Subaru class action: the WRX engine lawsuit and who could get paid

What the Subaru class action claims

The case is Amato et al. v. Subaru of America, Inc., No. 1:18-cv-16118, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, with Judge Karen M. Williams as the trial judge. A second suit, Aquino v. Subaru of America (No. 1:22-cv-00990), filed February 28, 2022, was consolidated with it. Both are proposed class actions against Subaru of America and Subaru Corporation.

The owners say the engines in 2009 through 2018 Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STi cars have components that let the piston ringlands fail early. Ringlands are the narrow bands of a piston that hold its sealing rings. The complaint calls this the Piston Ringlands Defect and says it can wreck an engine and cost roughly $5,000 to $6,500 or more to fix. They also say Subaru knew and kept quiet. Their claims are state consumer-protection and misrepresentation claims, argued state by state.

These are allegations, not findings, and Subaru has not been found liable.

Who is in the proposed class

The suit is for people who bought or leased a 2009 through 2018 model-year Subaru Impreza WRX or WRX STi. The groups are built state by state, because each state's consumer law is different, and the named owners come from a handful of states. We could not confirm from public sources which state groups the court has certified, if any, so don't assume you're in one.

Other Subaru models aren't part of this case. A class only counts once a judge certifies it, and a certified class is defined by the judge, not by a law firm's web page. Our guide to what happens after a class action is certified explains that step.

Where the case stands

It's old and it's contested. The owners asked the court to certify classes on April 30, 2024, and Subaru opposed on July 15, 2024. On November 24, 2025 the district court issued an order that Subaru is now challenging in the Third Circuit. The two appeals, Nos. 26-1277 and 26-1328, were consolidated on February 20, 2026, and the briefs were in by mid-summer. The last filing we could see on the public docket was on August 5, 2026.

Subaru, not the owners, is the one appealing. Federal rules let an appeals court take an early appeal of a class-certification ruling if it chooses to. This appeal came in through a miscellaneous docket (No. 25-8041), and the owners had asked for certification in 2024, which suggests the order certified classes at least in part. We couldn't open the order to confirm that, so treat it as unconfirmed.

What could happen next, and how long it takes

The Third Circuit can uphold the order, reverse it or send it back to the trial court. Decisions often take several months after the briefs are in, and longer if the court schedules argument. Whatever happens, the case then returns to the trial court, where the sides can ask for judgment without a trial, settle, or go to trial. This case is already nearly eight years old, so patience is the realistic plan.

If it ends in a settlement, a judge has to approve it and notice has to go out before anyone can file a claim. For the general mechanics, see how a class action works from start to finish.

Could you get paid?

Not today. There is no fund, no claim form and no deadline. The owners seek money damages, but nothing has been decided. Engine-defect deals tend to look like Subaru's last big one: the EyeSight settlement extended warranty coverage and reimbursed 75% of the invoice for one covered repair, and you needed the repair paperwork to claim it.

That's why records matter now. If your WRX or WRX STi has had engine trouble, repair invoices, diagnoses and anything Subaru or a dealer paid are the evidence a future claim would ask for. See what counts as proof and how auto defect settlements usually pay.

How this differs from the Subaru EyeSight settlement

Searches for a Subaru class action often land on the EyeSight settlement, which is a different case. It covers certain 2013–2024 Subaru models with the EyeSight driver-assist system, not WRX engines. Per the official site, the court approved it in November 2025, the claim deadline of September 27, 2025 has passed, and payments follow once any appeals are resolved.

How to get notified if it settles

Settlement notices usually go to the email and mailing addresses in the company's or the dealer's records, so keep your contact details current with Subaru and your dealer. If a claim form opens, filing directly with the settlement administrator will be free. Our guide to getting notified of class action settlements covers the options.

Owed finds the settlements you may qualify for, explains them in plain English, opens the official claim form, reminds you before deadlines and tracks each claim to payout. You submit any claim yourself. Tap Notify me on Owed's Subaru page and Owed will email you if a settlement opens claims. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. You can also take the eligibility quiz or browse open settlements you can claim now. This is general information, not legal advice. Owed isn't a law firm or a settlement administrator, and courts and administrators decide who qualifies and what they receive.

Glossary

Piston ringlands

The narrow bands of a piston that hold its sealing rings. The lawsuit says they fail early in WRX and WRX STi engines.

Class certification

The court ruling that lets a lawsuit go forward for a whole group of owners instead of only the named plaintiffs.

Subclass

A smaller group inside a class, often one state's buyers, because state consumer laws differ.

Consolidated cases

Separate lawsuits combined so one judge handles them together. Amato and Aquino are consolidated.

Appellant

The side asking an appeals court to change a lower-court ruling. In these appeals that is Subaru.

EyeSight

Subaru's camera-based driver-assist system. It is the subject of a different settlement.

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