There are 4 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2009 Subaru Imprezain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY RESALE DEALER, AFTER FILLING CAR WITH GAS THE CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. SENSOR WAS RECHECKED BY DEALER, AND IT IS OKAY, CODES WIPED AND RESET. CAR WAS FILLED WITH GAS, LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AFTER COMMUTING BACK HOME. DROVE UNTIL THERE WAS 1/4 TANK LEFT, LIGHTS WENT OFF, FILLED BACK UP WITH GAS ALL THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. SENSOR STILL TESTS BACK AS THE PROBLEM, BUT THE SENSOR IS OKAY.
CLUTCH WELDINGS ON FIREWALL CRACKING AND CAUSING MALFUNCTION OF BRAKE PEDAL. LOST OF THE ABILITY TO SHIFT UP OR DOWN.
I HAD JUST TURNED AND PUSHED ON THE GAS TO GET UP TO SPEED-ABOUT 45MPH. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING/REVVING. I WAS HEADING TO A LIGHT TURNING RED. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD AND ALSO BUT ON THE EMERGENCY BREAK. BETWEEN THE TWO, I OVERCAME THE ACCELERATION. ONCE STOPPED, I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO PARK. AT THAT POINT THE ACCELERATION FINALLY STOPPED AND THE CAR SEEMED TO RESET ITSELF. I TOOK IT IN TO BE LOOKED AT-IT HAD NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE-VERY SCARY. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA'S, BUT NEVER SUBARUS.
MY CAR STARTED MAKING THIS REALLY LOUD POPPING NOISE EVERYTIME I WOULD ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL MY FOOT HAS SHIFTED OFF THE PEDAL DUE TO A FAST SUDDEN MOVE FROM THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY. I DROVE THE CAR TO TEXAS TO VISIT FAMILY AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR FOR OIL CHANGE BEFORE RETURNING TO CALIFORNIA. THERE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SUBARU IN TEXAS, WHICH DROVE MY CAR TO THE SERVICE AREA, ASKED ME IF I HAD NOTICED THE CLICKING NOISE AND I TOLD HIM YES. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT MANY 2008-2009 IMPREZA WRX HAVE PROBLEMS WITH WELD SPOTS WHICH HOLD THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY TO THE FIRE WALL THAT THEN FAIL AND BRAKE OFF. HE GAVE ADVICE ON HOW TO LOOK FOR BROKEN WELDS, SO AS SOON AS I ARRIVED TO CALIFORNIA I FURTHER INSPECTED FOR THE BROKEN WELDS AND SURE ENOUGH HE WAS RIGHT. SO I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND DESCRIBED THE DEFECT ON MY CAR TO HAVE THEM REPAIR IT SINCE IT'S A SAFETY DEFECT, SPECIALLY WITH CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE CAR WHICH ARE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL. AS OF TODAY 11/5/2014 THEY HAVE YET TO DECIDE IF THEY ARE COVERING THE REPAIRS BECAUSE MY CAR IS CURRENTLY 85K AND ITS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, THEY ARE BLAMING THE CLUTCH BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO ME PURCHASING THE CAR WITH AN OEM REPLACEMENT CLUTCH. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A NIGHTMARE WITH ANY VEHICLE THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED. I REALLY HOPE NHTSA DOES SOMETHING BEFORE ANY FATALITIES OR ACCIDENTS OCCUR. I AM CURRENTLY GOING THREW THIS RIGHT NOW, SO I HAVE YET TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO WITH MY CAR. I REALLY NEED HELP FROM NHTSA, EVEN IF THEY FIX MY CAR, SUBARU NEEDS TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS YEAR AND MODELS OF THIS PROBLEM. ALL OVER THE INTERNET THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND OTHERS THAT ARE YET TO GO THREW. OWNERS NEED TO BE AWARE AND CAUTIOUS ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT FABRICATION DEFECT. *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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026