YearToAvoid

2005 Subaru WRX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

35/100

#14 most-complained of 21 WRX years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Subaru WRX has 19 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 35 out of 100 — #14 highest of 21 WRX model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is fuel system (12 complaints, 63% of the total).

Complaints
19
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2005 Subaru WRX problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System12 (63%)
  2. Engine4 (21%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (21%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain2 (11%)
2005 Subaru WRX complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2007May 2008Jan 2010Feb 2011Jan 2014Oct 2014Jan 2015
22 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2007 to Feb 2015; peak May 2007 (3).

2005 Subaru WRX recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V076000Feb 13, 2023Airbags130 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

    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 service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRF-23.

  2. NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles

    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 Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    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 may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

  3. NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles

    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 Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    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 service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

See all 4 recalls for the 2005 Subaru WRX →

2005 compared with other WRX years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good35194—
2006Good40143—
2007No verdict003—

All Subaru WRX years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Subaru WRX a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Subaru WRX ranks #14 of 21 among WRX model years (Complaint Index 35/100, verdict: Good). It has 19 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Subaru WRX?
The most reported problem areas are fuel system (12 complaints), engine (4 complaints), and suspension, wheels & tires (4 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 48,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Subaru WRX have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2005 Subaru WRX, most recently reported 2023, covering airbags.

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.