2008 Subaru Impreza Sti problems & reliability
33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Impreza Sti. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 13 | 39% |
| Power Train → | 11 | 33% |
| Structure | 6 | 18% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 15% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 12% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 29 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 30,000 miles (middle 50% between 15,500 and 47,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Both headlights going out at the same time. This has happened about ten times over the last four years and now I have no headlights. I have tried three different headlights in the last month, the first two worked briefly and the last one from subaru did not work at all. From 2005 - 20011 subaru has recalled other…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Aug 7, 2018
“What is the issue? Basically the firewall is so thin that it flexes terribly every time the clutch or brake pedal is pressed. The big problem is the way the clutch/brake assembly is secured to the thin firewall. It only has 6 small spot welds that rip off the firewall after time. This makes it so you can't get in and…”
Power Train · filed Sep 14, 2017
“We have not heard from the dealer about replacing the air bag we had an email in july 2016 called to make an appointment and they said they did not have the part in thats what they were waiting for this is october 2016 and we have not heard anything yet. Were scared to drive it but we need our car and we don't let…”
Air Bags · filed Oct 26, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
107 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Impreza Sti. The 10 most recent:
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 18, 2026
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20.
07-240-26R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
03-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
05-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 20, 2026
This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air conditioning (A/C) performance concerns possibly resulting from an undetected A/C refrigerant leak.
10-105-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 26, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 26, 2026
This bulletin contains information to help when attempting to complete the STARLINK Telematics subscription process, an Error Code 202 and / or 204 may occur preventing the process from completing successfully
15-219-18R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2008 Subaru Impreza Sti in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2008 Subaru Impreza Sti?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 30,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.