Subaru Impreza Wrx owners have reported 6 wheel related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common wheel problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's wheel (6 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Wheel problems |
My tire is worn out after I purchase a car from carmax.
I have recently purchased a 2020 Subaru wrx limited. I have learned by inspection that the standard oem tire on this vehicle is a dunlop sport max rt. This is a high performance summer tire. This class of tire is not recommended to be used in very cold weather and especially on ice and snow. I have previously owned such tires and they are terrifying on ice, that is, dangerous. I live in a area of the country where snow and ice are common. Subaru did not inform me of these tires and I am now confronted with purchasing a new set of all season tires so I can safely drive my car. By the way, I have previously worked in tire engineering. Is a less knowledgeable person expected to recognize such a deficiency and take the necessary precautions? not drive in cold, snowy or icy conditions or purchase new tires?.
In January 2019 around 10pm pst my 2018 Subaru wrx experienced a serious malfunction. At the time of this incient I was in a sucluded, wooded area without cellphone service, as well as being atleast 30minutes to the nearest store. This could have been deadly. I was going down a hill at 35mph, it was very rainy and difficult to see. At the bottom of this hill was a sharp right turn, at this time the safety system actived taking over all control of the vehicle. This caused steering to lock up, turning to the far left. At the right was a 15-20foot drop into a lake. The turn I was supposed to take was a sharp right. Still unable regain control and was driving straight towards the fast approaching lake. Shortly before dropoff I was able to force the sterring wheel to the right. But steering again locked up and forced me to the far right. Off the road to the right was heavly wooded. Narowly able to regain control of sterring I crashed through bushes. Causing minor damage to the following; passenger side mirror, scratches to whole passenger side, deep dent on lower rear door and quarter panel. Rear passenger tire collided with a tree stump with impact at 35mph stopping the car instantly. Tire was separated from the rim by a tree branch, lower control arm was bent and cracked, entire rear drive axle was push to the right causeing alignment of the driver side rear tire to be pushed out. The airbags did not deploy and I hit my head on the driver's side window. The car was 100% undrivable tire wouldn't move. Taking damage tire off and putting on donugt took over an hour, I couldn't get the damaged tire off. A lot more to this as well. I have complained about this issue many times and dealership did nothing. I am scared of this car and will never own a Subaru again. I want this car gone!!!! something of this nature happens everyday with my car. Just once it caused an accident.
The wheels locked while driving on a clear December day (I don't have exact day) on a winding mountain road full of cliffs. 38 mph and feet from going off a cliff Subaru say electronic module failed then in another statement from hak at Subaru America they say the two occurrences not related even though they happened simultaneously. We took the car in because of the wheel locking up while moving and they discovered the electronic failure. They maintain the car is safe to drive "because they can't recreate the problem". Subaru fairfield has promised us help but have done nothing but issue threats when no one from Subaru America even calls us! the cars have a serious safety issue and no one wants to drive it including the service technician. They drove it 20 miles when they were supposed to be testing it. We have date/time stamped photos! we were told this is a "rare" safety failure yet they treat us like normal and lie about even test driving it. This is so unsafe that a car wheel stops moving like the engine is off yet the car is runningt!!! she decided try and jerk the wheel super hard and fortunately it finally moved and she did not go over the cliff and fortunately there was no traffic coming in the opposing lane as she crossed the yellow lines etc. She had a sore back for many days from the force of jerking the wheel and was left shaken and disturbed with no where to pull over. Subaru America regional service manager requested the details and was supposed to contact us but no one has. We naively beloved the dealer that they were trying to help us instead today I get an email saying the will now charge us storage of $175 x day if we don't collect the car. I sent them notification that we are surrendering the lease as we will never get in this car again. Dont buy a wrx!!!!!.
The contact's son owns a 2018 Subaru wrx. While making a left turn at 25 mph, the front driver side wheel remained in a turned position after the driver attempted to straighten the vehicle. The driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver suffered a broken nose and a swollen eye. The driver was taken to the hospital for medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was in the process of being transferred to brunswick Subaru (2992 center rd, brunswick, OH 44212) for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and planned to investigate. The approximate failure mileage was 1,055.
Control arms were recalled in 2011 for rust issues and failure on the hanger brackets. Got the parts checked at the time of the recall by a certified Subaru dealership, the dealership sprayed a "rust proofing" agent on the control arms. Three years later I was driving down my road and lost control of the vehicle completely. The driver side lower control arm had rusted through and broken at the hanger bracket. Subaru of America will not cover the repairs as the recall had been performed already (even through it did not prevent the issues from happening).