Is The 08 - 14 Subaru WRX Reliability Really THAT Bad!?

Is The 08 - 14 Subaru WRX Reliability Really THAT Bad!?//Today I'm talking about something pretty common in this community which is, are Subaru's reliable? In this video I talk about Subaru WRX common issues as well as just my own personal experience so far. The 08-14 Subaru WRX has a few of its own common issues and others that it shares with its older and younger brothers. Let me know what you guys think! :)
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[@DRGOAT]

If you own a Subie, how’s your reliability been? 🤔

[@kaiserwilhelm1938]

Clutch failed at ~30k, likely previous owner use. AC belt failed at 65k, seized AC/Heat unit. Power steering started failing around ~100k. I deferred maintenance, did not change oil as often as required etc. Despite that, it was a decent, reliable vehicle that was shit load of fun to drive. As a note, if you lose the factory gas cap and replace with anything other than exact factory spec, you may suddenly lose use of AWD due to a code. In inclement conditions this can be life threatening so take note!

[@ninjaknight-jn9ky]

@@kaiserwilhelm1938 on a manual this is literally impossible it's a viscous and the 4/5eat isn't a very complicated transmission and is unlikely to care, my gc had a check engine light for 30k miles because it was missing a cat and didn't care I don't think that's a thing. Unless your transmission was also having problems.

[@vinaivue]

I'm the original owner of my 2013 WRX and I've never had any problem (maybe I'm lucky). No engine mods. Over 100k miles now. I just kept up with the recommended maintenance. Replaced my clutch, timing belts, water pump at 100k. I'm on my 3rd set of spark plugs (always annoying to replace), 2nd set of brake pads, 3rd set of tires, and 4th windshield hahaha. Mine has difficulty going into reverse but it's always been like that. These cars have really become this generations 240sx. They get beat to shit. If you have one, hang on to it.

[@vjuOG]

blew up at 80k but bought it used so sucks for me lol

[@goosesayshonk9781]

I own a 2018 Impreza hatch, i got last year. Has been great. But ive been wanting a WRX or even a STI. And i just seen a 2014 STI hatch for sale for around same price of what i still owe on my car.. Imma not go for it immedietly but il think about it and maybe in a month or two if its still there imma test drive it

[@bridgetclinch3678]

I got a 2013 manual and drove it like I stole it for 10 years with no issues

[@Tevin-cc9vr]

I’m glad I’m not the only one. I got my 2012 and put about 3k in it for the clutch and have BEAT it Ever since.

[@Sxulesz]

@@Tevin-cc9vryea they just become unreliable because of the modifications people put on them

[@jayemayyalldamnday]

Stage 2 mine blew up but only because I literally did a motor drain flush I didn't change the oil filter so it was still filled with all that flush hot gas lol

[@jujitsusti7719]

I've a A line import Sti and it's been No issues at all I love it❤💯 its all mainly how you look after them and give any cars some respect and weekly or daily oil checking 👊

[@billyrowe0064]

I have a 2012. I got it from 49k miles all the way to 215k without a SINGLE issue other than a clutch and headlamp. Not a single other issue whatsoever. Same engine. Same BATTERY. Same starter. NEVER had an issue with battery, starter, staying running, idling, etc. ZERO issues. It has been the most reliable car I've ever witnessed. At 215k miles, it started to have a check engine light and compression issues in a cylinder. I bought a truck in the meantime and have plans to fix the Subaru as just a sh1t and giggle car.

[@davednconfused]

Did you perform any maintenance beyond oil changes? Timing belt, fluids, anything?

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

Mine is just over 200K and runs great. It's stock and has never been messed with. These cars break because kids mod them without knowing where they're doing

[@Rappy104]

I’ve heard many times that swapping in the STI gasket immediately fixed the head gasket problems. I’ll give it a shot

[@bennyboyy7]

I will say the WRX was overlooked a lot by Subaru but this generation was finally given some love. It's not perfect by any means but what car is, the head gaskets are fixed, the transmission was given the proper gears (actually has the legacy gt first and second gear, closer 3rd to the legacy gear but not quite the same.) The problem is the young guys who beat the piss out of them and clutch dump, flat foot shift etc... And expect them to take the abuse because they see the rally STI'S doing it. The sti is built for sure no question but the WRX is still a streetable car. They are a rally car at heart not a 70s muscle car with beefy drivetrain.

