Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Subaru Legacy
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Subaru Legacy has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and 66 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V009000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V007000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V008000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V626000 Electronic Parking Brake may Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V012000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V694000 Windshield Wiper Motor Bottom Cover may Melt NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V194000 Steering Column Disengagement NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V061000 Remote Engine Starter Fob Malfunction NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 18 complaints
- Air Bags 14 complaints
- Power Train 12 complaints
- Electrical System 6 complaints
- Structure 5 complaints
- Unknown or Other 5 complaints
Of the 66 complaints on file, 6 report a crash; across all 66 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Subaru Legacy has an average reliability rating. While airbag inflator recalls and certain electrical issues raise concerns, they are addressed by recalls. The vehicle is largely reliable, but prospective owners should mind the scheduled maintenance tasks to mitigate potential problems.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag inflator | Not mileage dependent | No reliable estimate | very common |
| Ignition switch | 50,000–70,000 miles | $100–$250 | common |
| Parking brake | 70,000–90,000 miles | $200–$400 | common |
| Windshield wiper motor | 60,000–80,000 miles | $150–$300 | occasional |
| Steering column | 60,000–80,000 miles | $400–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake pad inspection annually
- Coolant flush every 30,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
- Replace serpentine belt every 80,000 miles
- Battery check annually
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive airbag indicator
- Electronic parking brake failure
- Misaligned steering column
- Intermittent ignition failure
- Erratic windshield wiper operation
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Subaru Legacy at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.