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2019 Subaru WRX

Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

30 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Electrical system problems dominate (47% of complaints, typically reported near 20k miles).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)96
Severity (30%)100
Recall load (20%)87
Trend (10%)62

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20192026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2019 Subaru WRX, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miElectrical system~20k mi · 14 reportsEngine~72k mi · 11 reports

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

47%

14 complaints · typically near 20k mi · 3 in the last 2 years

fuel pump cut off intermeeting mager loss off power tech at subaru refuse to repair car has 72000 miles on well manetane

Engine

37%

11 complaints · typically near 72k mi · 4 in the last 2 years

fuel pump cut off intermeeting mager loss off power tech at subaru refuse to repair car has 72000 miles on well manetane

Fuel system

10%

3 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

fuel pump cut off intermeeting mager loss off power tech at subaru refuse to repair car has 72000 miles on well manetane

Transmission & drivetrain

7%

2 complaints

UNKNOWN - Car will occasionally not shift into 2nd gear, and will be able to engage every other gear other than second.

Recalls (2)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Exterior Lighting · 22V522000

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.

Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V587000

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. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2019 Subaru WRX beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2019? See how every WRX model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2019 Subaru WRX against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2019 Subaru WRX as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.