[@vinaivue]

No car is built for that kind of usage. Race cars break all the time and get rebuilt constantly.

[@bennyboyy7]

​@@vinaivueexactly, I would never expect any car to hold up to constant abuse at the limits for 100k+ miles. I will say that Subaru just has this thing with heat shields for some reason. Nearly all my heat shields have rusted through. But I've never done clutch dumps in my WRX or power shifts. The sti would be the car to do it in but they're still a lightweight car meant for light off-road activities. Not a street machine like a challenger or Camaro or mustang with beefier axles, gears, and just their whole set up in general.

[@ryleighd6434]

At around 95k mine got rod knock and blew, was covered by the class action lawsuit. At around 115k the fuel pump went. Then at around 117k the clutch and flywheel needed to be replaced. My car runs and drives really nice, kept her completely stock for reliability and I still love her. She does me good.

[@DRGOAT]

Oh wow! I have heard a bit about the class action lawsuit, but wasn’t sure what all that was going to be covering. Glad to hear you’re still loving it though! 😁

[@outsideboy23]

how much did those things cost ??? i want one

[@Rezparviz]

@@DRGOATdo you know if the lawsuit covers 2008 ?

[@vinaivue]

@@Rezparviz I'm pretty sure it does, but I think there was a specific window to file. You're probably out of luck by now. I didn't have any issues, but they did extend the warranty period for these cars. I just don't remember how much.

[@Danno_87]

I had an 05 back in the day and drove the hell out of it with no issues at all. Really want another one. Thanks for the video

[@username8644]

My 2011 hatch has 132k miles, zero problems so far. All I do is oil changes every 4-6 months and regular maintenance when needed. It's completely stock which is what makes it reliable, and I don't launch the car everyday. edit: I've even gone a year without changing the oil sometimes too, zero maintenance for an entire year. Didn't lose a drop of oil either and when I did the oil change there was zero metal flakes in the oil.

[@daixer3156]

What does it mean if there is metal flake in the oil? Thanks

[@username8644]

@@daixer3156 Usually it just means that there is some wear occuring between the parts inside the engine, or transmission (or wherever the oil was drained from). So it is metal against metal contact that is causing some metal flakes to come off. It is normal to have some metal flakes, as wear is normal. But if you have a lot of them, or possibly some larger chunks then that is a bad sign, and could also show that something failed inside the part in question, or is going to fail. Edit: the fact I had very little metal flakes means that there is very little wear occurring so it is a sign of a healthy engine and also shows that even after a year the oil was still doing its job. Edit: also you typically will have more wear when the engine hasn't been broken in, so the first oil change will typically have a lot of metal flakes in it or may appear glittery. That's actually why people recommend changing the oil right after the break in period with a new car.

[@joshuathomas4934]

I have a 2014 Wrx hatch. Burns no oil. None. Zero. Has 94k miles on it and runs like new. Has had a stage 1 pro tune on it for 3 years now with an intake and muffler delete. Is tuned for 91 octane but I run 93. Made 250hp to the wheels. So I probably only am really making 5hp over stock. Car has been absolutely incredible. Love it. Most of these cars have been ridden hard and put away muddy. That’s why wrx don’t survive as long as other cars. They also do have design flaws for sure that cause spun bearings. But if you address the issues. It can be a great platform. If you want to bang gears all the time and throw a ton of mods on it. The motor isn’t going to survive

[@tiravile7330]

my previous subaru clutch pedal also squeaked just the same as yours no matter how much lube i sprayed on it i could never get it to stop squeaking

[@alexxmigss]

Looking to get one of these. Thanks for making this video. What kind of head unit is that? Thing is massive!

