Among all the midsize sedans available on the market, the Subaru Impreza is one of the most reliable options available as the car has been having a great growth in terms of user network over the years. For 2013, Subaru sold a total of over 76K units and that is a good number when compared to the segment average. The 2013 Impreza has only 217 complaints registered and a total of 4 recalls, which are fairly low for the number of vehicles sold. High oil consumption and stuck ignition cylinder are among the common issues faced by the users but however, the low frequency of reporting validates the Subaru Impreza to be reliable. Major contenders that Subaru is up against are the Kia Forte, the Chevrolet Cruze, and the Hyundai Elantra.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
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Blower motor – The blower motor harness switch was found to melt and also cause a fire hazard due to a short circuit. This caused the dealers to be required to replace the harness completely.
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Ignition – The lock cylinder was said to be faulty in some vehicles and this didn’t let the users be able to turn the key and start the car. It usually took multiple attempts before the key would turn and crank the engine up.
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Wiring – The car electronics were found to malfunction and the dash lights were noticed to flicker constantly. This was soon diagnosed and the mechanics found the wiring harness to have been chewed by rodents. This was said to happen due to a soy-based coating on the wiring harness that attracts rodents.
Mechanical Problems
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Engine – Users found the car to start displaying an engine oil warning way too early. The car was put through an oil consumption test and it was said that the car consumed a quart of oil every 3000 miles, which is way too high. However, Subaru ignores the issue by stating it to be normal.
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Powertrain – It was found that there was a popping noise from the clutch pedal that got louder gradually. After some research, this was found to be caused due to a broken spot weld on the firewall holding the clutch assembly in place. This issue has led the transmission to have trouble shifting into gear and also leading the transmission to fail completely.
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Brakes – The driver stated that the brakes failed to engage when applied and they were forced to pull the emergency brake in order to stop. The mechanics inspected the brake assembly and found the distribution block in the rear brake line to be rusted. This resulted in degrading the performance of brakes.
Safety Problems
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Seatbelt – The users complained that the front passenger seatbelt would lock itself up, making it impossible to safely secure the occupant in place. Dealers found the seatbelt assembly to be faulty and were completely replaced.
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Airbag – The front passenger airbag warning was always lit and failed to recognize an adult passenger. This was said to be an issue with the Occupant Detection System. An inactive airbag module may not deploy during a crash.
2013 Subaru Impreza recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
28th February 2019 |
19V149000 |
Brake lights may not illuminate. |
If the brake lights do not illuminate, the other drivers may not be alerted about the car slowing down. |
Dealers will replace the brake light switch. |
|
2. |
1st November 2018 |
18V772000 |
Engine valve spring failure may cause an engine stall. |
The affected vehicle may have engine valve springs that can fracture abruptly, causing the car to stall. |
Dealers will replace the valve springs. |
|
3. |
13th October 2016 |
16V738000 |
Power relay may fail, allowing the air pump to overheat. |
The relay may fail and override the air pump, causing it to produce heat and melt. This increases the risk of a fire. |
Dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay. |
|
4. |
25th February 2013 |
13V061000 |
Remote engine starter fob malfunction. |
There could be instances where a wrong signal could be sent from the remote engine starter without clicking the button. |
The RES key fobs will be replaced. |
Should you buy the 2013 Subaru Impreza?
There aren’t any valid reasons to avoid the 2013 Subaru Impreza and it is evident from the limited complaints this car carries. With a constant incline in the users for this model, it indicates the trust and reliability the Impreza offers. Subaru has been able to address almost all the issues and has also rolled out recalls to cover a few electrical glitches as well as an engine issue. The fact that Subaru has priced the Impreza at $17,895 makes it fall right in between the competition and the fact that the Impreza holds the best reliability and performance makes it a much more valuable deal. We would definitely pick the Subaru Impreza as our mid-size sedan option but do make sure the brake assembly is corrosion free as that can deteriorate the stopping power of the vehicle.
