Total Complaints
5 filings
SUBARU WRX STI · model year
2008 SUBARU WRX STI
5 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008SUBARUWRX STI carries 5 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 2008 WRX STI is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by structure:body (1) and service brakes (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 2 active recall campaigns, 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 14 investigation files overlapping the 2008 WRX 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
Recalls (2)
14V83000031/12/2014
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshi
14V31100010/06/2014
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michi
Recent Complaints
20170224UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SECONDARY AIR VALVE, RELAY, AND PUMP. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SECONDARY AIR VALVE RELAY. THE RELAY INITIATES THE PUMP WHICH CAUSES THE VALVE TO OPEN AND CLOSE. AFTER THE RECAL WAS PERFORMED THE SECONDARY AIR VALVE NO LONGER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY AND WAS TOLD BY SUBARU MUST BE REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. THE COST OF THE FIX IS AROUND N $1500. THE VALVE MALFUNCTIONS ON COLD START UPS AND THE FAILURE WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO PASS A SMOG TEST. THESE ITEMS ARE TOO CLOSELY RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER FOR THE PROBLEM NOT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ONE ANOTHER. THEY SHOULD ALL BE UNDER RECAL.
20160210UNKNOWN OR OTHER
FIREWALL FLEXES AFTER REPEATED USE OF CLUTCH, BREAKING SPOT WELDS ON FIREWALL AND RENDERING CLUTCH USELESS. IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT GEARS WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND IF IN GEAR, CAR WILL NOT STOP. TERRIBLE BURNING SMELL WHEN BRAKES ARE ENGAGED. INCIDENT OCCURRED IN UNDERGROUND PARKING LOT WHILE EXITING PARKING SPACE FROM PARKED POSITION. TEMPORARY REPAIR COST IS ROUGHLY $400 (OVER $1000 FOR PERMANENT FIX AND RE-WELD OF FIREWALL).
Mileage: 60,000
20151004STRUCTURE:BODY
THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN ALMOST COMPLETELY IN HALF. IF DRIVING WAS TO BE CONTINUED, THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS HAPPENS AFTER REPEATED USE OF THE CLUTCH.
Mileage: 102,000
20151004SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN ALMOST COMPLETELY IN HALF. IF DRIVING WAS TO BE CONTINUED, THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS HAPPENS AFTER REPEATED USE OF THE CLUTCH.
Mileage: 102,000
20151004POWER TRAIN
THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET HAS BROKEN ALMOST COMPLETELY IN HALF. IF DRIVING WAS TO BE CONTINUED, THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS HAPPENS AFTER REPEATED USE OF THE CLUTCH.
Mileage: 102,000
Compare 2008SUBARUWRX STI 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 2008 SUBARU WRX STI have?▼
The 2008 SUBARU WRX STI has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 SUBARU WRX STI?▼
Yes, the 2008 SUBARU WRX STI has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 SUBARU WRX STI?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 SUBARU WRX STI is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2008 SUBARU WRX 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.