<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001311241</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTERMOLECULAR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IMI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001338196</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Neely Rick</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O INTERMOLECULAR, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3011 NORTH FIRST STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP &amp; Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.001 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2017-02-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1145</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.0205</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>83601</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This sale was conducted as described in Footnote 2.  The shares were sold by the executing broker, and the Reporting Person was informed by the broker of the total number of shares sold for his account on February 28, 2017.  Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 16a-3(g)(2), the deemed execution date was February 28, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This sale was made as part of a &quot;sell to cover taxes&quot; arrangement in connection with the February 26, 2017 vesting of certain shares of restricted stock that the Reporting Person acquired pursuant to a restricted stock grant dated February 26, 2014.  The sale was made pursuant to 10b5-1 plan entered into by the Reporting Person.  No shares were withheld by or surrendered to the issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Rick Neely</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-03-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