[@kurtho722]

Still have mine (72k miles currently) after 9 years of owning, zero issues besides replacing the clutch and steering rack.

[@Disruptive]

For the transmission having trouble going in to reverse, it happens to me too. What I do is, while holding down the clutch, the instant I try to go into reverse and feel resistance, I’ll quickly put the gear stick in 5th and then 3rd then it goes into reverse smoothly. Something about hitting 5th and 3rd gear “lines” some things up in the transmission allowing it to slip into reverse. Give it a shot next time

[@bailyscanga5617]

I have a 2011 manual hatch and it's taken a couple money shifts now with no issues ( I did push in the clutch before it got dangerously high in revs tho )

[@upsideduck9165]

Planning to get 09 Hatch Impreza N/A as a first car, is it a good idea? I already saved up a lot for the maintenance of it. Do they come with any major issues on the long run?

[@isaacbastian8401]

Gotta love the clutch pedal squeak😂. my 08 wrx has the same thing, SO LOUD

[@DRGOAT]

Oh for sure 😂 I seriously need to get that taken care of!

[@mitch2152]

To get it in reverse after cold start I just have to push the clutch in ALL THE WAY to the floor

[@boss_tum]

this guy standing outside making videos in a tornado

[@DRGOAT]

Whatever it takes 🤷‍♂️😂 watch my video on 5 reasons to buy one of these cars, pretty much same thing but with snow 😂😂

[@boss_tum]

@@DRGOAT if i buy one of these or the generation before and don’t mod it can i depend on it?

[@DRGOAT]

@@boss_tum I mean it depends on a lot of things. How it’s been treated before you, if it was modded before you…there’s always a chance of having issues. Personally though, I’m sure the previous owner(s) of my car weren’t always gentle on it, and I got it with a few mods, but it has been pretty good to me! Some issues here and there, but I expect some things to happen with any car. In the 2 and half years I’ve owned this car it hasn’t been nearly as bad as people on the internet always made it sound like it would be.

[@boss_tum]

@@DRGOAT Thanks for your help and fast reply. You earned a subscriber

[@DRGOAT]

@@boss_tum not a problem man! Thank you I really appreciate it!!

[@deathcrane9085]

my 2010 wrx got rod knock at 125k miles fully stock. Also did clutch change at 121k miles. I swapped a jdm ej205 with 69k miles its been a blast. Just really have to do heavy maintenance its not like a honda that'll keep running without maintenance haha i love my narrowbody tho i fell in love with subaru culture 🤙

[@DRGOAT]

I get that! I’ve had some issues with mine, and it’s definitely something that you have to keep up on and not let it go! But yes, you have to really love these cars to want to keep them for a long time haha but man do I love mine!

[@jeffbeerkens5286]

The clutch squeak is the clutch to the gas pedal theres a small thin shaft that turns when you press the clutch you need to juice it with wd-40 it’s closer to the gas pedal which is weird but that’s your problem!!!

[@bengepp9314]

I've owned a manual transmission Turbo EJ powered Subaru since 99 , 1st a Liberty RS , only cos 2nd synco went 180k I rebuilt the box with full PPG internals groupN ratios Awesome👌🏼The 2012 WRX I bought brand new had had its gearbox replaced under warranty after a babied 5k Strange🤷🏿‍♂️, I now own an 08 sti , so far so good @200k

[@anthonyjanelle12]

@0:15 I think only the 2008 kept the glass transmissions lol. 2009-2014 got upgraded to the Legacy GT transmission and the STI turbo, that being said I had a 2006 WRX with the glass tranny and I drove it until 230k miles on a light tune pushing 283hp and 261tq

[@GillsAndGears]

Reverse, clutch squeak are both normal subie things 😂 just got mine a year ago today and i love my car with a passion! Another huge subie thing is the center console not closing lol. Oh also the touch screen isnt that good, i would replace that.

