2015 Subaru WRX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
52 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 52 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.73
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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 the engine
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 taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the drive belt, front drive axles, rear axle differential seals, and windshield washer reservoir. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not not…
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. My car Secondary o2 Pump was replaced under warrenty at 55k miles now at 90knmiles have the same CEL code.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V625000 | Electrical System:Wiring | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 WRX and WRX/STI vehicles, equipped with an optional factory-installed subwoofer in the trunk. |
| 16V162000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger | 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. |
| 22V522000 | Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights:Switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a sports car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine18 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train18 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System6 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other5 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Exterior Lighting5 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Subaru WRX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Subaru WRX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (18 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Subaru WRX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 52 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Subaru WRX's most common problem?
18 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Subaru WRX sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Subaru WRX cost to run per year?
About $5,899 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,495 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Subaru WRX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Subaru WRX, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/10/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other sportss of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Subaru WRX really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 52 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 52 NHTSA complaints on record (4.7/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (4.3/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems