3rd-Gen Subaru WRX (2008-2014) Owner's Hub

Common problems, ranked by how-screwed-you-are

1. 1. Ringland failure (tuned or detonation-prone cars)

   catastrophic

   The EJ255 and EJ257 run cast pistons that crack at the second ringland under detonation. 91+ octane is non-negotiable, and any car running a tune without datalogs to prove it should be priced as if the engine is already broken. Symptoms: misfire on cylinder 4, blue smoke, compression loss. Fix is a short block, $4,000-$7,000 installed.

   Years affected: 2008-2014

2. 2. Oil consumption (turbo seal and PCV path)

   expensive

   Important: the 2016 Subaru oil-consumption class-action settlement covered FB25-equipped Forester, Outback, Legacy, and FB20-equipped Impreza and Crosstrek. The turbo EJ255/EJ257 in the WRX and STI was not part of the suit. WRX oil consumption is real but mechanism-different: failing turbo shaft seals on high-mile units plus a PCV system that pulls oil mist into the intake. A quart per 1,500-3,000 miles is common past 80k. Diagnose with a measured 1,200-mile check before throwing parts at it.

   Years affected: 2008-2014

3. 3. Oil pickup tube cracking (tracked cars)

   expensive

   The factory pickup tube is held to the oil pump by two small welds that crack under sustained high-RPM lateral load. A starved bearing rod-knocks the engine in minutes. Tracked or autocrossed cars need an updated tube and the welds reinforced, ideally before the first event. $200 part, $600-$1,000 labor with the pan dropped.

   Years affected: 2008-2014

4. 4. AVCS solenoid clogging

   annoying

   The variable-cam-timing solenoid clogs with oil sludge and causes a 3,000-4,000 rpm hesitation or flat spot. The fix is pulling the solenoid (one bolt), spraying it out with brake cleaner, and reinstalling. $5 of brake clean and 20 minutes. Replace at the dealer if you want to spend $150 instead.

   Years affected: 2008-2014

5. 5. Brake-line corrosion (recall 14V-311)

   annoying

   Salt-belt WRX and STI brake lines corrode where the line passes a gap in the fuel-tank protector. Subaru campaign WQK-47 (NHTSA 14V-311) covers inspection and anti-corrosion treatment, or full four-line replacement if any line is leaking. The recall is still open and a Subaru dealer will honor it on a covered VIN.

   Years affected: 2008-2014

Year-by-year notes

2008

New chassis: WRX gets the narrow-body GE sedan and GH hatch. EJ255 makes 224 hp and 226 lb-ft. STI launches as a hatch only, on the wider GR body, at 305 hp.

2009

WRX bumped to 265 hp via a larger turbo, bigger exhaust, and a low-density catalyst. The year the WRX got fast.

2010

STI Special Edition (125 units, Aspen White with charcoal 18-inch wheels). WRX Limited trim added mid-year on the narrow body. Last full year of the GE/GH WRX before the 2011 widebody.

2011

Widebody refresh for the WRX: GR hatch and GV sedan replace GE/GH. STI sedan added (first time the STI was sold as a four-door in the US since 2007). The STI hatch keeps the GR body it has had since 2008.

2012

Carryover mechanically. The Subaru FB25/FB20 oil-consumption settlement does NOT cover the WRX/STI, no matter what the forum drama says.

2013

Orange and Black Special Edition: 100 STI and 200 WRX units, all in Tangerine Orange Pearl with black wheels and black accents. WRX otherwise carryover.

2014

Final year of the EJ-powered WRX and the GR hatch. Both bodystyles end here; the 2015+ VA car is sedan-only with the FA20DIT, and the STI keeps the EJ257 in the new VAB sedan body.

Trim decoder

• WRX Base (2008-2014)

  Cloth seats, base alloys, the cheapest way into the EJ255. Five-speed manual standard, four-speed automatic optional and forgettable.

• WRX Premium (2008-2014)

  Sunroof, upgraded audio, heated seats. The volume trim and the one most people actually bought.

• WRX Limited (2010-2014)

  Added mid-gen for 2010 (still narrow-body), carried through the 2011 widebody refresh. Leather, navigation, the works. Sedan and hatch.

• STI (2008-2014)

  EJ257, 6-speed, DCCD center diff, Brembos, wider track. Hatch through 2014; sedan added 2011.

• STI Limited (2011-2014)

  Sedan only. Leather, sunroof, smaller rear wing for people who didn't want the park-bench spoiler.

Frame recall lookup

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The 3rd generation WRX board

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FAQ

Will my 2008 WRX blow up like everyone says?

Not if it's stock and you feed it 91+ octane. The ringland-failure stories that dominate the forums are almost all tuned cars, cars that knocked on low-octane gas, or cars that ran out of fuel pressure under boost. A stock EJ255 on premium with clean oil-change history will run 150,000+ miles. The risk is buying a car with an undisclosed tune, no datalogs, and a previous owner who tracked it. If the car has aftermarket engine management (Cobb Accessport, OpenSource, EcuTek), ask for the logs. No logs, walk away.

Is the Subaru oil consumption settlement covering my WRX or STI?

No. The 2016 class-action settlement covered the FB25-equipped Forester (2011-2014), Outback (2013-2014), and Legacy (2013-2014), the FB20-equipped Impreza (2012-2013), and the FB20-equipped Crosstrek (2013). The WRX and STI use the turbo EJ255/EJ257 engine, which was not part of the suit. WRX oil consumption is a real phenomenon, but it's a turbo-seal and PCV problem, not a covered ring-design problem, and the fix is on you.

Can I run a thicker oil than 5W-30 like my tuner suggests?

Subaru specs 5W-30 full synthetic (ILSAC GF-5 or newer) across the whole 3rd-gen run, WRX and STI. The race-oil crowd will push you toward 5W-40 or 10W-40 for tracked cars, and on a built motor with rebuilt clearances that is a defensible call. On a stock motor, 5W-30 is what the bearings and the AVCS solenoid are designed for, and going thicker hurts cold-start protection and AVCS response. Stock car: 5W-30. Built motor with documented bearing clearances: whatever your engine builder specs.

Hatch or sedan, which holds value better?

Hatch, especially the STI. The 2008-2014 GH/GR hatchback is the only hatchback version of the WRX ever sold in the US, and it's the chassis that defines this generation in the enthusiast community. Clean hatches trade at a 15-25 percent premium over equivalent sedans. The 2011-2014 widebody STI sedan is rare and tracks closer to hatch values; the 2008-2010 narrow-body STI sedan does not exist (STI was hatch-only those years).

WRX or STI for daily driving?

WRX. The STI's clutch is heavy, the ride is firmer, the gearing is shorter, and the fuel economy is 2-3 mpg worse. On a commute, the WRX is the one you want, and it's $8,000-$15,000 cheaper used. Get the STI if you want the DCCD center diff, the Brembos, and the extra 40 horsepower, and you're willing to live with all of the above. For an enthusiast daily that occasionally sees a back road, the WRX is the right answer.

Is the 4-speed automatic WRX worth buying?

No. The 4EAT in the WRX is a dated 4-speed slushbox that costs the car 30+ horsepower at the wheels and ruins the throttle response that makes the EJ255 fun. Resale on auto WRX cars is roughly 25-35 percent below manual equivalents. The only reason to buy one is if it's the only WRX in your budget and you physically cannot drive a manual. The STI was never available as an automatic in this generation.