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Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2013 Subaru OutbackRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls and 297 owner complaints for the 2013 Subaru Outback. Most complaints involve engine (67) and power train (60). The EPA rates it 20–26 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

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Combined MPG
20–26mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
12campaigns
Latest Jan 2020
Owner complaints
297
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,450est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

12 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." 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.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V003000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." 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.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V002000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." 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.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V001000
See all 12 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

297 complaints filed with NHTSA · Oct 2012 – Sep 2026
  1. Engine67
  2. Power train60
  3. Air bags42
  4. Steering34
  5. Vehicle speed control26
  6. Electrical system23
  7. Service brakes23
  8. Suspension15
  9. Fuel/propulsion system12

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Outback model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2005273
2006281
2007130
2008230
2009112
2010360
2011653
2012295
2013297
2014208
2015509
2016642
2017921
2018816
20191,036
2020905
2021299
2022465
202389
20242
202583
202621
Crashes reported
18
Fires reported
6
Injuries reported
13
Deaths reported
1
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

67 reports1 crash1 fire
“I purchased this car may 28th 2025 and had it over the weekend and check engine light came on and took it Monday once shop opened and came back for catalytic converter and o2 sensor I letted the dealership know about it and said its not much that i can fix it but I figured would say that since was a as is car and just had to come up with money... only thing month later it stalled on me and had to take to a shop to see what it is and came back for transmission but that shop told me the car never should have been sold I never try to let them know about that its been sitting since July when that happened I been trying to talk to consumer protection services but Noone willed to help but since last year was so rough I just wanted to try again once year is up”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2026Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11708999

Power train

60 reports
“The CVT transmission in my 2013 Subaru Outback failed at approximately 93,000 miles. Approximately three weeks prior to the failure, I noticed an unusual sound while driving, but no other symptoms were apparent at that time, so I continued monitoring it. On the day of the failure, the rear tires began hopping and I lost acceleration while driving. Fortunately, this occurred while I was on my driveway, so I did not need to continue driving further. I parked the vehicle there and had it towed to my mechanic, and later to Rairdon Subaru of Auburn (WA), where the failure was diagnosed by their service department. The vehicle is available for inspection there. This loss of power and erratic rear-end behavior created a safety risk, as the same failure occurring while driving on a road could have affected the vehicle's ability to accelerate and respond predictably in traffic. This is a known issue: Subaru's own Technical Service Bulletin 16-107-17R acknowledges CVT transmission problems in 2010–2015 model year Outbacks and other models, and extended the powertrain warranty coverage for this issue to 10 years or 100,000 miles. My vehicle has only about 93,000 miles,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 18, 2026Power trainODI 11765336

Air bags

42 reports10 crashes1 fire
“Not really sure, I don’t remember. It’s a wooded area , lots of deer etc. But I honestly don’t remember I saw my car It it fully intact , all doors , hood,trunk Open, car starts too Only front drivers wheel is bent in and lowest part of front bumper needs repair”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2026Air bags, WheelsCrash reportedODI 11742914
All 2013 Outback problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 3.6L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Manual 6-spd · Automatic (S5)
Drive
All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Outback AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
243026$2,450341
Outback AWD
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
212824$2,700375
Outback AWD
Auto (S5), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive
182420$3,200443
  • Outback AWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    24 city · 30 hwy · $2,450/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • Outback AWD
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    21 city · 28 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
  • Outback AWD
    Auto (S5), 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 24 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Subaru Outback SUV AWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
17.4%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 7189
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2013 Outback questions

How many recalls does the 2013 Subaru Outback have?

12 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2013 Subaru Outback problems?

Owners filed 297 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (67), power train (60), air bags (42). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2013 Subaru Outback get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Subaru Outback at 20–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

How safe is the 2013 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2013 Subaru Outback 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026