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2013 Subaru Impreza: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
57%
96 of 167 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

57% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2013 Subaru Impreza are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 76% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 82 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 39%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
96
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
249
this model year
Fires reported
7
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
13 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS79 · 32%
ENGINE74 · 30%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM33 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES25 · 10%
POWER TRAIN23 · 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER21 · 8%

The years either side

2010
50%
20 of 46
2011
38%
15 of 57
2012
58%
79 of 242
2013
57%
96 of 249
2014
42%
29 of 108
2015
33%
23 of 79
2016
27%
17 of 75
2017
24%
20 of 125
2018
13%
11 of 149
2019
13%
17 of 194
2020
4%
3 of 85
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact cars with no elevated signal in 2013

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE04/11/2026
Subaru stutters stalls, torque converter malfunction
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE09/03/2025FIRE
Vehicle Fire Summary – Arvada, CO On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], the Arvada Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on [XXX] . The vehicle involved was a 2013 gray Subaru Impreza WRX. The driver reported noticing smoke coming from the engine compartment before pulling over to the shoulder. Within mi…
POWER TRAIN01/28/2025
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 80 MPH. In addition, the contact stated that the gear shifter did n…

Three of 96 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI)…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehic…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) ac…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2013 Subaru Impreza

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.