2013 Subaru Outback Reliability
The 2013 Subaru Outback has 297 owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby Outback model years (2011–2015), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Outback's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
297
NHTSA owner complaints
12
Recall campaigns
18
Complaints citing a crash
6
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Subaru Outback complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2012 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 67 | 23% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 60 | 20% |
| Air bags | 42 | 14% |
| Steering | 34 | 11% |
| Speed control / throttle | 26 | 9% |
| Service brakes | 25 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 24 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 23 | 8% |
2013 Subaru Outback recalls
12 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13V061000 | Feb 25, 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… |
| 13V194000 | May 13, 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. |
| 16V694000 | Sep 27, 2016 | Visibility / wipers — 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… |
| 18V012000 | Jan 9, 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,… |
| 18V626000 | Sep 13, 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… |
| 19V008000 | Jan 9, 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… |
| 19V007000 | Jan 9, 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,… |
| 19V009000 | Jan 9, 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,… |
| 19V297000 | Apr 11, 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… |
| 20V003000 | Jan 2, 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… |
| 20V002000 | Jan 2, 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… |
| 20V001000 | Jan 2, 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… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby Outback years
Verdicts compare these Outback model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 653 | 16 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2012 | 295 | 16 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2013 (this page) | 297 | 12 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 208 | 10 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2015 | 509 | 5 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Subaru Outback
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 12 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Subaru Outback can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Subaru Outback reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Subaru Outback reliable?
The 2013 Subaru Outback has 297 owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby Outback model years (2011–2015), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Outback's typical year.
What are the most common 2013 Subaru Outback problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Subaru Outback are engine (67), powertrain / transmission (60), air bags (42), steering (34). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Subaru Outback have recalls?
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2013 Subaru Outback, including 13V061000 (electrical system) and 13V194000 (steering). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Subaru Outback compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 295 complaints and 16 recalls (avoid); the 2014 has 208 complaints and 10 recalls (caution). The 2013 has 297 complaints and 12 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Subaru Outback?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Subaru Outback research
Other Subaru Outback model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 Outback, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.