AI Damage2018 Subaru WRX: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Subaru WRX filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 262 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 43
- involving a crash
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 262
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 28% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 16% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 12 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 25.
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (23% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 136.
- Steering: 7 complaints (16% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 23.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 6 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 1 complaints
- manual, 6-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 43 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 25 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 2 | 136 |
| Steering | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 23 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 75 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Again steering locked up, now forcing me far right. At the right was dense trees, bushes, and shrubs. Narrowly able to regain control before going head-on into a tree, I forced the steering wheel back to the left. I ended up striking some bushes and a tree stump.
The airbags did not deploy and I hit my head on the driver's side window. The car was 100% undriv
The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to subaru of santa fe (7511b cerrillos rd, santa fe, [ZIP]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
The air bags failed to deploy. The driver suffered a broken nose and a swollen eye. The driver was taken to the hospital for medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an independent mechanic.
Backup camera activates and reverse lights illuminate while in forward motion. This condition matches NHTSA Recall 22V-522000. The recall repair was previously performed but the safety defect persists. Manufacturer was contacted and declined further repair despite active safety condition.
This is not an isolated occurrence — Subaru’s own service technicians were able to replicate the issue and confirmed the smell, but reported that smoke and pressure testing showed “no leaks.” Despite replacing the evaporative canister, purge valve, and fuel check valve, the problem persists.
When the vehicle hits about 35-40mph, the engine surges and then full power is produced. It feels like potentially an issue with the turbo or the transmsission. This is creating a significant safety hazard as the vehicle is behaving unpredictable and could lead to an accident when having to accelerate into traffic or…
After several months of experiencing this issue, I recently had my vehicle fully inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership, and they confirmed a critical fuel leak issue. The dealership discovered that the high-pressure fuel pipe is leaking, as confirmed by a camera inspection of the engine bay.
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 934 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 44% most complained about).
On average one model year of the WRX has 22 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 43, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
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 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 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…
- 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.)
- Techtips newsletter locator index
- 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 provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing…
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
- This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from…
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
NHTSA lists 262 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 2018 Subaru WRX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, steering. Total complaints: 43. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (12%), airbags did not deploy (9%), battery drain (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Subaru WRX?
NHTSA lists 262 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 2018 Subaru WRX 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 2018 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.