Subaru · WRX · 2005
5
Recalls
19
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2005 Subaru WRX has 5 recalls and 19 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: fuel system, gasoline (5 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2005 Subaru WRX page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is fuel system, gasoline with 5 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2004-2005 Impreza and WRX vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.
Remedy Status
Dealers will inspect the passenger inflator and if necessary, install a new inflator kit, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 14, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy Status
AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
AS I WAS DRIVING THIS MORNING STARTED SMELLING STRONG RAW FUEL ODOR. *TR
2005 STI, 42,000 MILES..... COLD MN WEATHER CAUSED MY FUEL SYSTEM UNDER THE HOOD LEAK GAS ALL OVER. INSIDE OF CAR SMELT OF GAS VERY VERY BAD. POPPED THE HOOD, EVEN STRONGER GAS SMELL, LOCATED FUEL LEAKS UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DRIVERS SIDE. TOWED IT TO NEAREST SUBARU DEALER DO ...
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DURING COLD WEATHER, THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN. RUBBER FUEL LINES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LEAK, CAUSING FUEL TO PUDDLE ON TOP OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, CREATING AN EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. *TR
AFTER INVESTIGATING A SMALL LEAK IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MY FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNT CONNECTED TO MY LOWER CONTROL ARM( RECALL NUMBER "WVX-34 LOWER CONTROL ARM) MOUNT HAD SNAPPED AND SEPARATED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF, FAMILY AND OTHERS DRIVING AROUND ME AT THE ...
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ON COLD DAYS, THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS - MANY REPORTS ONLINE ABOUT FUEL LEAKS IN COLD WEATHER FOR SUBARU. *TR
STRONG RAW FUEL SMELL IN CABIN WHEN STARTING IN TEMPS <30 DEGREES. FUEL IS CLEARLY VISIBLE LEAKING FROM LINES BELOW MANIFOLD. *TR
WHEN I STARTED MY CAR THE OTHER MORNING (~14 DEGREES F) I SMELLED A STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. I OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND ALSO SMELLED IT THERE AS WELL. I DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THE SMELL WENT AWAY. ONCE STOPPED AND IDLING, THE ODOR RETURNED. IT IS A VERY STRO...
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WHEN STARTED, TEMPERATURES UNDER 20 DEGREES (F), VEHICLE WILL EMIT A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR UNDER HOOD AND WILL COME IN THROUGH HEATER VENTS. DEALER SAYS THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NO CURRENT RECALLS. THE PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. SUBARU OF...
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FUEL SMELL INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES <20 DEGREES F. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND A TSB WAS ISSUED FOR 2002 AND 2003 SUBARU WRX FOR A FUEL LEAK, BUT NOT FOR THE 2005. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. ONLINE SEARCH F...
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GAS LEAK CAUSING STRONG ODORS INSIDE CAR. THIS STARTED WITH THE COLD WEATHER. MOST LIKELY HOSES BECAME BRITTLE OR WEAK CLAIMING FORCE IN COLD WEATHER ALLOWED GAS LEAKAGE. *TR
Showing 10 recent complaints from 19 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2005 Subaru models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2005 Subaru WRX has 5 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 19 owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Subaru WRX.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2005 Subaru WRX.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2005 Subaru WRX are fuel system, gasoline (5 reports), fuel/propulsion system (4 reports), suspension (3 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 5 recalls on record for the 2005 Subaru WRX. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.