Subaru Impreza Lemon Law

The Impreza's best-known defect is excessive oil consumption. On many Imprezas the piston oil-control rings wear prematurely, letting oil seep into the combustion chamber and burn — some owners report losing close to a quart every 1,000 to 3,000 miles. Being told to simply keep adding oil isn't a real fix, and running low can starve and damage the engine over time.

The Impreza's Lineartronic CVT is the other frequent trouble spot. Owners report shuddering, whining or humming noises, slipping, and in some cases torque-converter or valve-body failures that can lead to hesitation, stalling when coming to a stop, or complete transmission failure. Subaru extended the CVT warranty on a large range of model years, which itself signals how widespread the concerns were.

California's Lemon Law covers a vehicle the manufacturer can't repair within a reasonable number of attempts, or that spends an unreasonable amount of time in the shop, while under warranty — whether the trouble is the engine, the transmission, or several defects stacked together. If your Impreza keeps going back for the same problem, you may be entitled to a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement, with Subaru paying your attorney fees.

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it's the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free repair. California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) comes into play when a substantial defect can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your Impreza has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days.

If your Subaru Impreza qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement — and Subaru pays your attorney fees on a successful claim, so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.