The Lane Check

CarsSubaru › Impreza › 2014

2014 Subaru Impreza: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
42%
29 of 69 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

42% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Subaru Impreza are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 50% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 39 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 27%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
Share this car

Looking at a specific Impreza?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.

Check a VIN
Drivetrain complaints
29
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
108
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
16 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS38 · 35%
ENGINE20 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM17 · 16%
POWER TRAIN9 · 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER9 · 8%
STRUCTURE8 · 7%

The years either side

2010
50%
20 of 46
2011
38%
15 of 57
2012
58%
79 of 242
2013
57%
96 of 249
2014
42%
29 of 108
2015
33%
23 of 79
2016
27%
17 of 75
2017
24%
20 of 125
2018
13%
11 of 149
2019
13%
17 of 194
2020
4%
3 of 85
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact cars with no elevated signal in 2014

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE04/05/2026
Vehicle Production Date: January 2014 Related Recall: Subaru WTM-73 / NHTSA ID 16V738 (revised July 11, 2017 as WTM-73R) Recall Coverage Production End Date: September 13, 2013 Mileage at First Incident (March 2024): 79,268 Mileage at Second Incident (February 2026): 92,325 The secondary air pump failed in March 2024 …
POWER TRAIN10/22/2025
I am filing a complaint regarding a known issue with the CVT transmission in my 2014 Subaru Impreza, currently at approximately 80,000 miles. The CVT has started making a loud whining noise while driving. A licensed, independent repair shop diagnosed this as a likely early sign of internal CVT failure, advising that fa…
ENGINE05/27/2025
I was driving in my car had lost of power n started to make a noise n ALLL that so eather valve spring broke then messed up rod bearings n now to the point I can't drive my vehicle is like to know what to do next

Three of 29 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
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)…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicl…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehic…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2014 Subaru Impreza

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.