2011 Subaru Impreza Reliability
The 2011 Subaru Impreza has 58 owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Compared with other Impreza model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Impreza's typical year, while the 2013 drew 251 complaints.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
58
NHTSA owner complaints
14
Recall campaigns
5
Complaints citing a crash
2
Complaints citing a fire
2011 Subaru Impreza complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 model year, filed between 2010 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 17 | 29% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 16% |
| Visibility / wipers | 8 | 14% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 6 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 10% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 6 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 9% |
| Engine | 3 | 5% |
2011 Subaru Impreza recalls
14 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2011 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14V311000 | Jun 10, 2014 | Service brakes — foundation components / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,… |
| 14V830000 | Dec 31, 2014 | Service brakes | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,… |
| 16V358000 | May 25, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in… |
| 16V738000 | Oct 13, 2016 | Electrical system | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air… |
| 17V014000 | Jan 10, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of… |
| 18V012000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,… |
| 19V007000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,… |
| 19V008000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of… |
| 19V009000 | Jan 9, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,… |
| 19V149000 | Feb 28, 2019 | Exterior lighting — brake lights / switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake… |
| 19V297000 | Apr 11, 2019 | Electrical system — ignition / switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition… |
| 20V003000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 20V001000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 20V002000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
How the 2011 compares with nearby Impreza years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Impreza analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 113 | 15 | Powertrain / transmission | Caution |
| 2010 | 46 | 15 | Unknown or other | Solid |
| 2011 (this page) | 58 | 14 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2012 | 243 | 6 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2013 | 251 | 4 | Air bags | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2011 Subaru Impreza
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Visibility: test the wipers at every speed, washers, defrosters and the climate system (fogging is a common complaint).
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 14 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2011 Subaru Impreza can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2011 Subaru Impreza reliability FAQ
Is the 2011 Subaru Impreza reliable?
The 2011 Subaru Impreza has 58 owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Compared with other Impreza model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Impreza's typical year, while the 2013 drew 251 complaints.
What are the most common 2011 Subaru Impreza problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Subaru Impreza are air bags (17), electrical system (9), visibility / wipers (8), fuel / propulsion system (6). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2011 Subaru Impreza have recalls?
NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2011 Subaru Impreza, including 14V311000 (service brakes — foundation components / hoses, lines/piping, and fittings) and 14V830000 (service brakes). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2011 Subaru Impreza compare with the 2010 and 2012 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2010 has 46 complaints and 15 recalls (solid); the 2012 has 243 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid). The 2011 has 58 complaints and 14 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2011 Subaru Impreza?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Subaru Impreza research
Other Subaru Impreza model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2011 Impreza, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.