WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE DASHBOARD AIR BAG LIGHT ACTIVATED WHILE BOTH FRONT SEATS WERE OCCUPIED. THE LIGHTS WENT OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED BUT ACTIVATED AGAIN WITHIN APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE MILES OF DRIVING AGAIN.
2013 Subaru Impreza
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Impreza years
Owner complaints for the 2013 Subaru Impreza are substantially higher than the model-year median of 56.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impreza years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
154 reports with mileage · 95 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Air Bags complaints
79 reportsIN REGARD TO THE RECENT RECALL FOR THE 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA PASSENGER-AIRBAG OCCUPANCY SENSOR YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING IN MY 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA.
WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE SRS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS OFF. I PULLED OVER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE SRS LIGHT WAS OFF, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS ON. SEVERAL MILES LATER, THE CONDITION REPEATED ITSELF. REPEATED THIS PROCESS TWO M…
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WHILE DRIVING WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE SRS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS OFF. I PULLED OVER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE SRS LIGHT WAS OFF, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS ON. SEVERAL MILES LATER, THE CONDITION REPEATED ITSELF. REPEATED THIS PROCESS TWO MORE TIMES WITH THE SRS WARNING LIGHT COMING ON AGAIN BOTH TIMES. I ASKED MY PASSENGER TO TRANSFER TO THE REAR SEAT. THE SRS WARNING LIGHT DID NOT GO ON ANYMORE. IT HAS BEEN TWO DAYS SINCE THE INCIDENT AND THE SRS LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON EVEN WITH A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. THIS HAD HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO BUT I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT WHEN THE CONDITION CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNING IT BACK ON.
I HAD TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG BECAUSE OF A SENSOR MALFUNCTION. THIS IS THE VERY ISSUE THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING FOR THE SUBARU IMPREZA 2012, YET I OWN A SUBARU IMPREZA 2013. IT IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD AND I SHOULD NOT NEED TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
THE PASSENGER AIR-BAG ON LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE FASTEN SEATBELT WARNING SOUND WAS SOUNDED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, THE MOST RECENT AT 21,793 MILES. *TR
DECEMBER 19, 2013, I PURCHASED A SUBARU IMPREZA FROM KOEPPEL SUBARU IN LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE CAR WAS "BRAND NEW" AND USED ONLY FOR TEST DRIVES. AFTER 5 MONTHS OF DRIVING THE CAR, THE CAR BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS TO START. PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CAR DOOR HAD TO BE OPE…
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DECEMBER 19, 2013, I PURCHASED A SUBARU IMPREZA FROM KOEPPEL SUBARU IN LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE CAR WAS "BRAND NEW" AND USED ONLY FOR TEST DRIVES. AFTER 5 MONTHS OF DRIVING THE CAR, THE CAR BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS TO START. PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CAR DOOR HAD TO BE OPENED MANUALLY. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT GO OFF REGARDLESS OF THE SEAT BEING EMPTY OR OCCUPIED. SOMEONE GAVE ME A "BOOST" WHICH STARTED THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AND THEN PARKED THE CAR. I WENT ON VACATION FOR TWO WEEKS. AFTER THE CAR BEING UNUSED FOR TWO WEEKS, AGAIN THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AND WAS ADVISED BY THEM TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO ANY SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BAYRIDGE SUBARU WHICH EVALUATED THE CAR AND SAID THAT THE CAR HAD A DEAD CELL IN THE BATTERY. SUBARU DEALERS WERE INFORMED IN APRIL OF 2013 THAT IMPREZA HAD A DEFECT WHICH CAUSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN THE CAR LEADING TO THE BATTERY DYING AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. KOEPPEL SUBARU DID NOT INFORM ME OF THIS RECALL BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2013. THEY ALSO DID NOT INFORM ME THAT THE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY CORPORATE OWNED. I BELIEVE THAT KOEPPEL SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME ABOUT THE RECALL AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT IT WAS USED AS A "LOANER" BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. I BELIEVE KOEPPEL SUBARU COMMITTED CONSUMER FRAUD BY NOT INFORMING ME OF THE RECALL AND THE CAR'S HISTORY BEFORE PURCHASE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AND SIMPLY WANT A REFUND OF MY DOWN PAYMENT ($5,000) AND CAR PAYMENTS MADE UP TO CURRENT DATE. KOEPELL SUBARU SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR THEIR PRACTICES IN SELLING USED CARS. I REFUSE TO PAY BAYRIDGE SUBARU $35/DAY FOR STORAGE OF THIS UNSAFE CAR. KOEPPEL SUBARU IS IN VIOLATION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW.
THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHERE THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT ERRATICALLY COMES ON WHEN AN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND THEN THE RED DASH LIGHT LOOKING LIKE A BALLOON WILL COME ON. NEITHER THE WEIGHT/POSITIONING OF THE OCCUPANT NOR RESTARTING THE VEHICLE CHANGE WHETHER THE PASSENGER AIR BIG OFF LIGHT WI…
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THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHERE THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT ERRATICALLY COMES ON WHEN AN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND THEN THE RED DASH LIGHT LOOKING LIKE A BALLOON WILL COME ON. NEITHER THE WEIGHT/POSITIONING OF THE OCCUPANT NOR RESTARTING THE VEHICLE CHANGE WHETHER THE PASSENGER AIR BIG OFF LIGHT WILL TURN ON OR OFF. *TR
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ILLUMINATED WITH AN OFF. IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON. THE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW WITH LESS THAN A YEAR DRIVING IT AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ILLUMINATION LIGHT TURNS TO OFF. ITS REALLY SCARY TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPEN IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT DURING THE MALFUNCTION. *TR
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING MY RECENTLY ACQUIRED 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA, WHERE ANOTHER DRIVER HIT MY VEHICLE IN A SIDE IMPACT ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL AND DRIVER DOOR (I CAN SEND THE PICTURES VIA EMAIL). THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE S…
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I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING MY RECENTLY ACQUIRED 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA, WHERE ANOTHER DRIVER HIT MY VEHICLE IN A SIDE IMPACT ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL AND DRIVER DOOR (I CAN SEND THE PICTURES VIA EMAIL). THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THIS WAS ALSO NOTED BY THE EMERGENCY CREW WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW OR DEFECT THAT SUBARU ENGINEERS NEED TO HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AT. *TR
Official recalls
419V149000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 28, 2019
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), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
18V772000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Nov 1, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.
16V738000 · Electrical System
Oct 13, 2016
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 vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
13V061000 · Electrical System; Equipment
Feb 25, 2013
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) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Equipment
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) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
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) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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