2015 Subaru Impreza Safety Report
2015 SUBARU IMPREZA Safety Analysis
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2015 Subaru Impreza. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | Moderate (2) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (78) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 5 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Unknown Or Other | Compare unknown or other issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2021 | Compare against the 2021 Subaru Impreza with 14 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2019 | Check the 2019 Subaru Impreza before buying across this generation. |
Subaru Impreza Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Subaru Impreza years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Subaru Impreza | 74 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Subaru Impreza | 124 | 7 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2018 Subaru Impreza | 148 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2019 Subaru Impreza | 186 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2020 Subaru Impreza | 83 | 1 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2021 Subaru Impreza | 14 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2015 Subaru Impreza Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2015 Subaru Impreza, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Unknown Or Other
12 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Subaru onlyElectrical System
12 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Subaru onlyPower Train
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Subaru onlyEngine
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Subaru onlySteering
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Steering issues Subaru onlyAir Bags
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Air Bags issues Subaru onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
Reliability Score
The 2015 Subaru Impreza receives a reliability score of 5 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates below-average reliability. Significant issues have been reported by owners and should be carefully evaluated before purchase.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2015 Subaru Impreza:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission Failure Multiple instances of transmission failure have been reported, often occurring around 30,000 to 60,000 miles. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Rear Wheel Bearing Issues Several reports of rear wheel bearing failures have been documented, typically around 30,000 to 60,000 miles. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Air Bag Malfunction Passenger air bags have been reported to randomly turn off, posing a safety risk. |
High | Rare | N/A miles |
| Windshield Cracking Windshields have been known to crack without any apparent cause, leading to potential safety hazards. |
Medium | Rare | N/A miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2015 Subaru Impreza:
Transmission issues are a common problem, affecting 23% of the vehicles.
Rear wheel bearing failures are reported in 12% of the vehicles.
Air bag malfunctions are reported in 4% of the vehicles.
Windshield cracking issues are reported in 3% of the vehicles.
Recall Details for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2015 Subaru Impreza by NHTSA:
Summary: 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 light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Consequence: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
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. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, ...
Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2015 Subaru Impreza
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2015 Subaru Impreza with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2 complaints involved crashes. 1 reported injuries or fatalities.
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle at 10 MPH, the transmission was shifted into drive (D), and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration at 30 MPH. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop and instead accelerated. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle then crashed into a building. No air bags were d...
P0018. P0016
My 2015 Impreza has had its rear wheel bearings fail twice now, and now there’s still a loud noise coming from the end of my vehicle. My most recent trip to the dealer to get a bearing replaced costed me nearly $800. The kicker is, I just rolled over 65,000 on my car. There’s no reason I should be flying through bearings this fast, and have what seems like a never ending rear-end noise that seems ...
Driving the 2015 Subaru Impreza the front hood popped open and crashed into my windshield. Luckily it popped at 30-40 miles per hour and I was able to stop safely. Many damage to the body of the vehicle. It has happened a couple times before (found the hood open) but the safety hook was holding the hood closed. Called the Subaru dealer at San Bernardino and they said that is not a recall for thi...
All of a sudden, with no reason whatsoever, my daughter's car has "rod knock" with less than 100,000 miles on it. Bought this Subaru for my daughter so she would have a car that would last a long time and she would be safe. Maintenance was kept up at our local mechanic religiously. I am saddened and disappointed in the mechanical performance of this vehicle. Started with lights going out early ...
We bought our 2015 Subaru Impreza from a used car dealer (we are second owner) in February 2020 with 55K miles on it. On our test drive, we noticed the air bag said it was off even with a passenger in the car. We agreed to purchase the vehicle upon repair. It was repaired and the mechanic guaranteed his work, and we had no issues for a year. Then, we moved across the country and the sensor began t...
Battery Drain when plugging into the USB port: This is second battery that had to be replaced since purchase of the vehicle.
Power Steering failed, extremely hard to turn steering wheel, EPS Light on dash illuminated. Luckily happened in driveway. Thinking back steering seemed odd last week was less effort to turn left as opposed to turning right.
Passenger air bag will randomly turn off with passenger riding. This is well know issue with subaru and they still have not sent a recall. With this issue being so wide spread I do not think the dealership should charge over 600 dollars for this repair. I previous did this repair and the same part failed within a year and half.
My windshield cracked on its own, with no cause, chip, etc.
I purchased a Subaru for reliability and safety reasons. This car has placed my family in some dangerous situations. Every time the outside temp is 90+ degrees F and it is driven on a road trip of 200+ miles, the car's acceleration shuts off. There is never any warning or check engine/trans lights until after this happens. Nate Wade Subaru in Salt Lake City cannot find any codes and does not know ...
