2015 Subaru WRX reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 Subaru WRX has 52 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 7 per year. That is more complaints per year than most WRX years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Switch, Wiring, and Turbocharger.

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (18 of 52), then Powertrain (18) and Electrical system (6). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2016

The 2016 WRX has 34 complaints, 5 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Subaru WRX. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall exterior lighting, backup lights, switch 2022-07-21 · NHTSA campaign 22V522000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.

Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.

Recall electrical system, wiring 2017-10-06 · NHTSA campaign 17V625000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 WRX and WRX/STI vehicles, equipped with an optional factory-installed subwoofer in the trunk. Items in the trunk may cause the subwoofer wiring to contact the subwoofer metal frame, possibly resulting in an electrical short.

Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the subwoofer wire, install a wire retainer clip, and, as necessary, replace the subwoofer, free of charge. The recall began October 31, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTQ-76.

Recall engine and cooling, engine, gasoline, turbocharger 2016-03-21 · NHTSA campaign 16V162000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.

Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.

Complaints by component (52 total)

Engine

Powertrain

Electrical system

Exterior lighting

Fuel and propulsion system

Structure

Air bags

Steering

Visibility and wipers

Seat belts

Speed control

Tires

Visibility

Show 5 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"My engine starting making like a clunking sound I always have took my car for service at the dealership i own the 2015 subaru wrx premium i haven’t move the car after the noise due to scare I might mess something with…"
Engine · filed 2024-03-05
"The contact owns a 2015 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was…"
Powertrain, Engine · filed 2023-12-20
"The secondary o2 pump will burn out or continue running causing unsafe risk to short circuit a fire. Recall has already been previously documented in the -2014 models however Subaru uses the same design and part number.…"
Engine · filed 2023-03-21
"Engine has rod knock present common amongst owners. Short block replaced under warranty at 55k miles. How can a stock engine with synthetic oil changes commonly fail? Flaws."
Engine · filed 2023-03-21
"I first noticed the car engine began making a loud ticking sound and significantly lost power as I exited the freeway heading toward my home after work. After towing the vehicle to the Subaru dealership, they tore apart…"
Powertrain, Engine · filed 2022-11-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2015 Subaru WRX 4 DR AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
WRX	2L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	All-wheel drive	21	28	24 MPG	$3300
WRX	2.5L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	All-wheel drive	17	23	19 MPG	$4200
WRX	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S8)	All-wheel drive	19	25	21 MPG	$3800

Specs and fitment

VA generation, 2015–2021

Body styles Sedan

Oil 5W-30 synthetic (FA20 turbo) , 5.1 qt capacity

Tire size 245/40R18, 245/35R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 22V522000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse. Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

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Next year 2016 Subaru WRX See every Subaru WRX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Subaru WRX reliable?

What are common problems with a 2015 Subaru WRX?

Is the 2015 Subaru WRX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 WRX has 34 complaints, 5 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Subaru WRX been recalled?

The 2015 Subaru WRX has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Subaru WRX?

Owners have filed 52 complaints about the 2015 Subaru WRX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Subaru WRX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Subaru WRX is 21.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Subaru WRX take?

VA (2015-2021 FA20 turbo) and VB (2022+ FA24 turbo) US models commonly use 5W-30 synthetic (about 5.1 qt VA; about 5.4 qt VB with filter).

Does NHTSA recall 22V522000 cover the Subaru WRX?

It covers certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles: the backup light switch may corrode and prevent the reverse lamps from illuminating; dealers replace the switch.

What generation is a 2020 Subaru WRX?

VA generation (2015-2021). The VB redesign starts in 2022.