YearToAvoid

2008 Subaru Impreza Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2008 Subaru Impreza, 34% of all 176 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 21 Impreza model years. Median mileage at failure: 69,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
59
34% of 176
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
69,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2008 Subaru Impreza transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 20, 2010, latest Sep 13, 2023.

2008 Subaru Impreza transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Sep 2010Jun 2012Jan 2013Nov 2013Aug 2014Sep 2015Oct 2018
59 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2010 to Sep 2023; peak Dec 2014 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2008 Subaru Impreza

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Impreza model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20055 (7%)
  2. 20067 (13%)
  3. 20078 (12%)
  4. 200859 (34%)
  5. 200930 (29%)
  6. 20105 (11%)
  7. 20116 (11%)
  8. 201226 (11%)
  9. 201323 (9%)
  10. 20149 (8%)
  11. 201511 (14%)
  12. 201613 (17%)
  13. 20175 (4%)
  14. 20184 (3%)
  15. 20194 (2%)
  16. 20200 (0%)
  17. 20211 (7%)
  18. 20224 (31%)
  19. 20230 (0%)
  20. 20242 (6%)
  21. 20252 (40%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Subaru Impreza have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2008 Subaru Impreza, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 69,000 miles.
Which Subaru Impreza year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2008 Subaru Impreza has the most transmission complaints (59), compared with 59 for the 2008.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2008 Subaru Impreza?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2008 Subaru Impreza is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.