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Subaru Justy VIN Check

NHTSA holds 37 owner complaints on the Subaru Justy from 33 production runs; the worst run has 3, the typical one 1.1.

NHTSA complaint records · 37 complaints · 33 runs · 1988–1994 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported Justy run is JF1KA73AXKC (1989 builds) with 3 complaints, 2.7× the typical run. Seat belts problems make up 39% of reports; 1989 is the worst model year at 1.5 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for Justy model years 1987–1991.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Subaru Justy has 33 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 24% of every Justy complaint on file.

FIG.01·Subaru Justy — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
JF1KA73AXKC••••••19893——
JF1KA7224LB••••••19902——
JF2KA83A9MF••••••19912——
JF2KA83A9JD••••••19881——
JF1KA72A3JB••••••19881——
JF2KAH3A1GD••••••19881——
JF1KA73A5JB••••••19881——
JF1AC43B1KC••••••19891——
JF1KA73A2KC••••••19891——
JF1KA73A3KC••••••19891——
JF1KA722XRB••••••199411—
JF2KD83A3LF••••••19901——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 21 Justy runs has 1 complaint or fewer.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Subaru Justy the gap between build years is 1.5×: a 1989 car draws 1.5 complaints per run, a 1988 one 1.

FIG.02·Subaru Justy — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
1993144—
19911.1872
19901.11312—
19891.564—
1988144—
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 1989 at 1.5 complaints per run; lightest is 1988 at 1.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 39% of everything Subaru Justy owners report: Seat Belts, 14 of 37 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Subaru Justy — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Seat Belts141—
Power Train9——
Engine And Engine Cooling3——
Latches/locks/linkages2——
Suspension2——
Seats21—
Fuel System2——
Gasoline2——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 4 recall campaigns on the Subaru Justy; the 4 below cover build years 1987 to 1991. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Subaru Justy — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
95V103006Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly1987–1991
89V028000Power Train:manual Transmission1988–1989
88V052000Seat Belts1988
88V029000Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator1988
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

95V103006 was opened in 1995 on cars built from 1987: 8 years on the road before the recall.

The Justy against its rivals

The Justy draws 1.1 complaints per production run; the Ford Festiva 1.5. That is the lowest rate of the 2.

FIG.05·Subaru Justy VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Subaru Justy37331.18.1%
Ford Festiva116761.57.8%
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

Of the 37 reports on the Subaru Justy, 8.1% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, above the norm.

FIG.06·Subaru Justy — complaint severity
OutcomeSubaru JustyAll vehicles
Complaints filed371,115,966
Involved a crash3 (8.1%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire1 (2.7%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported458,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 40% above the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Subaru Justy share of that is 37 complaints over 33 runs, 0% of everything on record.

Everything on the Subaru Justy
Recalls12 campaignsFuel economy34 mpg bestReliability3.5/5Common problems50 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space10 cu ftWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car1987–1994

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Subaru Justy VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 37 NHTSA complaints from 33 Justy runs and 4 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which Justy production run has the most complaints?

JF1KA73AXKC, a 1989 build, with 3 complaints. The typical Justy run has 1.1.

Which Justy years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 1989 is heaviest at 1.5 complaints per run and 1988 lightest at 1.

Does the Justy get more complaints than the Ford Festiva?

No: 1.1 complaints per production run for the Justy against 1.5 for the Ford Festiva.

How many Justy complaints involve a crash?

8.1% of 37 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 1 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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