2002 Subaru WRX problems & reliability
427 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Subaru WRX, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
9 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 266 | 62% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 64 | 15% |
| Fuel System, Other | 25 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 4% |
| Power Train | 16 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Air | 15 | 4% |
| Visibility | 8 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 1% |
| Suspension | 6 | 1% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 1% |
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 42,000 miles (middle 50% between 29,342 and 64,450 miles), based on 319 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“A fuel line under the intake manifold located on the passenger side is leaking gas on cold starts. This is my second time dealing with this issue. As of now, it is only leaking gas when the engine is cold, but the leaking is starting to get worse and faster than before. The first time I had this issue it was leaking…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Oct 6, 2018
“I have the terrible gasoline smell in and outside of the car as a result of a recall that is not valid in the state of ohio. As subaru thinks ohio is not a cold weather state and has denied the recall on my vehicle. It smells the whole house. It is sickening. I have been putting up for it since I bought the vehicle…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Mar 14, 2017
“The body is deteriorating so fast. I laugh at the subaru commercial where the parents give their kids the old car. I would not trust the old subaru to keep my children safe. I've had to replace the frame, and am letting the body rust. The sickening smell of fumes like gas in the winter are horrible. When I keep the…”
Structure · filed Dec 19, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL LINE LEAK
Engineering Analysis EA09011 · opened Jul 2, 2009 · closed Dec 14, 2009 · led to recall 09V468000
- FUEL LINE LEAK
Preliminary Evaluation PE09017 · opened Mar 10, 2009 · closed Jul 2, 2009
- FUEL LINE LEAKAGE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Preliminary Evaluation PE04002 · opened Jan 7, 2004 · closed May 27, 2004
- EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES
Engineering Analysis EA03024 · opened Nov 19, 2003 · closed Jul 12, 2005
- BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS
Preliminary Evaluation PE03029 · opened Jul 8, 2003 · closed Nov 19, 2003
Technical service bulletins
112 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Subaru WRX. 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
The 2002 Subaru WRX has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — 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 2002 Subaru WRX?
- · 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 42,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.