AI Damage2017 Subaru Impreza: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Subaru Impreza filed 125 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and visibility. The maker issued 399 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 125
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 399
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 26% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 20% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 11% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 3% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 32 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 21.
- Visibility: 25 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Electrical system: 21 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 210.
- Engine: 14 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 37.
- Air bags: 11 complaints (9% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 1 complaints
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 125 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 32 | 0 | 21 |
| Visibility | 25 | 1 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 1 | 210 |
| Engine | 14 | 1 | 37 |
| Air bags | 11 | 5 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 2 | 7 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 43 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 1 | 17 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 10 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Any and all airbags failed to deploy. The car is currently parked in my garage and is available for inspection. The insurance company has declared the car a "total loss," and would like to tow it away as soon as possible. 2. The driver had a concussion and whiplash after their forehead hit the steering wheel. 3.
The contact mentioned that the seat belt did retract during the impact. No air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to IAA by the insurance company. The insurance company inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the air bags should have deployed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss.
But when I pressed the brakes I heard a noise, almost like the abs pump over-pressurizing, the brake pedal vibrated and pushed back against my foot slightly as my vehicle slid into the back of the car in front of me. At the time of the accident the roads were dry and it was sunny about 50 degrees.
While the contact was coasting the vehicle forward in the driveway, it independently surged forward without warning and crashed into the garage door. The contact stated that the failure occurred twice before and that the eyesight automatic braking feature failed to activate during each occurrence.
The airbags did not deploy. In light of the recent information that was released by the nhtsa concerning airbags not deploying, I feel I need to bring this to your attention. I will be sending the same information to the nhtsa.
My son reports that the smell of smoke caused him to awaken and scramble, with his friend, from the passenger side door and reach safety before the car was completely engulfed in flames. I do not understand how a frontal collision on a side street can cause a car to burst into an inferno.
However, I later experienced a check engine light and drivability concerns. Diagnostic records from February 2026 indicate: •Camshaft slow response codes •Persistent sensor issues •A technician recommendation to replace multiple components, including the ECM, stating that codes were “burned into the ECM” The…
I was pulled over by the police and give a warning that my headlight was out and told to get it fixed. I thought it may be as simple as a bulb but was told the entire left headlamp assembly had to be replaced at a cost of more than $2,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 487 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Impreza has 64 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 125, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines
- This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles
- "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs
DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and…
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top…
This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top center retaining nut area of the front strut mounts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on…
This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed.
- This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body
The updated valve body incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This Service Information Bulletin announces the release of a new diagnostic assistance application for…
This Service Information Bulletin announces the release of a new diagnostic assistance application for TR690 and TR580 CVT-equipped vehicles. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw…
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
NHTSA lists 399 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Subaru Impreza?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, visibility, electrical system. Total complaints: 125. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (10%), headlights and tail lights (7%), infotainment or screen glitches (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Subaru Impreza?
NHTSA lists 399 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Subaru Impreza from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.