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2004 Subaru Impreza Recalls, Complaints & Specs

8 safety recalls list the 2004 Subaru Impreza, and owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

8
safety recalls
96
owner complaints to NHTSA
7 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–22
MPG combined (EPA)

8 safety recalls for the 2004 Subaru Impreza

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 23V076000 Reported 130 vehicles potentially affected Subaru of America, Inc.

    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: 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…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V001000 Reported 258,813 vehicles potentially affected Subaru of America, Inc.

    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…

    Remedy: 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…

  3. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V002000 Reported 127,547 vehicles potentially affected Subaru of America, Inc.

    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,…

    Remedy: 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…

  4. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V003000 Reported 111,562 vehicles potentially affected Subaru of America, Inc.

    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,…

    Remedy: 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…

  5. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 15V323000 Reported 432,016 vehicles potentially affected Subaru of America, Inc.

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles…

    Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru…

  6. Suspension: lower arm

    NHTSA 11V464000 Reported 318,215 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from september 5, 2000 through november 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont, wisconsin,…

    Remedy: Subaru will handle their vehicles and saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them. This service will be performed…

  7. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 04V473000 Reported 26 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the cover bolts for the engine oil control valve may not be sufficiently tightened, allowing oil to leak from around the cover gasket.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and retighten the oil-flow control valve cover bolts. The recall began on october 8, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

  8. Cables (vehicle speed control)

    NHTSA 04V128000 Reported 127,580 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track. Owner notification began on…

96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2004 Subaru Impreza have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA; 7 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 77,318 miles. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 16 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2004 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and hard braking, the vehicle started shuddering violently and the steering wheel was not operating as needed. The conta”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 3, 2025 · Suspension

“I have had this airbag recall repaired 8 years ago, yet the dealership (Autonation Subaru Arapahoe 9955 E Arapahoe Rd Centennial, CO 80112) REFUSES to submit the paperwork to complete the recall. I ha”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 30, 2024 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2004 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport (Impreza AWD, Impreza Wagon/Outback SPT AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–22 mpg
City / Highway16–19 / 22–26
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classSmall Station Wagons, Subcompact Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd

Compare Subaru Impreza model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Subaru Impreza model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1990 Subaru Impreza01
1993 Subaru Impreza133
1994 Subaru Impreza18
1995 Subaru Impreza146
1996 Subaru Impreza020
1997 Subaru Impreza030
1998 Subaru Impreza030
1999 Subaru Impreza022
2000 Subaru Impreza041
2001 Subaru Impreza011
2002 Subaru Impreza6292
2003 Subaru Impreza662
2004 Subaru Impreza896
2005 Subaru Impreza675
2006 Subaru Impreza1056
2007 Subaru Impreza968
2008 Subaru Impreza14176
2009 Subaru Impreza14104
2010 Subaru Impreza1546
2011 Subaru Impreza1458
2012 Subaru Impreza6243
2013 Subaru Impreza4249
2014 Subaru Impreza3108
2015 Subaru Impreza277
2016 Subaru Impreza175
2017 Subaru Impreza7125
2018 Subaru Impreza5151
2019 Subaru Impreza5194
2020 Subaru Impreza185
2021 Subaru Impreza214
2022 Subaru Impreza113
2023 Subaru Impreza24
2024 Subaru Impreza232
2025 Subaru Impreza05
2026 Subaru Impreza01

Checking a specific 2004 Subaru Impreza

How do I know if my 2004 Subaru Impreza has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 8 campaigns currently list the 2004 Subaru Impreza; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Subaru dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V128000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Subaru models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.