The same air bag and engine complaints
The 2013 Impreza has the highest complaint rate of any year. Passenger air bag faults and engine recalls lead.
Updated November 2026 · based on 251 owner complaints and 4 recalls
327 1.9x the Impreza average
4 free to fix at a dealer
Every Impreza year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known problems on the 2013 Impreza
Top problems and what they cost
Passenger air bag light
Air bag light and sensor faults.
Fix: Sensor $300 to $700
Air bags
Engine cooling recall
Engine recall campaign on some cars.
Fix: Free under recall
Engine
Recalls
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes.
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Complaints by part
Before you buy a 2013 Subaru Impreza
- Check by VIN for open engine recalls.A recall is a safety fix the carmaker must do for free, even for later owners. Typing the 17-character VIN (on the dashboard and driver door) into nhtsa.gov/recalls shows any that were never done. Codes like 18V332 are recall numbers.The 2013 Impreza has 4 recalls on record, listed below.
- Watch the air bag light.The air bag light should go out a few seconds after start. If it stays on, the air bags may not work in a crash. On some cars a worn clock spring also kills the horn.Owners filed 73 complaints about passenger air bag sensor and light on the 2013 Impreza, one of the worst years for it.
Questions
Is the 2013 Subaru Impreza reliable?
The same air bag and engine complaints. The 2013 Impreza has the highest complaint rate of any year. Passenger air bag faults and engine recalls lead.
How many recalls does the 2013 Subaru Impreza have?
4 recalls. Recall repairs are free at any Subaru dealer, even for later owners. Enter the VIN on the free government recall lookup to see which are still open on a specific car.
What are the most common 2013 Subaru Impreza problems?
Passenger air bag light; Engine cooling recall.
Crash rating shown for the 2013 Subaru Impreza SW AWD. Repair costs are typical U.S. ranges for parts and labor, not quotes. How we score.