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Selling a junk Subaru Impreza

Any Impreza sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.

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What owners report about the Subaru Impreza

NHTSA has 3,334 owner complaints on file for the Subaru Impreza, model years 1995 to 2022, the 132nd-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are air bags (498, 15%), visibility and wipers (295, 9%), transmission and drivetrain (295, 9%). 253 complaints involved a crash, 61 a fire, and 108 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 50,000 miles. The 2013 model year has the most complaints (344). Data as of 2026-10-12.

When the top complaint is air bags, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to selling a car after an accident: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.

Subaru Impreza by model year

YearComplaintsMost reportedCrashFireRecallsMedian miles
199569Air bags1424—
199625Air bags613—
199738Air bags813—
199855Transmission and drivetrain203—
199927Suspension204—
200054Transmission and drivetrain834—
200113Brakes603—
2002339Fuel system113668,506
200364Fuel system91672,500
2004113Fuel system94061,977
200595Suspension171072,145
200668Air bags501063,455
200784Air bags62949,780
2008249Transmission and drivetrain1161559,000
2009150Transmission and drivetrain631564,765
201063Other311569,000
201176Air bags651432,387
2012338Air bags196647,000
2013344Air bags2310466,400
2014157Air bags240336,500
201599Electrical system60242,000
2016108Other140128,817
2017162Lights155715,000
2018183Lights131518,500
2019225Lights61514,750
2020100Visibility and wipers3317,100
202119Driver assistance102—
202217Transmission and drivetrain021—

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.

Subaru Impreza recalls

NHTSA lists 50 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for air bags (17), lights (6), electrical system (5). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.

  • 2022 model year, visibility and wipers (campaign 22V712000, Sep 2022): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Impreza and Outback vehicles. The incorrect paint clearcoat may have been applied, which can cause the windshield to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle. As …
  • 2017 model year, lights (campaign 22V624000, Aug 2022): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza vehicles. The left and right side reflex reflector and left side low beam reflector may inadequately reflect light. As such, these vehicles fail to …
  • 2021 model year, suspension (campaign 21V675000, Aug 2021): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Impreza vehicles. The left-front lower control arm weld may fail, allowing the control arm to separate from the crossmember.
  • 2018 model year, fuel system (campaign 21V587000, Jul 2021): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may f…
  • 2017 model year, electrical system (campaign 21V264000, Apr 2021): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causi…

What a Subaru Impreza is worth as a junk car

Buyers price a junk Impreza on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.

Guides for selling this car

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Questions people ask

What is a junk Subaru Impreza worth?
What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Impreza gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
Will a junkyard buy a Subaru Impreza that doesn't run?
Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
Should I fix an open recall before selling a Subaru Impreza?
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
Where do these Subaru Impreza numbers come from?
From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.