2018 Subaru WRX: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
42 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 42 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 5.25
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Refused to change the rear catalyst due to a modification. I said I would return it back to the original factory tune and they said it was impossible and refused to do it. The tune physically wouldn’t stop them from changing the catalytic converter. They said that the ecu would let them. I can put the factory CID on the vehicle for the work to be done. The catalyst threshold is below efficiency and it’s their mista…
Subaru Orange Coast and Ocean Subaru of Fullerton refused to work on my recall due to my car has aftermarket parts not related to the recall. The dealership is very keen in extorting money to the naïve customers instead of fixing the safety issue with my car.
2/17/2026 Mileage 96,000 Subaru case number Case # 260217-2101937 Vehicle intermittently indicates reverse gear while driving forward at speed. Backup camera activates and reverse lights illuminate while in forward motion. This condition matches NHTSA Recall 22V-522000. The recall repair was previously performed but the safety defect persists. Manufacturer was contacted and declined further repair despite active s…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V522000 | Exterior Lighting:Back Up Lights:Switch | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. |
| 21V587000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 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 $3,700
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.
- Engine11 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System10 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other8 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering7 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Fuel/Propulsion System6 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Power Train6 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Subaru WRX years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Subaru WRX?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (11 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Subaru WRX a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 81/100, computed from 42 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Subaru WRX's most common problem?
11 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 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 2018 Subaru WRX cost to run per year?
About $5,589 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,948 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 2018 Subaru WRX have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Subaru WRX, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 21/07/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other sportss of about the same age.
What will a 2018 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.
Thin evidence — 42 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 42 NHTSA complaints on record (5.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (4.3/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality