There are 1 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2008 Subaru WRXin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO I HAD SMELLED GAS FUMES PERIODICALLY WHEN THE MY CAR WAS IDLING. A FEW DAYS AGO THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I HAD THE ECU CODE READ AT A LOCAL STORE AND THE TECHNICIAN THERE STATED THAT THE ENGINE CODE WAS "P0171 SYSTEM TOO LEAN (BANK 1)". ON MONDAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS DETERIORATING AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING. THEIR EXPLANATION FOR THE ENGINE CODE WAS THAT WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING THE FUEL PRESSURE EXPANDED THE FUEL LINE. THIS EXPANSION EVENTUALLY REDUCED THE FUEL PRESSURE TO THE POINT THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE NOT RECEIVING ADEQUATE FUEL AND THE ECU THREW A CODE. WHILE I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE FUEL LINE DEGRADED, AND THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF CAUSES, IT DOES SEEM PREMATURE. *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