Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2013 Subaru Outback
NHTSA data on file today
The 2013 Subaru Outback has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and 297 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 #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V008000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V007000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V009000 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 67 complaints
- Power Train 60 complaints
- Air Bags 42 complaints
- Steering 34 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 26 complaints
- Unknown or Other 24 complaints
Of the 297 complaints on file, 18 report a crash and 6 a fire; across all 297 complaints, owners report 13 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2013 Subaru Outback shows average reliability with a moderate number of complaints and 12 recall campaigns. The most common issues involve the engine, power train, air bags, and steering. Though numerous airbag recalls are region-specific, their presence is notable. Limited complaint data for some systems suggests uncertain failure patterns.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 60,000–100,000 miles | $1,200–$4,000 | common |
| Power train | 70,000–110,000 miles | $1,500–$4,500 | common |
| Air bags | Unknown | $500–$2,000 | occasional |
| Steering | 50,000–90,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | 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 and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Transmission fluid service
- Coolant flush
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Drive belt inspection
- Spark plug replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Rough engine performance
- Shifting hesitations
- Airbag warning light
- Steering wheel play
- Brake pedal vibrations
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2013 Subaru Outback at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.