2013 Subaru Impreza Engine Problems
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2013 Subaru Impreza, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,800 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine cooling” (23% of reports).
- 74engine complaints
- 66,800median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 61%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine cooling: mentioned in 17 of 74 complaints (23%)
- Valve spring: mentioned in 8 of 74 complaints (11%)
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 7 of 74 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 37 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 74 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 3 a fire.
Subaru Impreza engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Impreza | 1 | 20% | 6,250 |
| 2024 Impreza | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2023 Impreza | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2022 Impreza | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2021 Impreza | 1 | 7% | 7,000 |
| 2020 Impreza | 3 | 4% | 10,000 |
| 2019 Impreza | 8 | 4% | 6,500 |
| 2018 Impreza | 11 | 7% | 26,000 |
| 2017 Impreza | 14 | 11% | 9,000 |
| 2016 Impreza | 3 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2015 Impreza | 10 | 13% | 31,500 |
| 2014 Impreza | 20 | 19% | 46,250 |
| 2013 Impreza | 74 | 30% | 66,800 |
| 2012 Impreza | 55 | 23% | 34,310 |
| 2011 Impreza | 3 | 5% | 20,125 |
| 2010 Impreza | 7 | 15% | 73,000 |
| 2009 Impreza | 13 | 13% | 98,000 |
| 2008 Impreza | 13 | 7% | 58,000 |
| 2007 Impreza | 8 | 12% | 73,120 |
| 2006 Impreza | 5 | 9% | 88,588 |
| 2005 Impreza | 5 | 7% | 90,000 |
| 2003 Impreza | 1 | 2% | 170,000 |
| 2002 Impreza | 3 | 1% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Subaru stutters stalls, torque converter malfunction
Vehicle Fire Summary â Arvada, CO On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], the Arvada Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on [XXX] . The vehicle involved was a 2013 gray Subaru Impreza WRX. The driver reported noticing smoke coming from the engine compartment before pulling over to…
engine failed while driving in 2020. Engine replaced. Engine unable to be repaired without another replacement Aug 2022-Jan 2023. Sold car back to dealer at a loss.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Subaru Imprezas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 74 owner complaints about engine for the 2013 Subaru Impreza (30% of the 249 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Subaru Impreza engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 66,800 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2013 Subaru Impreza?
The most frequent phrase is “engine cooling”, in 17 of 74 complaints, followed by “valve spring” (8).
Other 2013 Subaru Impreza problems
- Air Bags problems (79)
See all 2013 Subaru Impreza problems or engine problems across all Impreza years.