The 2014 Subaru Impreza is a car that needs no introduction due to its legendary status in the market. Many people swear by it although its target crowd does not include the largest section of the American population. It is truly a fun-to-drive car that has much better ride quality than the rest of the segment. What we find is that a total of 86 complaints so far and 3 recalls have been issued by the brand. The complaints are Subaru Impreza engine problems, steering column, airbag problems as well as windshield issues. It competes against the cars such as theHonda Civic, theMazda 3, and theVolkswagen Jetta. The Impreza is priced at an MSRP of $17,895 which is competitive. Read on to find a detailed account of the Subaru Impreza's reliability below.
2014 Subaru Impreza User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical problems:
- A few owners have experienced sudden unintended acceleration and this can often lead the car to an accident.
- There are few incidents of complete transmission failure and this is a very expensive repair.
- One owner reported that the engine had valve failures but many cars are not included in the recall.
- There are a large number of complaints stating that the car was not able to be started. The problem could be associated with the engine control module which can be an expensive part to replace.
- Some cars have reported excessive vibration while braking.
- There have been complaints about excessive grinding noise while braking, as well as the brake light not being illuminated. This not only fails to illuminate the brake light, but also causes problems to the hill brake assist, stability control, ABS, and so on.
Electrical system problems:
- In many cars, the key is not able to be removed from the steering column after shifting the car into Park. This is one of the most common problems in these cars and has affected a large number of owners.
Exterior problems:
- The Subaru windshield cracking issue has affected a large number of vehicles.
- The automatic door locks on the rear in one car do not work using the key fob or using the button inside. The problem seems to be worse when the temperature is cold.
Safety problems:
- There are several incidents of airbag failure reported. In these situations, the car can fail to deploy an airbag and save the occupants.
- Many cars have reported problems with the occupant detection system often malfunctioning. In another case, the airbag will turn off when the front seats are mildly wet. Airbag warning lights are also issued in many cars.
- In some cases, the airbags have deployed without the need for it. This will cause an emergency situation because it will explode onto the occupant.
Miscellaneous problems:
- There have been a few complaints regarding owners not having the recalls done on time and parts not arriving.
2014 Subaru Impreza Recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
February 28, 2019 |
19V149000 |
Brake lights may not illuminate |
The brake light switch may malfunction due to exposure to certain contaminants and fail to alert other drivers on the road. |
Dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. |
|
2 |
November 1, 2018 |
18V772000 |
Engine valve spring failure can cause a stall |
The engine valve springs may fracture and cause an engine malfunction or stall |
Dealers will replace the valve springs |
|
3 |
October 13, 2016 |
16V738000 |
Power relay may fail allowing air pump to overheat |
The relay that controls secondary air injection pump may fail and cause it to overheat |
Dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump |
Should you buy the 2014 Subaru Impreza?
The Subaru Impreza is simply the best sedan you can buy if you live in climates where you can expect a bit of snow and rain. It has been a dependable compact sedan that stays relevant in the market despite intense competition in the segment from cars that seem to be much more modern. As you can see, in terms of reliability its reputation is not pristine but the problems are restricted to four areas. By this, we would mean the problems with the car not being able to be started, keys getting stuck in the ignition, the problem with the airbags, as well as the windshield cracking issue. The manufacturer has tried to issue as many recalls as possible to fix them and we feel that you can trust the car.
