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The short version
- A WRX wheel bearing depends on whether the car is a WRX or an STi, which take different front numbers.
- 513302 is cited for the STi front from 2008 through 2014. 513303 covers the WRX and base cars for the same span.
- Two numbers that circulate on WRX listings, 513413 and 512518, belong to the Impreza family and never fit a WRX.
- Until 2015 the WRX was sold as a trim of the Impreza, so the catalogs file it under that name, not its own.
Until 2014 this was a trim level on the Impreza. After that it became its own model with its own brochure.
The parts catalogs had already been filing it apart from the ordinary Impreza for years, under the WRX name inside the Impreza section.
Two numbers that do not belong on this page
513413 never appears against a WRX in the catalogs. It is a Crosstrek, Impreza and Forester number.
The genuine WRX front from 2015 through 2018 is 513358 instead. 512518 has the same problem at the rear, since it is a 2.0i Impreza and Crosstrek number.
The genuine WRX rear for 2015 through 2018 is 512536. Both wrong numbers keep showing up because the cars share a parts family.
Match the number against the WRX specific catalog rows. Do not trust whatever an Impreza page prints, even when it looks close.
WRX and STi are not the same
513302 is cited for the STi front from 2008 through 2014, where ordinary WRX and base cars take 513303 for the same years.
The STi runs a stronger drivetrain and larger brakes. That needs a different knuckle, and the hub follows the knuckle.
Read the badge and confirm the old part’s number. Both checks matter on a car this easy to misorder for.
WRX wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 to 2018 | Front, all trims | 513358 check price |
| 2017 to 2018 | Rear, STi and STi Limited | 513358 check price |
| 2015 to 2018 | Rear, Base, Limited, Premium and Sport | 512536 check price |
| 2014 | Rear, WRX variants | 512402 check price |
| 2008 to 2014 | Front, STi | 513302 check price |
| 2008 to 2014 | Front, WRX and base cars | 513303 check price |
| 2008 to 2014 | Rear, WRX and STi | 512401 check price |
| 2005 to 2014 | Front, STi | WE60479 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Rear, STi, turbocharged | WE60344 check price |
| 2002 to 2007 | Front, WRX, sold as an Impreza trim | WE60630 check price |
| 2002 to 2007 | Rear, WRX, non STi | WE60345 check price |
Lookups run through the cross reference page, and the base car is on the front versus rear page.
Every model year this chart resolves: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
513358 is the front number for every 2015 through 2018 WRX trim. It is also the rear number, but only on the 2017 and 2018 STi.
Do not collapse that into one row. A base or Limited 2018 car needs 513358 up front and 512536 at the rear, two different numbers on the same car.
Searching for a WRX wheel bearing before 2015
Because this was an Impreza trim through 2014, listings and forum threads from that era file it that way. Searching “WRX” alone in a catalog misses that data entirely.
Search under both names for anything from 2002 through 2014. A listing filed under Impreza WRX and one filed under WRX may be the same part with different traffic.
The engine grew too, from a 2.0 liter turbo through 2005 to a 2.5 liter turbo from 2006 on. The rear number, WE60345, stayed the same through that change.
Do not assume the bigger engine calls for a different bearing. It does not, on this row.
What these get used for
These are bought to be driven hard. Side loading in corners is far worse for a bearing than mileage is.
Track days, autocross and rally stages all load the races in ways a commute never does. So does an aggressive alignment.
Static negative camber is the quiet one. It works the inner races on every drive rather than in one event.
Those loads are why matching the exact number matters more here than on a commuter car. A wrong part on a hard driven WRX fails faster, not just louder.
What that failure looks like from the driver’s seat is on the failure page.
The Subaru knuckle still applies
The hub sits in a bare metal knuckle bore at a tight tolerance. Water reaches it, and corrosion locks the two together over the years.
Clean the bore back to bare metal before fitting a new hub. Measure it too, since a bore that has worn oversized will not hold a new hub snug.
Do not lubricate the bore itself. The dry friction there is what resists creep once the new hub is seated.
Diagnosing a WRX wheel bearing
- Establish WRX or STi before ordering anything.
- Search under Impreza too on anything from 2002 through 2014.
- Check the number against the WRX rows, not an Impreza listing that looks close.
- Ask about track use and alignment settings.
- Weave at road speed and note the loaded direction.
The general method is on the checking page. Ruling out the tires first is on the tire noise page.
Pricing the job once the corner and the number are both confirmed runs through the quote page.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Is an STi wheel bearing different from a WRX one?
At the front yes, 2008 through 2014. 513302 is cited for the STi where ordinary cars take 513303.
Does 513413 fit a WRX?
No. It is a Crosstrek and Impreza number. A 2015 through 2018 WRX front takes 513358 instead.
Does 512518 fit a WRX rear?
No. That is a 2.0i Impreza number. The genuine 2015 through 2018 WRX rear is 512536, or 513358 on the STi.
Why do listings say Impreza on an older car?
The WRX was sold as an Impreza trim through 2014. Search both names for those years.
Do I need a press?
On most of these, yes. That is part of why neither end is cheap on this car.