NHTSA Safety Recalls
2013 Subaru Outback Recalls
The 2013 Subaru Outback has 12 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on January 2, 2020.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2013 Subaru Outback. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 12
- Owner complaints
- 297
- Crashes reported
- 18
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
6 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2013 Subaru Outback, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
12 recalls on the 2013 Subaru Outback
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 20V001000
- Reported
- January 2, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 258,813
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2012, 2014 Outback, 6 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 20V002000
- Reported
- January 2, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 127,547
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2012, 2014 Outback, 6 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 20V003000
- Reported
- January 2, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 111,562
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2012, 2014 Outback, 6 other models
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- Campaign
- 19V297000
- Reported
- April 11, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 511
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 2005–2012, 2014 Outback, 5 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 19V007000
- Reported
- January 9, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 43,394
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012, 2014 Outback, 5 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 19V008000
- Reported
- January 9, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 330,120
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012, 2014 Outback, 5 other models
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 19V009000
- Reported
- January 9, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 452,630
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012, 2014 Outback, 5 other models
Parking brake
- Campaign
- 18V626000
- Reported
- September 13, 2018
- Vehicles affected
- up to 27,175
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012, 2014 Outback, 1 other model
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 18V012000
- Reported
- January 9, 2018
- Vehicles affected
- up to 64,179
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2009–2012 Outback, 5 other models
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- Campaign
- 16V694000
- Reported
- September 27, 2016
- Vehicles affected
- up to 592,647
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and fire
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012, 2014 Outback, 1 other model
Steering
- Campaign
- 13V194000
- Reported
- May 13, 2013
- Vehicles affected
- up to 5,379
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Electrical system
- Campaign
- 13V061000
- Reported
- February 25, 2013
- Vehicles affected
- up to 47,419
- Same campaign
- also 2010–2012 Outback, 3 other models
2013 Subaru Outback complaints by year
NHTSA has received 297 owner complaints about the 2013 Subaru Outback, the newest on September 18, 2026. Of these, 18 describe a crash (6%) and 6 a fire; owners reported 13 injuries and 1 death.
In complaints about the 2013 Subaru Outback, the component group named most often is the engine (23%), followed by the power train (20%) and the air bags (14%).
7 of the 2013 Subaru Outback's 12 recalls also concern the air bags.
Where 2013 Subaru Outback owners gave the mileage (205 complaints), the median was 45,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Engine67
- Power Train60
- Air Bags42
- Steering34
- Vehicle Speed Control26
- Unknown Or Other24
Complaints received, by year
| 2012 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 42 | |
| 2014 | 16 | |
| 2015 | 27 | |
| 2016 | 13 | |
| 2017 | 25 | |
| 2018 | 28 | |
| 2019 | 56 | |
| 2020 | 23 | |
| 2021 | 14 | |
| 2022 | 14 | |
| 2023 | 16 | |
| 2024 | 11 | |
| 2025 | 2 | |
| 2026 | 7 |
Complaints about the 2013 Subaru Outback peaked in 2019, when NHTSA received 56. 34% arrived between 2012 and 2016, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2013 vehicles, the 2013 Subaru Outback drew 1.1× the complaints of the median Subaru Outback year in the same window: 11th highest of the 23 ranked years.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★★
- Frontal: 5/5
- Side: 5/5
- Rollover: 4/5
The 297 complaints about the 2013 Subaru Outback are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
2013 Subaru Outback crash tests and safety technology
On the 2013 Subaru Outback, the side pole test gave 4 stars.
For the 2013 Subaru Outback, NHTSA lists electronic stability control as standard and forward collision warning and lane departure warning as an option. Forward collision warning became standard on the Outback with the 2019 model year, 6 years after this one.
NHTSA puts the chance that the 2013 Subaru Outback rolls over in a single-vehicle crash at 17.4% (4 stars). Of the 20 Outback years NHTSA rated from 2004 on, 6 had a lower risk, the 2004 the lowest at 15.5%. Of 45 other 2013 SUVs with NHTSA ratings on this site, 25 (56%) had a lower rollover risk; their median was 16.9%.
Photos: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program, NHTSA test vehicle 7189, shown from static.nhtsa.gov. Ratings, rollover risk and technology of the 2013 Subaru Outback: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API, retrieved October 28, 2026; NHTSA terms of use. How the tests work
Subaru Outback by model year
Other 2013 Subaru models
Newest record on this page: September 18, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted