2013 Subaru Outback problems and recalls
Owner complaints on the 2013 Subaru Outback include 1 fatality report, 18 crashes and 6 fires across 296 filings.
296
Complaints
12
Recalls
18
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
13
Injuries
79.0
Severity index
Severity index 79.0 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.
Ranked 45 of 145 by severity index among 2013 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 69% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2013 ranking.
Components cited in complaints
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 67 | 22.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 59 | 19.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 42 | 14.2% |
| STEERING | 34 | 11.5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 26 | 8.8% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 25 | 8.4% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 24 | 8.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 23 | 7.8% |
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 42 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 27 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 28 |
| 2019 | 56 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 6 |
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.6x those in 2020 to 2022 (29 against 51).
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V008000 | 09/01/2019 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, |
| 19V007000 | 09/01/2019 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texa |
| 18V626000 | 13/09/2018 | PARKING BRAKE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear w |
| 19V009000 | 09/01/2019 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michi |
| 20V003000 | 02/01/2020 | 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, Conne |
| 20V002000 | 02/01/2020 | 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, |
| 20V001000 | 02/01/2020 | 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, Flo |
| 19V297000 | 11/04/2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as |
| 18V012000 | 09/01/2018 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Te |
| 16V694000 | 27/09/2016 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy vehicles manufactured November 26, 2008, to June 7, 2013, and 2010-2014 Outback vehicles manufactured January 9, 2009 to June 7, 2013. Due to contamination, components within the windshield wiper m |
| 13V061000 | 25/02/2013 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote |
| 13V194000 | 13/05/2013 | STEERING | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2013 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from February 15, 2012, through June 15, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the inner and outer shafts of the steering column assembly may become disengaged from one another. |
Other Subaru Outback model years
Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 14 years side by side.
- 2012sev 62.5
- 2014sev 93.8
- 2015sev 48.4
- 2016sev 36.5
- 2017sev 40.0
- 2018sev 38.0
- 2019sev 27.6
- 2020sev 21.2
- 2021sev 34.1
- 2022sev 30.8
- 2023sev 65.1
- 2025sev 55.1
- 2026sev 64.6
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.