[@DRGOAT]

I don’t know how I forgot about the center console 🤦‍♂️😂 that thing has annoyed me so many times!

[@GillsAndGears]

@@DRGOAT i swear subaru does that on purpose 🤣 every subaru 2014 and lower has this problem. I have not seen a single one that closes even at car meets and even shows. The only 1 i have ever seen that closed, the dude said it annoyed him so much that he had to just fix it lmao

[@juliobaires8273]

U need to upgrade ur clutch pedal for that noise

[@m1k3l1f3]

Just bought one with 168,000kilometers on it. 2011, base hatch WRX. It's my 3rd Subaru, had a BRZ, and a Legacy GT before. And yes, my WRX clutch squeaks a bit too.

[@DRGOAT]

That’s awesome! The clutch squeak seems to be a fairly common thing by the sounds of it 😂

[@jeffbeerkens5286]

@@DRGOAT Clutch squeak is small shaft that goes to clutch to the gas pedal you need to juice the shaft near the gas pedal with wd-40 👍🏼

[@azthar]

My 2012 sti has only needed a new power steering rack and pump recently. Got 160,000km, and she runs like new.

[@sethrathbone8893]

Just bought a 2014 hatch couple weeks ago. Has 90k miles but with brand new type ra short block. Have driven it 1k miles and almost through with break in period. Had a 2012 wrx for 2 years before this. So no major issues yet. Also haven’t modded the car at all.

[@groo2765]

Thanks for the advice. I think I have a cam seal leaking….

[@WhyDoIDriveAMustang]

What’s a decent price range for these cars, I see a spectrum of prices

[@trbopwr79]

Original 2011 sti owner here, no major issues at all because I don't treat it like shit.

[@suzumr2754]

Your firewall spot welds/clutch pedal assembly are on their way out. I can hear it in the video.

[@DRGOAT]

Correct, I mentioned it in the video 😅. I’ll be getting that fixed real soon

[@gelo_san1744]

2014 still running smoothly

[@silver33]

I love this vehicle, I wish I would have gotten it when it was available.

[@mussie2202]

My 2012 hatch is such a pain to put into reverse. One thing that seems to help is to put it in 1st and then immediately go to neutral and then bang that fucker over to reverse. Seems to be getting worse with age as well lol.

[@bry9448]

One thing that usually works is to put it in first, let the clutch out a little so it grabs, then clutch in and then put it into reverse. Works 90% of the time for me.

[@reubencoto8693]

Hello, I’m curious what head unit is that in your wrx? And does it work good?

[@DRGOAT]

right here is the head unit! and honestly for what I do with it, which is just listen to bluetooth and sometimes adjust the audio settings, it works great! amzn.to/44vMIAg

[@jeffarcher400]

I was a kid once and didn't realize race engines get torn down every race. Those teams have sponsors. Sorry Dad!

[@anselford762]

Omg the sqeeeeeeky clutch peddle🤣 I had that, stoopid busted welds, plzzz bolt that thing down 🥲

[@wheel58m]

Would you buy a ‘13 with an engine rebuild (dealer says it was ringland failure)?

[@DRGOAT]

Do they have paperwork documenting the rebuild? If so, then I’d probably go for it as long as the price is right

[@outsideboy23]

can i get a warranty for this car ??? someone plz tell me

[@HashslingerOG]

What a G, head unit in the description

[@jayemayyalldamnday]

