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2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Impreza WRX STI.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is a passenger car whose engine requires 4.5 quarts of 0W-20 API oil for routine service — a maintenance detail worth noting for anyone researching or owning one. On the reliability front, this model year carries a substantial complaint record: 239 owner complaints logged, with air bags ranking as the top complaint area, alongside six recalls. That history places the 2012 among the more problematic years in the WRX STI lineage, meaning prospective owners should prioritize verifying recall completion and airbag system status before committing to any example.

Model year201420132012201120102009

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque74-89 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.3 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase103.1 in
Curb weight3384 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 74-89 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.7 Pints
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · GL-5

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs13 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts44 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts44 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts6 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts29.5 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts29.5 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts74-89 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug17.0-20.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub162 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub140 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Injector Primary Resistance12.0 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12.0 ohms
Engine Compression148-185 psi. 7 variance psi.
Engine Oil Pressure14 psi @ 600 rpm, 43 psi @ 5000

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket59 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket114 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle48 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle49 ft-lbs
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.944 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.944 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 167.4 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 8 stages
121.4 ft. lbs.21.4 ft. lbs
273.8 ft. lbs.73.8 ft. lbs
3Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
4Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
531 ft. lbs.31 ft. lbs
678-82 degrees.78–82 degrees
7Bolts 1, 273–77 degrees
86, 5, 4, 328–32 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 8 stages

Prep MFI and SFI

121.4 ft. lbs.21.4 ft. lbs
273.8 ft. lbs.73.8 ft. lbs
3Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
4Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
531 ft. lbs.31 ft. lbs
678-82 degrees.78–82 degrees
7Bolts 1, 273–77 degrees
86, 5, 4, 328–32 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 8 stages

Prep MFI and SFI

121.4 ft. lbs.21.4 ft. lbs
273.8 ft. lbs.73.8 ft. lbs
3Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
4Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.180 degrees
531 ft. lbs.31 ft. lbs
678-82 degrees.78–82 degrees
7Bolts 1, 273–77 degrees
86, 5, 4, 328–32 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30-3522 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 1,200 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 1,200 miEngine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 6,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
Every 7,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 12,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 15,000 miClutch Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miFuel Line (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 36,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Injector (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 75,000 miFuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI dominate in one area — the air bags, 76 of 239 reports (32%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 10 of the reports describe a crash and 4 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
474
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
239
Owner complaints
10 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 239 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags76
Engine39
Power Train18
Air Bags,Seats9
Steering7
Electrical System6
Vehicle Speed Control6
Service Brakes5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 474 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SubaruNet Announcement2025-07-16Electrical SystemThis OTA is released to address Telematic functions that may stop working after a certain…
10-105-25R2025-07-10Electrical System"This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air…
SubaruNet Annoucement2025-06-27Unknown Or OtherThis announcment provides information on the release of the latest software updates to…
SubaruNet Announcement (S2025-06-24Unknown Or OtherThis announcement is to bring attention to the OTA for In-vehicle service appointment…
15-251-19R2025-06-24Electrical SystemThis Bulletin provides additional diagnostics to follow when addressing a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Impreza WRX STI. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 35 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 Impreza WRX STI take?

4.5 qt of SYNTHETIC 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Impreza WRX STI have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.