2013 Subaru Outback Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

41Air Bags complaints

13.9%Of all 295 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE67 · 22.7%

POWER TRAIN58 · 19.7%

AIR BAGS41 · 13.9%

STEERING34 · 11.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25 · 8.5%

Share of the 295 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“IN MOTION DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN COUNTY ROUTE 80 ON A GOOD WEATHER DAY SLOWED DOWN GOING TO TURN INTO A SHOP AND TAKATA AIRBAG DEPLOYED…”NHTSA complaint 11057281 — filed 12/29/2017

“TAKATA INFLATORS. I KEEP GETTING NOTICES FROM TK HOLDINGS TELLING ME OUR SUBARU MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN A RECALL. JUST TELL ME IF IT IS…”NHTSA complaint 11042599 — filed 11/02/2017

“I HAVE A LEGAL NOTICE FOR AIRBAGS. THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY RECENTLY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.”NHTSA complaint 11040535 — filed 10/27/2017

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Subaru Outback have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Subaru Outback: 41 of 295 complaints on file (13.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Subaru Outback have in total?

295 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.