There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2008 Subaru Imprezain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE SPOT WELDS UNDER WINDSHIELD COWL BROKE CAUSING THE BRACKET HOLDING CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO BREAK. BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, I CAN ONLY ENGAGE MY REVERSE GEAR HALF THE TIME AND WHILE SHIFTING GEARS IN MOTION, IT TENDS TO BE A BIT DIFFICULT. I'VE ALMOST CRASHED A COUPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS A 2008 SUBARU WRX SEDAN WITH ONLY 74,000 MILES AND I'M CURRENTLY MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR. MONEY IS REALLY TIGHT DUE TO ME BEING A FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT AND FULL TIME WORKER SO I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT THIS REALLY BIG PROBLEM. MY CAR IS EVERYTHING TO ME RIGHT NOW AND IF IT FAILS ON ME, I HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I ALSO HAVE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN WHEELS, AND A BLOW OFF VALVE. THE VEHICLE TENDS TO GIVE ME THE MOST DIFFICULTY ENGAGING REVERSE EVERY MORNING.
2008 WRX started to make a sqeeking noise when engaging the clutch. The spot welds came apart from firewall and my clutch has gone out twice. The pedal when shifting sticks and while driving I have to put the pedal under my foot and pull upwards for it to work. Very dangerous and the welds are faulty, it should be a recall items. Subaru can request for a inspection anytime as it is very much needed to be addressed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME VERY WOBBLY AND ALMOST DETACHED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SENT HIM A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN EXTENDING THE CLUTCH ATTACHMENT COMPONENT; HOWEVER, THE DEALER (SUBARU SUPERSTORE OF CHANDLER, 1050 GILBERT RD, CHANDLER, AZ 85286) NEVER HAD THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
MY SONS VEHICLE STARTED OFF WITH A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH. THIS WENT ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS HE IS NOW HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING THE CAR INTO GEAR AND IT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THE OTHER DAY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, AND THE CLUTCH IS TOTALLY DEPRESSED IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. WHEN DRIVING IT IS LESS DIFFICULT, BUT STILL VERY TRICKY TO GET INTO GEAR. WE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED, IF YOU RAISE THE HOOD, YOU CAN SEE THE FIREWALL FLEXING QUITE A BIT WHERE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER IS LOCATED. WE REPLACED THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER AND IT DID NOT HELP THE ISSUE. IN MY READING ONLINE, I HAVE NOTICED MANY COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE RELATED TO THE FACTORY WELDS HOLDING THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL ARE FAILING. IT SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE FOR SUBARU IMPREZAS 2008-2014. I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE A FACTORY RECALL. MY SON CAN NO LONGER USE THE CAR AND WE ARE UNSURE ON HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE..
THE FIRE WALL BROKE AND THE PISTONS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS THEN IT BLEW THE CRANK
HAVING SAME ISSUE AS MOST WITH 08 WRX . FIREWALL BRACKETS HAVE COME LOOSE AND CLUTCH WILL NOT ACTUATE PROPERLY.
WHAT IS THE ISSUE? BASICALLY THE FIREWALL IS SO THIN THAT IT FLEXES TERRIBLY EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH OR BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THE BIG PROBLEM IS THE WAY THE CLUTCH/BRAKE ASSEMBLY IS SECURED TO THE THIN FIREWALL. IT ONLY HAS 6 SMALL SPOT WELDS THAT RIP OFF THE FIREWALL AFTER TIME. THIS MAKES IT SO YOU CAN'T GET IN AND OUT OF GEAR. CLUTCH BECOMES USELESS. WHO? 2008-2014 GH/GR IMPREZA (2.5I/OBS/WRX/STI). I DON'T THINK THE ISSUE CAN BE LINKED TO A CERTAIN BATCH OF VEHICLES, CERTAIN CLIMATE/LOCATION, OR CERTAIN YEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL YEARS 08-14, AND ALL MODELS (WITHIN THE GH/GR CHASSIS).
THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2008 WRX MAKES A LOUD CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT'S DEPRESSED. WHEN I INVESTIGATED THE NOISE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY (ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL) SHIFTS APPROX 1/4 INCH EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I FOUND THAT THE THREE SPOT WELDS SECURING THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET TO THE FORWARD FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FIREWALL, JUST UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, I SAW THE SPOT WELDS PULLING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS ALLOWS THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY TO MOVE, CAUSING THE CREAKING NOISE. IF THE BRACKET COMPLETELY SEPARATES FROM THE FIREWALL, THE CLUTCH MAY BECOME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE - ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING.
