1998 SUBARU IMPREZA Problems & Recalls

AIR BAG RECALL AND IMPENDING SUIT AGAINST AIR BAG COMPANY

98 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5RS. I HAD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME . AROUND A YEAR AFTER THAT,THE CAR OVER HEATED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT I WORKED AT AND HAD THEM TEST THE CAR TO SEE THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AGAIN. THEY DETERMINED THIS BY ...

Mileage: 72,000

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ENGINE OVERHEATED ON 16 HOUR TRIP.. TOOK TO SUBARU DEALERSHIP, THEY PUT IN A NEW "STARTER BOLT" STATED IT WAS A BAD GROUND?? ON RETURN HOME CAR OVER HEATED AGAIN.. WAS REPAIRED BY SUBARU, TECH SAID IT WAS COMMON. 2ND HEAD GASKET FAILURE, TWO MONTHS LATER, OIL IN ANTIFREEZE... DRI...

Mileage: 29,000

INTERMITTENT FAILURE/SHORT OF POWER TO THE MAIN COMPUTER (ECU) AT APPOX. 120K MILES. CAR WOULD NOT START, NO CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK, IT STARTS AND RUNS FINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAYS NOTHING WRONG. TWO WEEKS LATER, SAME THING. HOOK UP OBD II MONITOR AND IT SAYS ECU R...

Mileage: 120,000

THE ENGINE KEPT OVERHEATING AND AIR WOULD APPEAR IN THE RADIATOR. ANTIFREEZE WOULD BE PUSHED OUT OF RADIATOR AND THE HEATER WOULD BLOW COLD AIR. THE CAR HAD TO BE SHUT OFF REPEATEDLY AND ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN AND THE ANTIFREEZE REPLACED. A CHECK OF THE COOLING SYSTEM DETECTED NO LEAKS. WE WERE TO...

Mileage: 98,000

1998 SUBARU IMPREZA 53,000 MILES AND THE AUTO TECH AT SUBARU SAYS I HAVE A PISTON SLAP, $2500.00 TO PULL ENGINE AND CHECK THIS OUT. I HAVE CHANGED OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES BROUGHT IT IN FOR THE 30,000 MILEAGE OVER ALL CHECK UP - WHAT IS UP WITH THIS MOTOR? *JB

THIS CAR NEEDED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS AT SLIGHTLY OVER 67,000 MILES. NO OTHER SUBARU I HAVE OWNED OR HEARD OF NEEDED SUCH REPAIRS. MY PREVIOUS SUBARU HAD OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO DEFECTS. THE SHOP PERSONEL AT THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME OTHER IMPREZAS, A...

Mileage: 67,000

THIS CAR NEEDED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS AT SLIGHTLY OVER 67,000 MILES. NO OTHER SUBARU I HAVE OWNED OR HEARD OF NEEDED SUCH REPAIRS. MY PREVIOUS SUBARU HAD OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO DEFECTS. THE SHOP PERSONEL AT THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME OTHER IMPREZAS, A...

Mileage: 67,000

ENGINE STALLS WHEN TRYING TO TAKE OFF AFTER STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A RAPPING NOISE IN ENGINE UNTIL ITS BEEN RUNNING AWHILE. *JB

THE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED PREMATURELY.*JB

TRANSFER CLUTCH ON THE POWERTRAIN OF MY 1998 SUBARU IMPREZA BUCKS AND BINDS IN TURNS, APPARENTLY DUE TO THE TRANSFER CLUTCH HANGING UP AND STAYING APPLIED. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST SINCE THE 50,000 MILE MARK AND CONTINUES TO DATE. DESPITE THIS PROBLEM FALLING UNDER SUBARU'S POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, ...

Mileage: 51,478

BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BEARINGS ON THIS CAR FAILED BEFORE IT REACHED 60,000 MILES. NO INJURIES -- I'M CAREFUL AND HEARD THEM FAILING -- BUT REPAIRS WERE VERY EXPENSIVE. MR

THE WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. NLM

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. MECHANIC STATED THAT WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM CONSTANTLY, AND HAD DEALER SERVICE VEHICLE ON SAME MALFUNCTION 9 TIMES.*AK

REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED TWICE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS A POTENTIALLY A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY QUIETLY SUPERSEEDED THE OLD BALL BEARING USED IN IMPREZAS AND FORESTERS WITH A NEW ROLLER BEARING FROM THE LEGACY. PLEASE SEE THIS URL FOR MORE INFO: HTTP://WWW.I-CLUB.C...

