2013 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
27/100
#12 most-complained of 16 Outback years
The 2013 Subaru Outback ranks 12th worst out of 16 model years, with a complaint index of 27 and a 'Good' verdict relative to other Outback years. NHTSA lists 297 complaints and 12 recalls, with Engine problems the top category at 30% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 297
- Recalls
- 12
- Crashes / fires
- 18 / 6
- Injuries / deaths
- 13 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 28 hwy
Top 2013 Subaru Outback problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine88 (30%)
- Transmission & Powertrain60 (20%)
- Airbags42 (14%)
- Steering34 (11%)
- Brakes33 (11%)
- Electrical System29 (10%)
- Other27 (9%)
- Structure & Body22 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires21 (7%)
- Fuel System15 (5%)
What owners report
- Owners report unintended acceleration events, including one where the car lurched forward in a parking space and struck a building.
- Some describe the engine suddenly revving on its own at slow speeds or while braking.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in several low-speed crashes, including one where a driver's foot got wedged between pedals.
- One owner reported the front wiper motor caught fire while the wipers were in motion and would not shut off.
- A separate case involved a car catching fire from the passenger seat area after an electrical drain issue was serviced at a dealership.
- Owners also describe losing steering control on a downhill incline in wet conditions, sliding into a post and a wall.
2013 Subaru Outback recalls
12 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
- NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
2013 Subaru Outback fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Subaru Outback reliable?
- Relative to other Outback model years, the 2013 is rated 'Good' with a complaint index of 27, ranking 12th worst out of 16 years tracked. It has fewer complaints (297) than several later years like 2017-2020.
- What is the most common problem with the 2013 Subaru Outback?
- Engine issues are the top complaint category, making up 30% of complaints (88 total), with a median failure mileage of 30,000 miles.
- Does the 2013 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 12 recalls for the 2013 Outback, mostly involving Airbags, plus recalls for Electrical System and Brakes components. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2013 Outback compare to other years?
- The 2013 Outback's complaint index of 27 is lower than 2011 (60), 2015 (53), 2016 (67), 2017 (87), 2018 (80), 2019 (100), and 2020 (93), all of which carry Caution or Avoid verdicts.