WE HAD A NEW CLUTCH INSTALLED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CLUTCH PEDAL NOW MOVE TOGETHER. SIMULTANEOUSLY THIS NOT ONLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE PREMATURE CLUTCH AND BRAKE FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED, IT BECAME STUCK AND MADE AN UNKNOWN NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WAS PEELING AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2015, BUT COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BY A VALET SERVICE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED, THE CLUTCH FAILED AND THE PEDALS MOVED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
HEAD GASKET PREMATURELY LEAKING OIL. LEAK FINDS ITSELF NEAR EXHAUST. A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH FINDS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON UP UNTIL 2010 AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEWEST ENGINE. AN IMPROVED GASKET IS AVAILABLE, BUT REPLACEMENT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART AND THE AFFECTED CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
CLUTCH SQUEAKS WHEN PEDAL IS PRESSED IN. SOUND COMES FROM INSIDE THE CABIN OR FIREWALL AREA.
THE CLUTCH BRACKET ON THE FIREWALL HAS ONLY 4 SMALL TACK WELDS FROM THE FACTORY. THIS BRACKET TAKES ALL THE FORCE OF YOUR LEG PUSHING IN THE CLUTCH EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE A GEAR. IT APPEARS TO BE VERY COMMON ON THE SUBARU WRX STI FOR THESE SMALL TACKS TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL AND CAUSE ACCELERATED CLUTCH WEAR AND EVENTUALLY CLUTCH FAILURE. MY CLUTCH FAILED AND THE DEALER IS NOW TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR FOR THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT WILL NOT BE COVERED BY SUBARU. TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND CHECKING THE STI FORUMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SUBARU HAS PAID FOR FOR SOME PEOPLE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THIS FOR ME. *JS
THE FIRE WALL IS CRACKED AND THE WELDS ARE BROKEN WHICH IS CAUSING MY CLUTCH TO NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR
WELDS ON BRACKET THAT HOLDS CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL TO FIREWALL FAILING. CAUSING CLUTCH PEDAL INCONSISTENCY ALONG WITH BRAKE PEDAL MOVEMENT UPON CLUTCH PEDAL DEPRESSION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED. IN ADDITION, THE CLUTCH BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE RE-WELDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,834.
THERE IS A LOUD SQUEAK NOISE WHEN THE CLUTCH IS BEING PRESSED, AND AT TIMES WHEN THE STRUCTURE FLEXES,IT INTERFERES WITH CHANGING GEARS. NOT ONLY DOES IT INTERFERE WITH CHANGING GEARS BUT,IT ALSO CAUSES THE BREAK PEDAL ASSEMBLY MOVES WHEN PRESSING THE CLUTCH. I HAVE VERIFIED THAT SOME WELD SPOT HAVE BROKEN OFF AND HAVE BECOME LOOSE. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM SEEING AS HOW IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN IT COMPLETELY SEPARATES, DUE TO SHOTTY WELDING, NOT ONLY COULD THE CLUTCH GO OUT WHILE DRIVING BUT IT COULD CAUSE THE BREAKS TO GO OUT AS WELL. THIS IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR, I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT A 1.5 YEARS. WELDS SHOULD NOT BUST THAT QUICKLY. I HAVE VERIFIED IN THE SUBARU COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM MANUAL TRANSMISSION IMPREZAS. *TR
AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTED REGARDING THE SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, THE WELDS THAT CONNECT THE CLUTCH TO THE FIREWALL HAVE BEEN BROKEN. TOOK IT INTO A LOCAL DEALER AND HE SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. *TR
WHILE GETTING INTO GEAR AND SWITCHING GEARS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS SQUEAKING. THE SQUEAKING WOULD COME AND GO. THE CLUTCH EVENTUALLY GAVE OUT MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS AND EXPERIENCED A SLIPPING CLUTCH AT HIGH SPEEDS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE WELDS IN THE FIREWALL WERE BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE CLUTCH FAILURE. THE MECHANIC ESTIMATED THE COST OF REPAIRING THE WELDS TO BE APPROXIMATELY $2,000 AND THE COST OF REPAIRING THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL APPROXIMATELY $1,600. THE TOTAL APPROXIMATE COST OF THE REPAIR WOULD BE $3,600 FOR DEFECTIVE WELDS IN THE CAR'S FIREWALL. I HAVE YET TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AS THE DEALERSHIP IS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT SUBARU TO FIND OUT IF THEY WILL COVER SOME OF THE COSTS OF THE REPAIRS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026