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER DUE TO A STRONG FUEL SMELL AND BURNING OIL COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE/ REPAIRED AN OIL LEAK, AND REPLACED PISTON GASKETS.SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO START ENGINE, BUT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE IN...

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER DUE TO A STRONG FUEL SMELL AND BURNING OIL COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE/ REPAIRED AN OIL LEAK, AND REPLACED PISTON GASKETS.SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO START ENGINE, BUT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE IN...

CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER DUE TO A STRONG FUEL SMELL AND BURNING OIL COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE/ REPAIRED AN OIL LEAK, AND REPLACED PISTON GASKETS.SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO START ENGINE, BUT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE IN...

CONSUMER STATES THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES.*JB

THE FLYWHEEL IS INOPERATIVE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THE SPEEDOMETER IS INOPERATIVE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THE STARTER FAILED.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED TWICE.*JB

THE FIRST CLUTCH WENT BAD AT ABOUT 6500 MILES, DEALER SAID IT WAS DRIVER ERROR, REPLACED FOR 1300.00, 2ND CLUTCH WENT BAD ABOUT 14,000 MILES DEALER SAID WAS DRIVER FAILURE BUT HONORED WARRANTY AND REPLACED, DRIVER MODIFIES DRIVING HABITS THAT MAY BE CAUSING FAILURE, 3RD CLUTCH WENT BAD ABOUT 22,000 ...

RIGHT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CAN'T FIX PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL IS INOPERATIVE.*JB

RIGHT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CAN'T FIX PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL IS INOPERATIVE.*JB

THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING WENT BAD AT APPROX 51K MILES. THE REASON THE REPORT IS BEING FILED IS THE LARGE NUMBER OF LATE MODEL SUBARU WHEEL BEARING FAILURES I FOUND ON THE INTERNET. I READ MANY REPORTS OF FAILED REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON 1998 AND LATER SUBARU VEHICLES WHICH INCLUDED THE OUTBACK, FOR...

CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS FAILURES OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING, CONSUMER STATES VERY NOISY AND JUST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THE CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE QUITE VIOLENTLY, CAUSING SOME DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND MOVE T...

AIR BAG MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

NOISE FROM REAR STRUTS. DEALER SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED REPEATED WEAR/FAILURE OF THE REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY (29033, 44724, 54813, 58637) WHICH CAUSED NOISE IN THE REAR WHEEL ARER AND VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. NLM

THE PANEL NEAR THE GAS PEDAL FELL DOWN. NLM

REPEATED FAILURES OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY BEGINNING AT 29, 033 MILES. MOST RECENT REPAIR AT 58, 637 MILES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY , RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, AND SEALS. RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPE...

REPEATED FAILURES OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY BEGINNING AT 29, 033 MILES. MOST RECENT REPAIR AT 58, 637 MILES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, AXLE SHAFT ASSEMBLY , RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, AND SEALS. RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPE...

I BELIEVE THERE IS A SUB-STANDARD PART BEING USED IN SUBARU IMPREZA REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. BESIDES MY 2 FAILURES, I KNOW OF DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR CLUB WITH SIMILAR REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURES. CURRENTLY THE FAILURES ARE BEING HANDLED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT AS THE CARS AGE, THE WHEEL BEARING ...

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

FAULTY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS MAKE NOISE AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NLM

FAULTY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS MAKE NOISE AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NLM

HEATED GREASE LEAKING FROM THE AXLES CAUSING DAMAGE. MJS

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT SHORTED OUT CAUSES LAMP FAILURE. MJS

BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED CAUSING GRINDING AND NOISE. MJS

BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED CAUSING GRINDING AND NOISE. MJS

SUNVISOR CAME LOOSE FROM DETERIORATION. MJS

INTERIOR CARGO COMPARTMENT CARPET/WEAK MATERIAL RESULTING IN TEARING. MJS

ASH TRY WILL NOT STAY CLOSED, REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MJS

FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY FAILED. MJS

WHEEL HUBS CONTINUALLY FALLING OFF OF VEHICLE. MJS

COVERS THAT PROTECT THE WIRING FOR THE REAR EXTERIOR LIGHTS ARE COMING OFF. MJS

FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, CAUSES TIRES TO WEAR. MJS

DESIGN OF SEAT BELT CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN CLIPPING ON, DUE TO BEING RECESSED, ALSO VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. *TT

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND PUSHED INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS TWISTED BACK TOWARD THE BACK SEAT AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NO DEPLOY.

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND PUSHED INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS TWISTED BACK TOWARD THE BACK SEAT AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NO DEPLOY.