Is the 2013 Subaru Outback a bad year?
297 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 60, 5× a quiet Outback year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 5× the complaints of a quiet Outback year, spread over 43k–120k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2013 Outback owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 101,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 60 (20%) | 43k–120k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 68 (23%) | 18k–90k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 42 (14%) | 31k–76k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 34 (11%) | 0k–13k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 26 (9%) | 5k–47k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 25 (8%) | 16k–98k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 23 (8%) | 15k–93k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 15 (5%) | 9k–49k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 14 (5%) | 29k–63k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 8 (3%) | 28k–81k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Suspension | 15 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 11 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Parking brake | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 101,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 297 complaints: 18 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 14 say the car was towed.
7 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
While driving at very low speeds between 10-20 MPH, usually in front of a school in session, the speed surges from the current speed to a lower speed back to the same speed.
Loud noise when making a sharp turn down hill to the right. Also traction control/cvt fails on wet surface or snow.
Vehicle was in motion at at a consistent speed of around 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled and suddenly stopped. The gas pedal was unresponsive and the vehicle would not move.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 101,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2013 Subaru Outback: 12
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine. The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked. A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to contamination, components within the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If an obstruction, such as a buildup of snow or ice prevents the wiper arms from being able to stop in the parked position, the wiper motor may overheat and the bottom cover may melt. If the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers may fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the wiper motor cover may melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
In the affected vehicles, the inner and outer shafts of the steering column assembly may become disengaged from one another. If the shafts become disengaged, the driver would lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button. The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Subaru: 236
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 Subaru Outback. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Manual Correction to the diagnostic procedure for DTC B2A16 (Immobilizer Key Collation Diagnosis)
Diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines
Diagnostic flow along with an IMPORTANT caution to follow for certain CVT solenoid related DTCs as listed
Neighbouring years
2012 Outback: 295 complaints, consider selling · 2014 Outback: 208 complaints, keep it.
Every Subaru Outback year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Outback years side by side
Other Subaru models: Subaru Ascent · Subaru Crosstrek · Subaru Forester · Subaru Impreza · Subaru Legacy · Subaru WRX · Subaru XV Crosstrek. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2013 Subaru Outback a bad year?
297 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 60, 5× a quiet Outback year. At 101,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 5× the complaints of a quiet Outback year, spread over 43k–120k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Subaru Outback?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (60), engine (68), air bags (42), steering (34), speed control (26). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 43k–120k miles.
How many recalls does the 2013 Subaru Outback have?
12 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 20V-003), Air bags (NHTSA 20V-002), Air bags (NHTSA 20V-001), Electrical system (NHTSA 19V-297) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.