SUBARU IMPREZA STI · model year

2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI

4 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009SUBARUIMPREZA STI carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 IMPREZA STI is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and engine and engine cooling (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2009 IMPREZA STI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1

Recalls (1)

09E01100002/04/2009

EQUIPMENT

THULE, INC. IS RECALLING 2,323 OWNER-INSTALLED ROOF-MOUNTED FIT KITS, MODELS 3068 AND 3069, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 28, 2009 THAT ARE USED WITH THULE PODIUM FOOT PACKS, MODELS 460 AND 460R. THESE FIT KITS WERE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED AB

Recent Complaints

20110817ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB

20110817ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB

20100623AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS ON IT. THE PASSENGER WEIGHS 105 POUNDS BUT IF SOMEONE FROM 120 POUNDS AND UP IT TURNS ON. THE 105 POUND PASSENGER HAS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO GET THE AIR BAG TO TURN ON SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR

Mileage: 300

20091103ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

PISTON RINGLAND FAILURE AFTER 10K MILES ON BRAND NEW 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI. ENTIRE ENGINE BEING REPLACED BY SUBARU UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

Mileage: 10,300

Compare 2009SUBARUIMPREZA STI to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI have?
The 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI?
Yes, the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI?
The most-complained component for the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.