NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 123 owner complaints for the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek.
Recalled components: exterior lighting, engine and cooling, and electrical system. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (12 complaints, 10%). Most-reported area: engine (46 complaints, 37%; median mileage when it happened: 71,000).
Fewer complaints than a typical Crosstrek year
The 2013 drew 15 owner complaints in its first three years, against 39 for a typical Crosstrek year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.
Years to avoid: 2018 and 2019; best years: 2016, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
NHTSA listing: XV CROSSTREK. Subaru campaign WTY-84.
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.
Risk: 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Original equipment keyless entry fobs integrated on the vehicle key are not affected.Subaru's recall campaign number is WQF-42.
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.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek.
What owners report
Owners have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Crosstrek. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Median 71,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Powertrain25 · 20%
Median 66,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Electrical system19 · 15%
Steering9 · 7%
Brakes8 · 7%
Exterior lighting6 · 5%
Fuel and propulsion system6 · 5%
Unknown or other21 · 17%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Subaru Crosstrek recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2013 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Crosstrek drew the most (200) and the 2013 drew 15.
Owner complaints
2013: 123 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Complaints
2013
123
2014
107
2015
99
2016
135
2017
97
2018
194
2019
284
2020
69
2021
116
2022
31
2023
34
2024
118
2025
44
2026
8
Safety recalls
2013: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Recalls
2013
3
2014
1
2015
2
2016
1
2017
1
2018
5
2019
8
2020
1
2021
2
2022
1
2023
0
2024
2
2025
0
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 123 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (12), the check engine light coming on (8), and excessive oil consumption (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek.
How do I check if my Crosstrek has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: CROSSTREK, XV CROSSTREK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.