Table 1 shows one common wheel related problems of the 2006 Subaru Impreza.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Wheel problems |
The rear wheel bearings emit a low pitch noise that increases in amplitude with speed. The noise has been getting progressively worse, to the point where at highway speeds, it is difficult to hold a conversation with anyone sitting in the back seat. I am told there is a wheel bearing recall for a different model Subaru of this same model year, but the Subaru dealership says it does not include my VIN. They estimate the repair at $850.
I had to replace the right rear wheel bearing in September of 2009 with 63,455 miles, then in February, 2012 at 99,985 miles I had to replace the left rear wheel bearing, and again on July 7, 2014, I have had to replace the right rear wheel bearing again at 118,903 miles. This seems to be a rather excessive failure of Subaru's design, since I have never experienced nor to I know anyone who has experienced any type of re-occurring failures with wheel bearings on other vehicles. My husband is a retired mechanic, who after working on all types of vehicles for over 40 years, has never encountered such problems. Surely Subaru should be held accountable to it's customers to correct their problems with a re-call to modify their poor design, without making their customers continually pay for their mistakes, before someone looses a wheel, causing a major accident resulting in loss of life and property. This should not be a normal occurrence for all-wheel drive vehicles.