Total Complaints
3 filings
SUBARU WAGON · model year
2003 SUBARU WAGON
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003SUBARUWAGON carries 3 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 2003 WAGON is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:headlights (1) and exterior lighting:fog lights (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.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2003 WAGON. 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060109EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
Mileage: 35,000
20060109EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
Mileage: 35,000
20051210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, I HAD MY FOOT SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT CREEP. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED SO HIGH THAT I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP FROM CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE ENTIRE TIME! *JB
Compare 2003SUBARUWAGON to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 SUBARU WAGON have?▼
The 2003 SUBARU WAGON has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 SUBARU WAGON?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 SUBARU WAGON is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS.
Is the 2003 SUBARU WAGON 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.