2013 Subaru OUTBACK

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Subaru OUTBACK has 406 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: 2013 subaru outback. consumer writes in regards to vehicle transmissions problems. *smd the consumer stated under certain conditions, there was a considerable delay in engine response when the accelerator was pressed. when driving normal speeds there was no problem. however, after letting the acc. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 25 crash reports 18 injuries

406

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

68 complaints

17%

• 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE DELAY IN ENGINE RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. WHEN DRIVING NORMAL SPEEDS THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AFTER LETTING THE ACC
• I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A ROUTINE REPAIR. WHEN I GOT IT BACK IT BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE CORRECTLY AND CHUGGED. THE ACCELERATION ABRUPTLY STOPPED AT A HIGH SPEED ON THE FREEWAY NEARLY CAUSING A SEVERE ACC
• AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE OFF, BUT THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE ON APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL. THE ENGINE REMAINED AT IDLE, AND THE CAR ROLLED SLOWLY INTO THE INTERSECTION. NOTHING I DID CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL I PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE ENGI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE DELAY IN ENGINE RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. WHEN DRIVING NORMAL SPEEDS THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AFTER LETTING THE ACC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

58 complaints

14%

• I BOUGHT A SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 LIMITED ON 9/29/12. THERE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT CLICKING NOISES DURING ACCELERATION AND WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, USUALLY WHEN NEAR OR ABOVE 38 MILES PER HOUR. THE CLICKING NOISES RANGE FOR LOW TO LOUD. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR OVER 1 WEEK. THE F
• MADE A TURN AND WAS HALFWAY DOWN THE BLOCK GOING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE LIT UP WITH ALL SORTS OF ANNUNCIATORS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SAFE LOCATION AND PARK. THE FOLLOWING ANNUNCIATORS WERE FLASHING; AT OIL TEMP, CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR, A
• TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A FULL STOP OR FROM A SLOW SPEED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITHIN FIRST MINUTE OR SO AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHEN ENGINE IS COLD (E.G. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING). FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, I WILL BEGIN DRIVING THE CAR WITHIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I BOUGHT A SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 LIMITED ON 9/29/12. THERE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT CLICKING NOISES DURING ACCELERATION AND WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, USUALLY WHEN NEAR OR ABOVE 38 MILES PER HOUR. THE CLICKING NOISES RANGE FOR LOW TO LOUD. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR OVER 1 WEEK. THE F”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

42 complaints

10%

• WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE TURNED ON. MY WIFE IS ROUGHLY 5'2" AND 120 LBS. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT THAT THE SENSORS CAN BE OVERLY SENSITIVE WITH SMALLER PEOPLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE BAG WILL NOT DE
• I WAS TRAVELING WEST BOUND IN THE FURTHEST RIGHT HAND LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 45-MPH ON LOS ANGELES AVE. ON 10/31/13 IN MOORPARK, CA AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 A.M. ON THURSDAY MORNING. A FULL-SIZE FORD F150 PICKUP TRUCK FAILED TO YIELD WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO THE ADJACENT SHOPPING CENTER. HE WAS TU
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE AND MAY NOT DEPLOY DURING A CRASH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THEY STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE TURNED ON. MY WIFE IS ROUGHLY 5'2" AND 120 LBS. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT THAT THE SENSORS CAN BE OVERLY SENSITIVE WITH SMALLER PEOPLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE BAG WILL NOT DE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

34 complaints

• DRIVING 55-60 MPH CAR CONTINUALLY "DRIFTED" OFF OF CENTER WHEN DRIVING, MOST NOTICEABLE ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD. CONSTANT CORRECTION AND RECORRECTION NEEDED TO KEEP VEHICLE IN ITS OWN DRIVING LANE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CLAIMED THERE ARE NO MECHANICAL ISSUES HOWEVER MANY ONLINE COMPLAIN
• OUR COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS 2013 OUTBACK SUBARU CONTINUES TO DRIFT. IT DOES NOT JUST DRIFT ONE WAY. YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CORRECTING TO KEEP IT IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD. THE FIRST TIME WE COMPLAINED THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT. THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE THEN ASK IF THEY CHECK THE TIRES. THEY
• THIS NEW VEHICLE HAS STEERING THAT TENDS TO WANDER FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE DRIVING ON VARIOUS TYPES OF ROADS. ON URBAN INTERSTATE TRAVEL IT IS NECESSARY TO BE VERY VIGILANT WHEN DRIVING IN THE LANES AS THE CAR WILL OFTEN HEAD FOR THE EDGE OF THE LANE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS TENDENCY IS BALANCED BETWEE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“DRIVING 55-60 MPH CAR CONTINUALLY "DRIFTED" OFF OF CENTER WHEN DRIVING, MOST NOTICEABLE ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD. CONSTANT CORRECTION AND RECORRECTION NEEDED TO KEEP VEHICLE IN ITS OWN DRIVING LANE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CLAIMED THERE ARE NO MECHANICAL ISSUES HOWEVER MANY ONLINE COMPLAIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

34 complaints

• THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM OVERRIDES THE SAFETY BACKUP CAMERA WITH MESSAGES WHEN THE CAR IS IN REVERSE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CAN DISPLAY A MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN AND COMPLETELY OBSCURE THE BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY WHILE BACKING UP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I START MY CAR AND BE
• EYE SIGHT SYSTEM. WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL THE ADAPTIVE SYSTEM SENSES THE AUTO IN FRONT OF YOUR CAR AND MAINTAINS A SET DISTANCE. THE AUTO THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME MOVED INTO A LEFT TURN LANE AND SLOWED TO TURN. MY CARS EYE SIGHT SYSTEM DETECTED THE CAR WAS STILL IN FRONT OF MINE AND EVEN THOUGH IT
• TRAVELING THROUGH DESMOINES IOWA AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM INSTRUCTED ME AUDIBLY TO EXIT HIGHWAY TO LEFT WHEN THERE WAS NO EXIT AND NO REASON FOR ME TO EXIT. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND SUBARU KNOWS THAT ITS NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS/WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM OVERRIDES THE SAFETY BACKUP CAMERA WITH MESSAGES WHEN THE CAR IS IN REVERSE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CAN DISPLAY A MESSAGE ON THE SCREEN AND COMPLETELY OBSCURE THE BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY WHILE BACKING UP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I START MY CAR AND BE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 406 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE DELAY IN ENGINE RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. WHEN DRIVING NORMAL SPEEDS THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AFTER LETTING THE ACC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I BOUGHT A SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 LIMITED ON 9/29/12. THERE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT CLICKING NOISES DURING ACCELERATION AND WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, USUALLY WHEN NEAR OR ABOVE 38 MILES PER HOUR. THE CLICKING NOISES RANGE FOR LOW TO LOUD. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR OVER 1 WEEK. THE F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE TURNED ON. MY WIFE IS ROUGHLY 5'2" AND 120 LBS. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT THAT THE SENSORS CAN BE OVERLY SENSITIVE WITH SMALLER PEOPLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE BAG WILL NOT DE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: DRIVING 55-60 MPH CAR CONTINUALLY "DRIFTED" OFF OF CENTER WHEN DRIVING, MOST NOTICEABLE ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD. CONSTANT CORRECTION AND RECORRECTION NEEDED TO KEEP VEHICLE IN ITS OWN DRIVING LANE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CLAIMED THERE ARE NO MECHANICAL ISSUES HOWEVER MANY ONLINE COMPLAIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)