2013 Subaru Impreza Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Impreza years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 249 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Impreza. That ranks 2nd out of 32 Impreza model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (79 complaints, 32%), typically at around 57,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 7 fires, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 249owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Subaru Impreza problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 79 | 32% | 57,000 | “passenger seat” (63%) | — |
| Engine problems | 74 | 30% | 66,800 | “engine cooling” (23%) | — |
| Electrical System | 33 | 13% | 81,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 9% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 23 | 9% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 21 | 8% | 60,800 | — | — |
| Steering | 14 | 6% | 49,550 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 5% | 44,261 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 4% | 67,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 3% | 74,108 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% | 37,247 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 2% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 2% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 2% | 67,404 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 49,525 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 3,200 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 3,200 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 73,723 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Subaru Impreza recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: 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 light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
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 number for this recall is WUE-90.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: 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 malfunction or a possible engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
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 customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.
Electrical system
Problem: 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 injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Risk: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
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 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
Equipment; electrical system
Problem: 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 engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Risk: 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. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The brakes failed due to a leak in the brake lines (pedal to the floor). Location of the leak is just after a union on the passenger side rear (just in front of the rear tire). Location is not well protected from corrosion similar to other recalls for the wrx and sti version of the impreza. Image…
Subaru stutters stalls, torque converter malfunction
Air bags did not go off after a car accident with a commercial box truck, car seems to be totaled. Insurance is going to inspect vehicle to confirm it being totaled. No warning lights were on at the time. Just passed inspection a month a month ago.
A crack appeared in the area noted as the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) Gear Box housing Assembly. The dealership said it was in fact dangerous as it could affect the steering. My car has a distinct 'pull to the left' when the steering wheel is turned slightly left. The system is available for…
My steering is randomly lurching left. It has happened off and on intermittently since it started in early September 2025. It happens at various speeds, but currently only when turning the steering wheel slightly to the left.
Other Subaru Impreza years
← 2012 Impreza · 2014 Impreza →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Impreza | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 Impreza | 5 | 0 |
| 2024 Impreza | 32 | 2 |
| 2023 Impreza | 4 | 2 |
| 2022 Impreza | 13 | 1 |
| 2021 Impreza | 14 | 2 |
| 2020 Impreza | 85 | 1 |
| 2019 Impreza | 194 | 5 |
| 2018 Impreza | 151 | 5 |
| 2017 Impreza | 125 | 7 |
| 2016 Impreza | 75 | 1 |
| 2015 Impreza | 77 | 2 |
| 2014 Impreza | 108 | 3 |
| 2013 | 249 | 4 |
| 2012 Impreza | 243 | 6 |
| 2011 Impreza | 58 | 14 |
| 2010 Impreza | 46 | 15 |
| 2009 Impreza | 104 | 14 |
| 2008 Impreza | 176 | 14 |
| 2007 Impreza | 68 | 9 |
| 2006 Impreza | 56 | 10 |
| 2005 Impreza | 75 | 6 |
| 2004 Impreza | 96 | 8 |
| 2003 Impreza | 62 | 6 |
| 2002 Impreza | 292 | 6 |
| 2001 Impreza | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 Impreza | 41 | 0 |
| 1999 Impreza | 22 | 0 |
| 1998 Impreza | 30 | 0 |
| 1997 Impreza | 30 | 0 |
| 1996 Impreza | 20 | 0 |
| 1995 Impreza | 46 | 1 |
See all Subaru Impreza problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Subaru Impreza?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 79 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Subaru Impreza?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Subaru Impreza a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Impreza model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.