2009 Subaru IMPREZA STI: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
5,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 3 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10290784 · 2009-11-03 (November 3, 2009)
PISTON RINGLAND FAILURE AFTER 10K MILES ON BRAND NEW 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI. ENTIRE ENGINE BEING REPLACED BY SUBARU UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10339640 · 2010-06-23 (June 23, 2010)
PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS ON IT. THE PASSENGER WEIGHS 105 POUNDS BUT IF SOMEONE FROM 120 POUNDS AND UP IT TURNS ON. THE 105 POUND PASSENGER HAS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO GET THE AIR BAG TO TURN ON SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10419906 · 2011-08-17 (August 17, 2011)
WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10419906 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 1133.3%ODI 10348399 · 30,000 miMAIN ROD BEARING FAILED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO SUBARU REDESIGNING THEIR BEARINGS AND NOT USING COPPER. CAR HAS 30,000 MILES ON ENGINE. BETWEEN ALL THE PISTON FAILURES AND BEARING FAILURES SUBARU SHOULD OWN UP AND TAKE CARE OF ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS AS I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL EVER BUY ONE AGAIN. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 824.2%ODI 10273870 · 1,200 miI OWN A 2008 STI AND HAVE JUST UNDER 6,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW WITH JUST UNDER 200 MILES ON IT IN DECEMBER OF 2008. IN JANUARY OF 2009, I BEGAN TO SEE WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY EXHAUST ON STARTUP. I HAD JUST OVER 1,200 MILES AT THE TIME. MY ENGINE FAILED SUFFERED A FAILURE AT JUST UNDER 2,000 MILES. SUBARU REPLACED THE ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. FAST FORWARD TO JUNE OF 2009 AND NOW I'M BEING TOLD MY ENGINE HAS AGAIN FAILED DUE TO THE PISTON RINGLANDS CRACKING AND BREAKING OFF. THIS IS A WID… | 266.7%ODI 10290784 · 10,300 miPISTON RINGLAND FAILURE AFTER 10K MILES ON BRAND NEW 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI. ENTIRE ENGINE BEING REPLACED BY SUBARU UNDER WARRANTY. *TR |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 618.2%ODI 10295147 · 2,250 miPISTON #4 HAD RINGLAND FAILURE OF BOTH RINGLANDS ON SAID PISTON IN MY 2008 SUBARU WRX STI. *TR | 133.3%ODI 10419906WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB |
| Structure:Body | 618.2% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes | 515.2%ODI 10490359 · 47,000 miTHE FIREWALL IS FLEXING UNDER CLUTCH PEDAL MOVEMENT OR BRAKING. UPON RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CLAIMS BY 08/09 IMPREZA OWNERS OF SOFT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL CRACKING AND CAUSING THE FIREWALL TO FLEX UNDER OPERATION OF THE BRAKES OR CLUTCH. FURTHER FAILURE OF THE WELDS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF BRAKING OR CLUTCH OPERATION IS FURTHER DEGRADED. SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIES THAT THERE ARE CLAIMS TO THIS EFFECT THOUGH THERE IS DOCUMENTATION ON THE INTERNET TO THE CONTRARY. ISSUE SHOULD CAUSE A RECALL AS IT IS QUITE COMMON AND A SERIOUS SAFETY … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 39.1%ODI 10294404 · 12,000 miTHE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH DOES NOT SAY THE AIRBAG IS ON WHEN MY WIFE IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SHE IS 103 POUNDS AND SHOULD TURN THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON ACCORDING TO SUBARU. THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON WHEN I SIT IN THE SEAT (160POUNDS) OR WHEN ANYONE OVER SAY 130 POUNDS SITS IN IT. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 13.0%ODI 10285670 · 6,200 mi1. HAS HAPPENED SINCE CAR WAS NEW 2. PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN ANYONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. CONSEQUENCES COULD INCLUDE INJURY TO THE PASSENGER IF THE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY WHEN IT SHOULD. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AS THIS IS A NEW CAR. *TR | 133.3%ODI 10339640 · 300 miPASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS ON IT. THE PASSENGER WEIGHS 105 POUNDS BUT IF SOMEONE FROM 120 POUNDS AND UP IT TURNS ON. THE 105 POUND PASSENGER HAS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO GET THE AIR BAG TO TURN ON SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR |
| Engine | 26.1%ODI 10639942 · 77,000 miI WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. AFTER PULLING IT OVER IT WOULDN'T START. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE ENGINE IS TOAST AND IT WILL COST 10K. I HAVE DONE ALL THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES. AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 77K MILES. MY TOYOTAS HAVE LASTED FOREVER. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Too few reports for a range | 10,300 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10290784 · 10,300 miPISTON RINGLAND FAILURE AFTER 10K MILES ON BRAND NEW 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA STI. ENTIRE ENGINE BEING REPLACED BY SUBARU UNDER WARRANTY. *TR |
| Air Bags:Frontal | Too few reports for a range | 300 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10339640 · 300 miPASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS ON IT. THE PASSENGER WEIGHS 105 POUNDS BUT IF SOMEONE FROM 120 POUNDS AND UP IT TURNS ON. THE 105 POUND PASSENGER HAS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO GET THE AIR BAG TO TURN ON SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2008: 14 complaints · 2009: 3 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 | 8 | 14 |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Air Bags:Frontal | Engine And Engine Cooling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | — | 0 | 1ODI 10419906WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 0 | — | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1ODI 10419906WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.