Subaru as a brand holds a long history of catering to the audience who seek nothing but reliability in their cars. The 2012 Subaru Impreza is no new contender in the midsize sedan market and over the years, Subaru has managed to capture a large market. The Impreza was sold to over 81,700 customers and the car is considered to be one of the most reliable options out there. The 221 complaints registered on NHTSA shouldn’t be of great concern as almost half of them were regarding a faulty airbag sensor. Subaru also recalled the Impreza 6 times, with all of it pertaining to different aspects. This particular market has gotten really competitive with cars like the Ford Focus, the Hyundai Elantra, and the Mazda 3 going up against the Subaru Impreza.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- AC – The users notice both the air conditioner as well as the heater not operating and out of curiosity, the contact puled the panel out where the switch was located. The switch was found to be burned and the car was taken to an individual mechanic who stated it to be a result of an electrical short. The switch assembly needed to be replaced along with a new wiring harness connected to the switch.
- Ignition – Multiple users were finding the key to be stuck in the ignition after turning the car off and they had to try and wait for a few minutes before the key could come out. This was soon diagnosed by the dealer and the cause was found to be a faulty ignition lock core. Dealers repaired it the lock functioned normally.
Mechanical Problems
- Engine – It was found that the low engine oil light flashed and the dealers were contacted to inspect the issue. The user stated that the car has run just 900 miles after filling the engine with a quart of oil. The mechanics ran a diagnosis and stated that the engine burnt way too much oil. It was also found by a few other users that the engine made a knocking noise and this was identified to be coming from cylinder 4 as the connecting rods were loose.
- Transmission – The gears were said to shift roughly and there were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealers and it was found that the transmission was failing and the only solution was to replace the transmission.
- Brakes – The user was slowing the vehicle down when all of a sudden they heard a noise from the front wheel. It was noticed that the brake caliper had broken and the vehicle was immediately towed to the dealers where the brake assembly was replaced.
- Power steering – The contact was driving when they found the steering to feel very hard and this was found to be a common issue among users, and Subaru released a service bulletin stating that this happened due to a cracked power steering gearbox. The dealers were instructed to replace it and the steering felt perfect.
Safety Problems
- Airbag – The passenger airbag was denoted to be in an off position even when the seat was occupied by a fully grown adult. The dealers identified it to be a faulty under-seat sensor that failed to recognize an occupant. The sensor was replaced the issue was resolved.
2012 Subaru Impreza recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
28th February 2019 |
19V149000 |
Brake light may not illuminate. |
Inoperative brake light can increase the risk of being rear-ended as the other drivers will not be alerted while the vehicle slows down. |
The brake light switch will be replaced. |
|
2. |
1st November 2018 |
18V772000 |
Engine valve spring failure may cause engine stall. |
The engine valve fracture may cause the vehicle to malfunction or stall. |
Dealers will replace the valve springs. |
|
3. |
13th October 2016 |
16V738000 |
Power relay may fail allowing the air pump to overheat. |
Relay damage may cause the pump to operate continuously and overheat. |
Dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump. |
|
4. |
1st July 2015 |
15V419000 |
Front passenger airbag may not deploy. |
The occupant detection system was said to deactivate while any device was plugged into the power outlet. This can cause the airbag to not deploy. |
The occupant control unit will be replaced with a modified one. |
|
5. |
25th February 2013 |
13V061000 |
Remote engine starter fob malfunction. |
The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is drained or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. |
The remote engine starter key fob will be replaced. |
|
6. |
29th November 2011 |
11V562000 |
Increased brake pedal travel distance. |
This happens due to the malfunctioning of the master cylinder and it increases the distance required to stop the vehicle. |
The brake master cylinder will be inspected and replaced. |
Should you buy the 2012 Subaru Impreza?
With an ever-increasing number of sedans in the market, it only becomes hard for manufacturers to sustain but Subaru has managed to do their homework and that had led them to make a reliable yet affordable option in this segment. The 2012 Subaru Impreza does hold some issues but the recalls were very effective and made the car fall in line with the reliability that the buyers were seeking. Do check for the ignition as the key can get stuck at times and also check if the service bulletin repair has already been performed on the car for the steering assembly. Overall, the Subaru Impreza is a great choice over its rivals and does not carry the potential to become a vehicle that could cause a lot of issues over the long run.
