2010 Subaru Impreza problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2010 Subaru Impreza has 46 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 5 of 6 Subaru Impreza model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2018 (151); the cleanest is 2024 (32). 15 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2010 a good year for the Subaru Impreza?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2018 draws 5 times the complaints of the 2024. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2010 sits near the bottom of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 32 | 2 |
| 2020 | 85 | 1 |
| 2018 | 151 | 5 |
| 2017 | 125 | 7 |
| 2011 | 57 | 14 |
| 2010 ← this page | 46 | 15 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 6 of the nameplate’s model years. 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2010 accounts for 9% of every complaint filed against the Subaru Impreza in this retrieval, which works out to 2.9 complaints per year on the road across the 16 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2010?
Exterior Lighting
Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction…
Free remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Air Bags
Regional recall — covers vehicles sold or ever registered in 10 states and territories.
Free remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Air Bags
Regional recall — covers vehicles sold or ever registered in 8 states and territories.
Free remedy: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Subaru dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2010 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Subaru Impreza?
Across every Subaru Impreza year, not the 2010 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Visibility/Wiper — 107 reports
- Exterior Lighting — 95 reports
- Unknown or Other — 62 reports
- Electrical System — 51 reports
Which other Subaru Impreza years should you compare?
2011 Subaru Impreza → · All Subaru Impreza years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Subaru Impreza page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2010 before you commit
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