2004 SUBARU WRX — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
46
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
4
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2004 SUBARU WRX
The 2004 SUBARU WRX has received a total of 46 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 9 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. 4 technical service bulletins have been issued by Subaru of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Fuel System Gasoline (26 complaints), Fuelpropulsion System (8 complaints), and Air Bags (3 complaints).
Recalls for the 2004 SUBARU WRX
NHTSA has recorded 9 recalls for the 2004 SUBARU WRX, potentially affecting up to 1,083,849 vehicles.
Recall 23V076000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 130 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 23V076000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 130 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V003000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 111,562 vehicles affected
Defect: 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,...
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V003000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 111,562 vehicles affected
Defect: 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,...
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V001000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 258,813 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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....
View full details →Recall 20V001000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 258,813 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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....
View full details →Recall 20V002000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 127,547 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V002000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
| 127,547 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 06E060000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 87,745 vehicles affected
Defect: CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
Remedy: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2004 SUBARU WRX
46 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2004 SUBARU WRX. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System Gasoline | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspensionrear | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasolinedeliveryhoses Linespiping And Fittings | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainmanual Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
HAVING RECENTLY MOVED TO A COLD WEATHER STATE, I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING THERE IS A SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, SUBARU APPEARS TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IN FACT ISSUED A RECALL ON EARLIER MODEL VEHICLES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE FUEL LINES AND CLAMPS SHRINK IN COLD WEATHER ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK AT THE FUEL FILTER OR MORE PROBLEMATICALLY ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEAR THE TURBO. THIS HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN NEWER MODEL VEHICLES, BUT FOR SOME REASON SUBARU DECIDED NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE 2004-2005 VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE REDUCES OR ELIMINATES THE LEAKS. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO TIGHTEN THE HOSE CLAMPS, I SUSPECT THAT NEXT WINTER I WILL BE FACING THE SAME ISSUE AND/OR A $500-1000 REPAIR BILL FROM THE DEALER.
DURING COLD WEATHER FUEL SMELL COMING FROM ENGINE AND IS LEAKING
I HAVE A 2004 WRX AND WHENEVER IT GETS COLD LOTS OF FUEL LEAKS FROM UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THERES A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE IN 2002 2003 BUT IT STILL DOES IT ON MY CAR
TAKATA RECALL/SUBARU RECALL CAMPAIGN WQR-53 NHTSA RECALL NO. 15V-323 RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MAY 2015 EXPLAINING THAT THE AIRBAG WAS RECALLED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. LETTER STATES THAT UNTIL THE REPAIR IS PREFORMED, DO NOT ALLOW PASSENGERS TO RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I RECENTLY RECEIVED ANOTHER LETTER WITH THE SAME INFORMATION STATING THAT WHEN SUBARU ACQUIRES A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF PARTS TO PERFORM THE REPAIR, THEY WILL CONTACT ME ABOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT. I CALLED SUBARU 6 MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD THAT A DEALERSHIP SHOULD "LEND" ME A VEHICLE UNTIL THE REPAIR IS COMPLETE. I LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES WITH DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA AND NO ONE RETURNED MY PHONE CALL. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR AND I AM NOT ABLE TO HAVE PASSENGERS IN MY VEHICLE. I USE MY CAR FOR WORK AND I NEED THIS FIXED. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED.
Safety Rating for the 2004 SUBARU WRX
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2004 SUBARU WRX in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2004 SUBARU WRX
Subaru of America, Inc. has issued 4 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2004 SUBARU WRX. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
WQR-53R — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Takata Front Passenger Air Bag Inflator Replacement.
WQR]53U — AIR BAGS
THE WQR-53 RECALL IS BEING EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL 2005-2008 MODEL YEAR LEGACY AND OUTBACK VEHICLES. THIS IS AN EXPANSION FROM THE CURRENT WQP-51 LIMITED REGIONAL RECALL FOR CERTAIN 2005 MODEL YEAR LEGACY AND OUTBACK VEHICLES, TO A NATIONAL RECALL FOR ALL 2005-2008 MODEL YEAR LEGACY AND OUTBACK VEHICLES. THE...
WQP-51RA — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT PROVIDES A GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION OF THE CURRENT WQM]49 TAKATA AIRBAG LIMITED REGIONAL RECALL.
WQL-48 — AIR BAGS
SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2004 SUBARU WRX
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the SUBARU WRX
- 2002 SUBARU WRX — 461 complaints
- 2003 SUBARU WRX — 65 complaints
- 2004 SUBARU WRX (current)
- 2005 SUBARU WRX — 24 complaints
- 2006 SUBARU WRX — 14 complaints
- 2007 SUBARU WRX — 0 complaints
- 2008 SUBARU WRX — 119 complaints
- 2009 SUBARU WRX — 72 complaints
Other SUBARU Models
- SUBARU OUTBACK — 12,068 total complaints
- SUBARU FORESTER — 8,432 total complaints
- SUBARU LEGACY — 4,117 total complaints
- SUBARU IMPREZA — 3,406 total complaints
- SUBARU CROSSTREK — 1,431 total complaints
- SUBARU ASCENT — 1,230 total complaints
- SUBARU SVX — 373 total complaints
- SUBARU XV CROSSTREK — 354 total complaints