I got a 2013 manual that's lowered on rails and yet has seen more dirt roads than an early American Settler. More rocks have hit the underside of this car than the underside sidee of my nostrils I was mashing through the Gold Country put my exhaust shove it up against my drive axle Megan Sparks I don't know 2 ft behind that my gas tank leaking like crazy didn't realize any of this had happened what are the potential concoction that was potentially Brewing up until I got home 300 Mi away every time I would go to the gas station the underside of the car would just pour gasoline but I was like I need to make it home home and this was before I knew how to work on the car now it's stupid to even think about such an easy fix literally I could have fixed it with bubble gum but all those plastic coverings anywho I'm about to get rid of that shit today for a 2013 STI with a rally suspension and more protection I'm going to film it and become a legend you don't know what freedom is until you've got a WRX and you're out in the back roads of the Gold Country looking at history that may have been there for 20 years or 130 years ago literally you'll find just pockets of Random holes in the side of mountains let go in 20 ft or sometimes MI miles nowhere near civilization or any humans yeah at one point there was tons of people digging that shit out because there was a huge quartz vein there with tons of gold and it's just completely desolate now that is what it's all about and now I got e-bike mountain bike I was aiming for a dirt bike gasoline but this is just as good when it comes to exploring the areas the car can't explore you never explored the California Gold Country you're a mcmoron

[@Dirty-D]

I have 157k on my 14 hatch stage 2 and it runs perfect!

[@Dusty2040]

I’m trying to get one

[@Dirty-D]

@@Dusty2040 get one! I also have. C6 zo6 and the wrx is 10 times more fun to drive. Obviously not as fast but still more fun.

[@Dusty2040]

@@Dirty-D golly I hope I can find one

[@ExenzaYT]

What head unit is that? Looks really good👌

[@DRGOAT]

It’s an Android 9.1! 😁

[@quintusgrobler9088]

Frankly, it's really hard to gauge the reliability of a car that is almost exclusively purchased to be ridden and/or modded into oblivion.

[@stunadracingteam5909]

You still have this car?

[@ninjaknight-jn9ky]

Reverse isn't synchronized.

[@jmsn36]

Took forever to just say good car or bad car more like story time

[@Cbob222]

I feel like they arent reliable if you got a meat head owning it who doesn't do regular oil changes and launches it at every start.

[@000workmjor]

what is the display you have in this car?

[@DRGOAT]

here is a link to the head unit I have! amzn.to/44vMIAg

[@csmoff]

Do you rate this head unit? It seems to cheap to be any good?

[@peterlord8891]

Bone stock 2013 wrx...Didnt abuse mine.... 2nd owner bought it around 32,000kms, these things are by far the biggest ticking time bombs on the road. Ive owned 2 trucks/2 jeeps and a VW. Selling this car at 121000km was one of the happiest days of my life lol. Complete garbage car, 11k bucks in repairs in the 4 years i owned it. Never again

[@urchinsify]

Subis are so fun to abuse people forget it's just a car.. Not an immortal car. Also subis really require specialist mechanics, people think they know cars and make mistakes on unfamiliar platform because they just assume their knowledge will work on every car. Donut media made this mistake and blew 1 too many engines because none of them are actual subi specialists. One mistake subi made to be fair is they underestimated how much people will try to push their cars to it's limits. Their cars are reliable up to a certain point only. It's not built to be pushed harder.

[@jjaeks5518]

Its that bad, I own one lol. expect bmw/audi repair costs in 2023 too

[@STR8SICCC]

*Test drove a used 2011 today, about 94k on it 2 owners appears to be stock.*

[@randallgoeswhere]

The only way youre blowing a head gasket is if youre 16 years old driving one.

[@Nimoodles]

Almost every car that has ever been released, of some years, have had transmission issues. That said, the ringland failure is most oftenly caused by the fourth cylinder not getting enough coolant, which leads to overheating. Something that costs $40 to fix (by cutting in to the coolant line to C2 and installing a T splitter, then running a second tube to C4, so that both cylinders are getting a flow of coolant, rather than C4 just getting the leftovers of C2's.) The whole head gasket thing is; I feel like a lot of that is misconception. They'll conflate the WRX/STI with the base model Impreza, which used single layer headgaskets, while the WRX does not, and then say the WRX has headgasket issues. You're going to have headgasket issues in ANY CAR if you don't do basic bitch oil changes, which is what you're supposed to be doing anyway, in any car.

[@silentftw4639]

Subaru has main issues consistently being rust underneath and engines being blown up. I think this is where mitsunishi takes the win. Not many evos being blown.