2018 Subaru Impreza problems & reliability
149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Impreza, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Subaru Impreza vehicles were involved in 30 fatal crashes with 16 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 64 | 43% |
| Visibility/wiper | 33 | 22% |
| Unknown OR Other | 25 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 12 | 8% |
| Engine | 11 | 7% |
| Structure | 6 | 4% |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% |
| Power Train | 4 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 20,000 miles (middle 50% between 9,000 and 30,000 miles), based on 49 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I bought a new Subaru Impreza and there is a cam carrier leak that was reported last time I took it for service at the dealership two weeks ago. There are only 41k miles on the car, and there were no warning lights/messages. Upon my research, this is a common problem with Subarus due to the sealant that they use with…”
Unknown OR Other · filed May 6, 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the high-temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that an engine reseal had failed and needed to be…”
Engine · filed Feb 19, 2026
“The problem started on towards the end of Dec 2025. The primary latch that holds the hood down failed, and the safety latch kept the hood from flying off. I pulled the car over and shut it, and it seemed okay. Because the hood hadn't been lifted for a few days ( since its last service ), I was at a loss as to what…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jan 18, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
511 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Impreza. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-123-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2026
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…
02-193-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
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…
09-74-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector and fuel pipe in response to the DTCs listed DTC P030* / Engine Knocking / DTC P219C-D-E-F. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-81-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2026
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 announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. (This is an revised version of the orignal bulletin.)
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 2, 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 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…
02-193-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2026
This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability.
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2026
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 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
The 2018 Subaru Impreza has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2018 Subaru Impreza?
- · 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 20,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.