2013 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
66 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
30,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 47 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 66 complaints (27.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 15 | 22.7% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 10.6% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 7.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 4.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 4.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 18 |
| Air Bags | 14 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Steering | 4 |
| Structure:Body | 4 |
Engine: 18; Air Bags: 14; Power Train: 12; Electrical System: 6; Unknown Or Other: 5; Service Brakes: 4; Steering: 4; Structure:Body: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 19 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2013: 6; 2014: 7; 2015: 7; 2016: 6; 2017: 5; 2018: 7; 2019: 12; 2020: 4; 2021: 4; 2022: 4; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10559214 · 2014-01-09 (January 9, 2014)
MY VEHICLE SHOWED SIGNIFICANT LAG IN SPEEDING UP AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND REVVED VERY HIGH RPMS (34-4200). THIS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR GOING DOWN A HILL...HIGH RPM (34-400) WITHOUT DECREASE IN SPEED. SUBARU OF MANCHESTER DETERMINED TRANSMISSION CAME FROM MANUFACTURER WITH OVERFILLED FLUID CAUSING HESITANCY AND LAG. REPAIRED AND RESET. ON 12/28/13, MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHILE TRAVELLING AT 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY SO I COULD AVOID BEING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHO WAS DRIFTING TOWARDS MY RIGHT SIDE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10559214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10575004 · 2014-03-26 (March 26, 2014)
GETTING ON A HIGHWAY FROM ON RAMP. I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE ACCELERATOR WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR WAS GRUMBLING AND THE PICK UP OF SPEED WAS EXCEPTIONALLY SLOW. RPMS WENT TO APPROXIMATELY 4600. I EASED BACK ON THE ACCELERATOR AND TRIED AGAIN WITH SAME SLOW PICK UP, TO FLOOR ACCELERATOR AND ROOMS TO 4000S. I WAS NOT IN DANGER HOWEVER I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE (FILED A REPORT DECEMBER 2013) WHICH DID PUT ME IN DANGER. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER AND ONE OTHER SUBARU DEALERSHIP MULTIPLY WITH THE DEALER REPORTING OV…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575004 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10937925 · 2016-12-28 (December 28, 2016)
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKES- MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKES TO BECOME STUCK AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE IMMOBILE.
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10937925 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10947694 · 2017-01-25 (January 25, 2017)
THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. MOST OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN I AM TURNING LEFT. SUBARU SAYS THERE ARE NO COMPUTER CODES IN THE CHECK ENGINE HISTORY. CAUSE UNKNOWN BUT SPECULATION ADVANCED ABOUT NEURAL NETWORK LEARNING OF THE COMPUTER (SEEMS WORST AFTER RECENT ENGINE REBUILD UNTIL CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WHERE FREQUENCY OF POWER LOSS DIMINISHED BUT NOT GO AWAY). ALSO PROPOSED: 87 OCTANE GAS-SHOULD USE 92, IF NOT 97 ONLY FROM OIL COMPANY STATIONS, NOT FRED MEYER OR COSTCO EVEN THOUGH CAR IS RA…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,638 miles reported. Look up ODI 10947694 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10532495 · 2013-07-30 (July 30, 2013)
2013 SUBARU LEGACY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED QUITE FREQUENTLY ON ACCELERATION, USUALLY AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH. IT WOULD OCCUR WHEN GOING UP SLIGHT HILLS, DOWN HILL AND LEVEL ROADS. THE ENGINE WOULD RE-START ITSELF AFTER LOOSING 5-10 MPH. APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR MADE NO DIFFERENCE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED, SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10532495 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11220297 · 2019-06-15 (June 15, 2019)
WE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AND 2 DAYS LATER THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE BRAKE ICON WAS BLINKING AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DIDNT WORK. A SUBARU DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDS THE PARKING BREAK ELECTRICAL CONTROL PANEL. I FIND THIS STRANGE AS THE CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT YOU FIND OUT.
Owner-reported narrative. 109,339 miles reported. Look up ODI 11220297 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11258047 · 2019-09-25 (September 25, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED AT HEUBERGER SUBARU (1080 MOTOR CITY DR, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80905, [phone removed]) FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. INITIALLY, THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR DUE TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRING; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ULTIMATELY AGREED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DEALER FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ECU UNIT AND GEAR SHIFTER WERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 100,128 miles reported. Look up ODI 11258047 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10544277 · 2013-09-18 (September 18, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WANDERED LEFT AND RIGHT. AN INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, BUT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V194000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 10/22/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10544277 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10553998 · 2013-11-27 (November 27, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TELESCOPIC STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT LOCK INTO POSITION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V194000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553998 at NHTSA ↗