground causing engine to surge erratically. 
137000 mi

US $200
Check engine light coming on. The computer indicated that it is the catalytic converter (replaced 5 years ago) 
138000 mi

US $1700
Needed new catalytic converter 
41000 mi

US $170
Replaced evaporative vent valve. 
44000 mi

US $50
Rattling heat shield removed. Not replaced. 
51000 mi

US $990
Exhaust pipe and catalytic converter connections rusted almost to breaking point. 
233000 mi

US $100
broken exhaust 

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2002 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

97200 mi

US $600
Timing belt pulley 
65000 mi

US $143
Check Engine light went on then off, no charge. Exhaust heat shield came loose 
82000 mi I have a slow head gasket leak they are doing nothing about at this time. 
90000 mi Head gasket on engine leaking; repaired under Subaru manufacturers' extended warranty to 100,000 miles 
93000 mi housing on exhaust fan was bumping a hose after previous replacement of head gasket; housing realigned 
101000 mi

US $75
Car had exhuast crack that was repaired. Needed new timing belt and water pump in 3000 miles, needed some other maintenance/repairs over next 5000 miles so decided to sell. 
122000 mi

US $346
Both cats replaced, got rid of 420 code (rear o2 sensor). Also mid pipe replaced due to rust holes at bracket points. 
129800 mi

US $40
I replaced the head gaskets @ 97,000 mi. Was meticulous, 36,000 mi later it began to display the hg syptoms again, got blue devil and after driving it with the blue devil in the system it actually plugged the hg leak successfully, now at 38k 
75000 mi

US $200
gasoline smell. tightened parts. 
103000 mi

US $4500
Head gaskets 2nd time. Once at 30K now again. Brakes (rotors, wheel kits, pads), ball joints, timing belt, struts, knock sensor 3rd time, fuel filter and fluid maint. There is a computer problem, but haven't been able to find it. 
141000 mi

US $40
Overheating, misfiring on cylinder 3. Time for head gasket number 4. Which I'll have to do later. Made temp repairs for now. Will correct later. 
141000 mi Valve issue causing the misfire. Didn't want to keep spending money on what has been an expensive and unreliable vehicle. Replaced with Toyota Corolla 
138300 mi

US $750
replaced rusted exhaust pipes and muffler from catylitic converter back 
146000 mi check engine light intermittent off and on. couldnt resolve will return later date or sell car not sure yet 
148 mi

US $64
Had difficulty getting engine light to turn off in order to pass New York State inspection, Took a couple of tries but it went off 
149000 mi Rusted through hole in muffler Attempted to patch but unsuccessfull 

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2002 Subaru Impreza / WRX / Outback Sport 4-door

4-cylinder automatic AWD

68500 mi

C $300
O2 sensor failed 

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2000 Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport 4dr Wagon

165-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed automatic AWD

179000 mi

US $275
Radiator was leaking, so it was replaced. 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans and Hatchbacks.
See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport Engine Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently Subaru Impreza / Outback Sport problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.