While driving, my check engine light and three other lights turned on. My cruise control started blinking and another light which meant I wasn't able to use it or switch my car into sport mode. These lights never went out. I went to the dealers and tried to do a lot of research and found out it's a problem with the air pump rusting and getting stuck either open or closed. The dealers quoted me anywhere from 2000-3500 to get the problem fixed. I had the car for over a year and for that entire time the problem persisted. I was not able to pass emissions testing, use cruise control, or switch modes in the car. This seems like a safety issue because the air injection system pump was stuck and not working properly upon the startup of the car. Talking to other subaru owners, I found that this was a huge problem for countless owners ever since the system was introduced into subaru cars in 2006 or 2007. This is a ridiculous problem and should be fixed by subaru, not by owners who fall victim of this poorly structured system. Sometimes, when all the lights were on, the car had trouble starting and would stall the first time upon startup. Potentially, this could start a fire or another problem. I had a safety recall done on my car from 2016 for the air pump, but that did not affect this issue at all and the problem persisted.
The worst 2013 Subaru WRX STI problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
Recalls 2
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Impreza, 2008-2014 WRX and STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia that were remedied under recall 14V‑311 prior to December 23, 2014. The brake lines may experience brake line corrosion due to salt water splashing on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector.
- Risk
- Brake fluid may leak due to the brake line corrosion and may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑800‑782‑2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQQ-52. Notes: This recall is specific to affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI customers who had their car remedied under the federal safety agency recall no. 14V‑311 prior to December 23, 2014. Subaru has determined that this remedy was inadequate due to incomplete repair instructions provided to dealers. Affected Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles that were not repaired under the federal safety agency recall no. 14V‑311 prior to December 23, 2014 will continue to be processed under the federal safety agency recall no. 14V‑311. Affected vehicles not currently, or formerly, registered in the salt belt states identified in this recall are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Recall number 14V830000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- Risk
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1‑800‑782‑2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V‑110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
Recall number 14V311000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2013 Subaru WRX STI 227
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This is an update announcement regarding the TechShare & NorthStar Integration
- This announcement provides information on the connected services platform for Subaru EVs.
- This bulletin provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES)...
- This Service Information Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but...
- This announcement provides information on DCM replacememts due to a parasitic draw.
- This announcement provides information on an outage affecting the Subaru Select Monitor 5 application.
- This Service Information Bulletin announces the availability of ThreeBond 1216J (SOA868V9640) designed for...
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a...
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
What 2013 Subaru WRX STI owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While driving on 1-95 the car the vehicle suddenly shut off, causing a very unsafe situation as the steering and brake pedal got very stiff and the vehicle was hard to control properly. The vehicle had to be towed home, and after taking the vehicle to the dealership, I was informed it had a engine knock and would need a new short block replacement. I have come to learn that this is a very common fault with these vehicles and both the dealership and subaru of america refuses to honor the warranty or accept responsibility for a faulty and dangerous product.
Compare the 2013 Subaru WRX STI
Other model years
Questions about the 2013 Subaru WRX STI
Is the 2013 Subaru WRX STI reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2013 Subaru WRX STI, close to a typical WRX STI model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Subaru WRX STI?
Engine and cooling, with 1 complaint. Next is fuel system (1).
How many recalls does the 2013 Subaru WRX STI have?
2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic.
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