2013 Subaru Impreza Problems, Recalls & Reliability
344 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Subaru Impreza, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 62,830 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2013 Subaru Impreza sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1997–1998, 2006, 2010.
Avoid
Where 2013 sits among all Impreza years
What owners report
“The front passenger airbag turns off when there is a passenger in the seat and the car is in motion.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Impreza
“Recall #18v-772, valve spring repair. On may 9, 2019 roger's subaru performed recall work on my 2013 impreza. Now my engine makes a loud knocking noise. This noise happens when driving & when stationary.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Impreza
“Key will not remove from the ignition. This is a known issue by Subaru but they refuse to correct it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Impreza
“Key won't come out of ignition. If steering wheel locks, key will not turn ignition or come out leaving me stranded for several minutes. This happens more and more frequently.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Impreza
“Check engine/break/ABS/traction control/ cruise control and AT OIL TEMP lights are all on. Now my back break lights are not working! Car jerks at times. Read on a few forms that this was an issue for Subaru Imprezas 2012 and up. There was also a recall on this issue on April 2019. Please have this…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Impreza
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 216 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 66,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 30,000 and 84,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
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…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Technical service bulletins
499 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2013 Subaru Impreza. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2013 Impreza TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2013 Subaru Impreza reliable?
The 2013 Subaru Impreza drew 344 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2013 Subaru Impreza problems?
The top reported problems for the 2013 Subaru Impreza are airbags (96 complaints), engine (76), and electrical (40).
At what mileage do 2013 Subaru Impreza problems show up?
Owners most often report 2013 Subaru Impreza problems around 66,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 30,000 and 84,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Subaru Impreza have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Subaru Impreza. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.