There are 3 stored owner reports matching the lighting leading-label group for the 2008 Subaru Impreza in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 3 of 3 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)For the last few years, the reverse lights would intermittently work when the six-speed manual transmission was put into reverse. Lately, the lights fail to work more often than actually work. I have read other Subarus have a common reverse light switch failure and I think more of the older cars use a similar switch and design to recalled models.
SUBMISSION FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. RE CONSUMER COMPLAINT- 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON JANUARY 24, 2014, THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. HOWEVER, SHE DID SMELL A BURNT PLASTIC SMELL COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT BULB FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE. THE CONSUMER LATER WENT TO A LUBE ESTABLISHMENT, TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE REPLACED. BUT, WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, IT WAS DISCOVERED BOTH HEADLIGHT PLASTIC COVERS HAD MELTED . THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE HER, THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION, SHE WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $1300 TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. SOON AFTER, THE PASSENGER HIGH BEAM LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON. SHE WENT BACK TO THE AUTO PARTS STORE AND PURCHASED ANOTHER BULB. ON FEBRUARY 24, 2014, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, SUBARU WOULD PAY 50% FOR THE REPLACEMENT, AS A COURTESY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB
I FIND THE HID HEADLAMPS ON MY 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA STI TO BE AIMED AND/OR THROW A LIGHT PATTERN THAT IS DANGEROUSLY LOW. AT NIGHT, OBJECTS ONLY VERY CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE ARE LIT UP. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON UNLIT ROADS AT NIGHT, PARTICULARLY IN THE RAIN. AN INQUIRY WITH THE DEALER INDICATED THAT SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE MADE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, BUT THAT THE HEADLAMPS CANNOT BE ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER, AND SUBARU HAS OFFERED NO SOLUTION. *TR
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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.