Is the 2012 Subaru Impreza a bad year?
243 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 56, 5.6× a quiet Impreza year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 5.6× the complaints of a quiet Impreza year, spread over 10k–74k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Impreza owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 30,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 105 (43%) | 13k–65k miles · around this mileage | — |
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 56 (23%) | 10k–74k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 30 (12%) | 17k–71k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 15 (6%) | 15k–69k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed control | 11 (5%) | 22k–73k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 26 (11%) | 32k–120k miles · ahead | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Seats | 15 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 10 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 30,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 243 complaints: 10 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 6 report an injury · 5 say the car was towed.
2 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Excessive oil consumption: I am experiencing a significant problem with my Subaru Impreza 2012 with excessive use of oil and the oil light going on.
This Subaru takes synthetic oil, which should last a minimum of 6000 miles between oil changes.
When we ge a oil change the oil level is very low. There are no oil leaks anywhere on the engine this is not what a engine should be doing.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 30,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Subaru Impreza: 6
Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park. Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat. If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
In the affected vehicles, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may deactivate if a front seat passenger operates a device that is plugged into the power outlet such as a music player or cell phone, or touches a metal part of the vehicle such as the forward/rearward seat adjuster lever. If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button. The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel.
These vehicles may be equipped with a brake master cylinder that could malfunction and cause an increase in the amount of brake pedal travel distance required to slow or stop the vehicle. The driver might misjudge the amount of brake pedal travel required to achieve the desired stopping distance. This could occur unexpectedly and without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Subaru: 254
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Subaru Impreza. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines
Diagnostic flow along with an IMPORTANT caution to follow for certain CVT solenoid related DTCs as listed
Design changes to the engine oil and CVT fluid drain plugs
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
Neighbouring years
2011 Impreza: 58 complaints, keep it · 2013 Impreza: 251 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Subaru Impreza year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Impreza years side by side
Other Subaru models: Subaru Ascent · Subaru Crosstrek · Subaru Forester · Subaru Legacy · Subaru Outback · Subaru WRX · Subaru XV Crosstrek. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Subaru Impreza a bad year?
243 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 56, 5.6× a quiet Impreza year. At 30,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 5.6× the complaints of a quiet Impreza year, spread over 10k–74k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Subaru Impreza?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (105), engine (56), electrical system (30), brakes (15), speed control (11). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 10k–74k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Subaru Impreza have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Exterior lighting (NHTSA 19V-149), Engine (NHTSA 18V-772), Electrical system (NHTSA 16V-738), Air bags (NHTSA 15V-419) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.