YearToAvoid

2008 Subaru WRX Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 48 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2008 Subaru WRX, 74% of all 65 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 21 WRX model years. Median mileage at failure: 69,500 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
48
74% of 65
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
69,500 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2008 Subaru WRX transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 1, 2013, latest Apr 2, 2019.

2008 Subaru WRX transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month5Mar 2013Oct 2013Apr 2014Sep 2014Feb 2015Nov 2015Oct 2018
48 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2013 to Apr 2019; peak Sep 2013 (5).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2008 Subaru WRX

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by WRX model year

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

  1. 20052 (11%)
  2. 20064 (29%)
  3. 20070 (0%)
  4. 200848 (74%)
  5. 200933 (80%)
  6. 20100 (0%)
  7. 20111 (25%)
  8. 20121 (50%)
  9. 20136 (86%)
  10. 20141 (17%)
  11. 201518 (35%)
  12. 20164 (13%)
  13. 201711 (21%)
  14. 20186 (14%)
  15. 20192 (7%)
  16. 20202 (12%)
  17. 20216 (46%)
  18. 20224 (16%)
  19. 20230 (0%)
  20. 20242 (15%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Subaru WRX have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 48 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2008 Subaru WRX, 74% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 69,500 miles.
Which Subaru WRX year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2008 Subaru WRX has the most transmission complaints (48), compared with 48 for the 2008.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2008 Subaru WRX?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2008 Subaru WRX 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.