There are 5 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2002 Subaru Imprezain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE ACCELERATOR ON 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA BECAME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A PART OF THE AIR CLEANER FILTER HAD FALLEN INTO THE CARBURETOR. *MR *NM
WHEN MOVING FROM A STOP HAS TO PRESS AND HOLD GAS PEDAL FOR AT LEAST 5 SECONDS BEFORE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. IT THEN WILL JERK FORWARD AND ACCELERATE AT A HIGH SPEED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER.*AK
THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED DOWN SO I TRIED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER. MY GOAL WAS TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN HOWEVER IT WAS NOT WORKING FAST ENOUGH SO I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES. I WAS UNABLE TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE A CEMENT BLOCK. MY CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE FORCING ME TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS STILL UNABLE TO COME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. FINALLY I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH WHICH HELPED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN BUT THE BRAKES STILL FELT VERY STIFF. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT WAS CREATED DUE TO MY USING THE CRUISE CONROL. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO OUR MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT A TEMPORARY MALFUNCTION OCCURED THAT CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL TO DISENGAGE.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN REVERSE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT SLOWLY OUT OF A LEVEL PARKING LOT WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS THE VEHICLE COASTED. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
AFTER THE FIRST OIL CHANGE NOTICED A HESITATION PROBLEM WHEN ACELLERATING FORM A STOP AND A ROUGH IDLE. THIS HAPPENS AFTER THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. CONTACTED SUBARU DIRECTLY AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. FOUND OUT FORM OTHER PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. IT IS NOT GETTING ANY BETTER AND AM WORRIED WHEN I TAKE OFF SOME TIME THAT IF THE ENGINES STALLS OUT LIKE THIS I COULD GET REAR ENDED.*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026