2012 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

The car will not allow me to turn it off and remove the key from the ignition. This is apparently caused by a known issue with the gear box/transmission stick not making proper contact with a metal plate within the box.

50% of the time or more, the ignition refuse to release the key. When turning the key to take it out of the ignition, there are three clicks before the key releases. Mine often clicks twice and will not go beyond this point. I searched and found at other people have the same problem. Sometimes if I place my foot on the brake and put it in neutral, then back to park it will release, but this does not work every time and it can lead to much confusion when parking. People sometimes can’t tell if im trying to move or park. This doesn’t appear to be an isolated incident

Took 2012 Subaru Impreza to dealer on 2/07/22 for oil change and PA state inspections (60,130 mi). Maintenance and inspections performed without issues. Started car and noticed slight change in sound and vibration from engine that I attributed to cold winter day start up. A block from leaving dealership, the check engine, oil warning and vehicle dynamic control lights all illuminated at once. In the 2-3 minutes to turn around to go back to the dealership, the engine noise/vibration/roughness increased until the engine stalled with a sound like an air compressor shutting down. I brought the service rep out for him to try restarting the car but it barely turned/wouldn't start (despite new battery and having started fine previously that day). A service tech was brought out with an ODBII scanner and found timing skip error codes and pushed the car in to a service stall to diagnose. I was then told that I need a new engine. The engine was replaced at no cost using Subaru part # SOA402F500R1 Remanufactured Short Block and associated internal component parts and returned to me on 2/19/22.

Two instances of CVT Transmission failure. First: Occurred at 102,926 miles, car only 8 years old. While driving, suddenly many warning lights came on and the car started shuddering. The lights were Check Engine, Oil Temp, Cruise Control, vehicle dynamics, and ABS. I drove my car to a transmission shop, who read the codes 2764 and and 0700. He replaced the TCC Solenoid and valve body on 11/18/2020. I drove the car for 6 more months to ~106,000 miles successfully, until... The Second Issue: On 6/6/21 while driving my car, it stopped accelerating. I couldn't go above 18 mph! This was a huge safety issue. I had to drive on major roads with a speed limit of 50mph going only 18mph, with my hazard lights on. I'm so fortunate it happened to be at 10pm on a Sunday night, or I could have gotten in an accident. Once I got home, I called AAA and had them tow my car back to my transmission mechanic (because I couldn't get to my mechanic without getting on the highway, which would obviously be unsafe at 18mph). My mechanic said it was an issue with the same solenoid again having shorted out, which means that it's actually a deeper issue with the CVT transmission burning through solenoids. The solenoid is just a symptom, not the root problem. Then, I finally googled Subaru solenoid issues, and I discovered this is a well documented problem, that has already been reported to your office, and yet Subaru has not yet issued a recall. Only an extended warranty, which only goes up to 100,000 miles so it doesn't help me!! My transmission wore out at 102,000 miles. Do you think it's a coincidence that Subaru made their warranty for 100,000? I'm lodging this complaint in hopes that your office sees the CVT transmissions are still a safety issue, and the warranty hasn't solved the problem. Please get Subaru to issue a recall! This is unacceptable behavior from a car manufacturer. Thank you.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE TRACTION LIGHT AND OIL WARNING LIGHT CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD. INITIALLY, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE OIL VALVE. I DID BUT THE THE PROBLEM PERSIST. NOW THE ENGINE IS HUNTING. THE DEALER INFORMS ME THAT ENGINE IS NOT PUMPING ENOUGH OIL DESPITE THE FACT THAT SERVICE HAS BEEN DONE REGULARLY AT INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. NOW I AM TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE.

PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY REMAINS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS TO OPERATE NORMALLY, BUT ABOUT HALF THE TIME THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATES OFF WHEN IT SHOULD BE ON. VEHICLE MOTION DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, WET CONDITIONS DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER EITHER. UNKNOWN WHETHER THIS IS A PASSENGER DETECTION MALFUNCTION OR A PASSENGER AIRBAG MALFUNCTION.

WHEN DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL, THERE IS A SQUEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD WITHIN THE FOOTWELL AREA. SQUEAK IS CONSTANT. FOR SUBARU HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN #12-190-15R TO FIX THE CLUTCH & BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY FOR MODEL YEARS 2015-2016 BUT NOT BEFORE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A CRACK IN THE ASSEMBLY IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE AND IF LEFT UNATTENDED, ULTIMATELY COULD CAUSE DECREASED OR COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH AND/OR BRAKE FUNCTIONALITY. SUBARU HAS REDESIGNED THE ORIGINAL PART (#36004FG050) WITH A NEW ONE (#36004FG051) BUT HAS NOT OFFERED TO FIX UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A LIFETIME PART, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO SAFELY OPERATING THE VEHICLE, AND ANY REPLACEMENT COST TO FIX SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDLESS OF THE VEHICLE'S AGE. THE ATTACHED PICTURE IS NOT FROM MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO FIND MANY OF THESE PHOTOS ON THE INTERNET AS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF AT ALL TIMES. I AM PRESUMING IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT USED TO TURN ON AND OFF IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I WAS ABLE TO FIX IT FOLLOWING THE MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS BUT NOW IT IS PERMANENTLY OFF.

WHEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING WOULD GO OFF WITH NO PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE, THE AIRBAG SENSOR CAN'T DETECT A PASSENGER WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ALSO, FOR WHATEVER REASON THE DRIVERS SEAT ISNT DETECTING A DRIVER SO THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. AFTER GOOGLING THIS ISSUE I SEE THAT MANY OTHER 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH NO RESOLVE.

CODE P0021 POPPED UP SHORTLY AFTER ENGINE HAD RATTLING NOISE AND SHUT DOWN. SOUND OF CILYNDER AND HEAD RUBBING AS ENGINE IS RUNNING WITH VERY LOUD SCREECHING