My transmission completely locked up on me while driving at interstate speeds. I was traveling at 65 MPH with the car in regular driving mode, on cruise control and the transmission completely locked up on me. The front tires locked briefly, causing me to go into a small skid, which I was able to correct, and then the engine revved high and I had no power. This lockup and skid caused a rapid de...
Hood flew open on interstate. After driving around town running errands I drove onto the interstate got like a mile down the road. I was in the left lane going about 60 mph the hood flew open. Smashing directly into the windshield. I thankfully was able to hit my four ways and get to a stop without any collision. I couldn’t say exactly when the hood had been opened last but certainly was not recen...
Yesterday, March 28, 2022 I stopped to run into a shop. Left my windows down because it was hot. My AC fan doesn’t work half the time. When I put my keys in the ignition, the key would not turn to accessories or ignite the car to start. The steering wheel was locked. The park gear shift wouldn’t move. I tried forcing these for at least 15 minutes. I had my emergency key fob and tried it repeatedly...
When leaving a gas station with a slight dip in the pavement, I inched my vehicle forward as slowly as I could as to not “bottom out.” This 2015 Impreza model has an overall design flaw; it sits too low to the ground therefore compromising the entire structure of the body. The Impreza in fact bottomed out and my entire front end cracked and fell off as well as the side panel on the front of the ve...
When put key in ignition, the car doesn’t start. The key can not be taken out of ignition. Numerous jiggles. Put foot on the brake, take foot off the brake. Eventually starts. Fear will be unable to take key out of ignition.
Smoke and oil burning smell entering cabin through vents. I have two young children. I’m concerned of toxic fumes. Coming from oil leaking onto exhaust manifold and at only 52,000 miles on odometer!
The contact owns a 2015 SUBARU Impreza. The contact stated that the vehicle's check engine light was illuminated and they began to notice at an oil change that their vehicle was leaking excessive oil consumption a year ago. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who informed them they needed to rebuild the engine. The repair was covered under warranty. The contact stated that about a year afte...
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, she noticed that the air conditioner was intermittently blowing warm air into the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufact...
CAR WON'T TURN OVER IGNITION. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. IT IMPACTED BRAKING, VDC SYSTEM, ABS SYSTEM AND CRUISE CONTROL DIDN'T WORK. OCCURRED AFTER 2 HOUR TRIP WITH NO CONCERNS AND FUNCTIONING SYSTEMS.ONLY NOTICED WHEN TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR.
Showing 20 of 78 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2015 Subaru Impreza
Has the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA been recalled?
Yes, the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA has 2 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA have?
The 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA has 78 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 5 involved crashes. 4 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
The 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 5/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA involve unknown or other (12 complaints), electrical system (12 complaints), power train (7 complaints). Other affected components include engine, steering, air bags.
How many crash reports does the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA have?
There are 5 crash reports associated with the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA out of 78 total complaints (6.4% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA have?
There are no fire reports for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA.
How many injuries are reported for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
4 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA is acceptable with caveats. It has 78 complaints, 2 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
The components with the most failures on the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA are: 1. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (12 complaints), 2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (12 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (7 complaints), 4. ENGINE (6 complaints), 5. STEERING (6 complaints). UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the single most-reported problem area with 12 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
Be cautious of electrical system and power train issues, and be aware of potential transmission and rear wheel bearing failures. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA has 78 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
The 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA receives a reliability score of 5/100, indicating below-average reliability. This is based on 78 owner complaints, 2 recalls, and 5 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Transmission Failure and Rear Wheel Bearing Issues.
What are the known issues with the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA?
Known issues with the 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA include: Transmission Failure, Rear Wheel Bearing Issues, Air Bag Malfunction, Windshield Cracking. These are based on patterns found across 78 NHTSA complaints. 2 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2015 Subaru Impreza?
Transmission failures, rear wheel bearing issues, and electrical system problems are the most common.
Are there any known safety concerns with the 2015 Subaru Impreza?
Yes, there are reports of air bags randomly turning off and windshields cracking without cause.
How can I prevent transmission failures in my 2015 Subaru Impreza?
Regular maintenance and timely replacement of transmission fluid can help prevent transmission failures.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of electrical system and power train issues, and be aware of potential transmission and rear wheel bearing failures. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2015 Subaru Impreza
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2015 Subaru Impreza. The data includes 78 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 2 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 5 reported crashes, 4 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2015 Subaru Impreza an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 5 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16