There are 12 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2013 Subaru Imprezain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, he noticed small, yellow-colored drops of liquid on the ground around the vehicle. Upon starting the vehicle, the brake warning light appeared on the instrument panel. The contact checked the parking brake lever; however, the light remained illuminated. The contact stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle coasted to a stop. Despite the failure, the contact drove the vehicle home. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that the key would become stuck in the ignition switch. The failure would occur intermittently however it was progressively worsening. The contact contacted the dealer who stated that the CVT parking brake switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed the extended warranty however they did not qualify due to the vehicle being a rebuilt vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
On Friday July 23, 2021 my 1013 Subaru Impressa experienced a failure of the hydraulic braking system, exhibited by the brake warning light and loss of braking ability. Fortunately I was able to safely get to the Subaru dealer (Bath Subaru in Woolwich, Maine) where they determined that the problem was corrosion of the 4 way joint connector which is totally exposed (no cover or protective shield). This is a particular hazard on my car because both hydraulic braking circuits pass through through this connector. Currently the dealer is preparing and estimate for repair but I am concerned that this issue is a design defect and serious safety hazard that should have been subject to recall. I have since noted that a June 27, 2014 letter from Subaru to the NHTSA (Ref No.: GR14-042) identified this exact issue in many of the other Subaru models manufactured between 2005 and 2014. From my comparison of the descriptions and photos shown in the referenced letter, I believe that my car has the same identified defect and should also have been subject to this recall and the exclusion of my car from the original recall was an oversight. i am hopeful that Subaru will stand behind their product, provide a timely repair and provide assurance that the underlying cause has been corrected.
Brake line is rusted at rear distribution block. We were driving the vehicle on a highway (~60mph). When the driver pressed the brake pedal, it did not respond and we had to pull the emergency brake. When the brake pedal is depressed, it takes much longer (and more pressure) to stop the vehicle than it did previously. We had it inspected by a mechanic who had the brake line at the rear distribution block is rusted out. The car is registered in Upstate NY where there is a lot of road salt. Our safety and the safety of the others was at risk because the brakes did not respond as expected making stopping time much longer. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to the problem.
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but hesitated to respond causing a 3-feet stopping distance delay. The contact also stated that the brake pedal was vibrating and would rest on the floorboard when depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the front brake rotors, brake pads, and calipers needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that no issues were found. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The ABS warning light and the traction control warning light were illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF 2 SAFETY RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE: SUBARU RECALL WTY-84 (NHTSA ID 18V-772) AND SUBARU SAFETY RECALL WUE-90 (NHTSA RECALL ID 19V-149.) I PURCHASED MY CAR ON THE ISLAND OF O'AHU AND LIVE ON THE ISLAND OF MOLOKA'I. SERVCO SUBARU WILL NOT PAY FOR MY CAR TO BE SHIPPED BY BARGE FOR REPAIRS. SINCE THE VALVE SPRINGS AFFECTED ARE A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE UPON MANUFACTURE, I FEEL THAT I SHOULD RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF SHIPPING. MY BUDGET IS TIGHT AND THIS WILL BE A HARDSHIP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,996.
ON TWO OCCASIONS OF A REAR END COLLISION ON DRY PAVEMENT, WHILE TRYING TO AVOID COLLISION AND APPLYING THE BRAKES EXTREMELY HARD, I FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. INSTEAD THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP BUT SLID INTO VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME. I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M BLAMING THE CAR FOR MY ACCIDENT BUT I HAVE HAD CARS STOP ON A DIME. THIS CAR DID NOT STOP ON A DIME. I HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED HARD ENOUGH THAT IT SHOULD HAVE STOPPED INSTEAD IT CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BOTH INCIDENCES OCCURRED DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC UNDER THE SPEED OF 10-15MPH. I FELT LIKE THE CAR JUST CONTINUED TO MOVE SLIDING INTO THE OTHER CAR WHILE ON DRY PAVEMENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,777.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARA IMPREZA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
IN AN OUTSIDE PARKING LOT WITH PARKING BLOCKS STARTED THE CAR AND MOVED FORWARD TOWARD AND OVER THE PARKING BLOCK AT STARTING SPEED. THE CAR LEAPED FORWARD AND LOST BRAKING POWER, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. CAR LEAPED AHEAD ACROSS THE ASPHALT ROAD TO NEXT PARKING ROW ON GRAVEL WITH DRIVER TURNING RIGHT, TO AVOID A POLE AND STANDING CARS AHEAD, AND NON-ACCELERATING STEADY-SPEED MOVEMENT CONTINUED OVER SEVERAL PARKING BLOCKS ON GRAVEL WITHOUT ABILITY FOR THE DRIVER TO STOP USING BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR COULD NOT BE STOPPED, WITH BRAKES DROPPING, EVEN WHEN BACK ON ASPHALT ROAD. MOVEMENT ONLY STOPPED WHEN SHIFT PUT IN PARKING POSITION. IN TOTAL THE BRAKING POWER WAS LOST FOR AT LEAST 5 SECONDS. THE TRIGGER FOR EVIDENCED BRAKE DISFUNCTION WAS LOW-SPEED FRONT-WHEEL COLLISION WITH THE CONCRETE BELOW-BUMPER PARKING BLOCK, OR PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN GOING OVER THE BLOCK, OR A COMBINATION OF THESE AND POSSIBLY OTHER FACTORS. DEALER STATED NO BRAKE FAILURE, NO FLUID LEAK, NO ERROR CODES. DRIVER HOLD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE > $2400 COST TO REPLACE DAMAGED EXHAUST SYSTEM AND SCRATCHED DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEEL. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED NOT BY THE INITIAL COLLISION WITH THE PARKING BLOCK, BUT THE SUBSEQUENT UNCONTROLLABLE MOVEMENT OVER SEVERAL (4-6) PARKING BLOCKS DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKE PEDAL FUNCTION. HAD THERE BEEN PEOPLE, CARS OR BIGGER OBJECTS AHEAD OF THE CAR, THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR EXTENSIVE PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE HEIGHT OF THE PARKING BLOCK WAS JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE HEIGHT OF A STANDARD SPEED BUMP. WE ENCOURAGE INVESTIGATION ON SUBARU IMPREZA 2013 BRAKE AND ABS FUNCTION WHEN BRAKING OVER SPEED BUMPS, CURBS AND OTHER LOW OBSTACLES OR FOLLOWING A LOW-SPEED, LOW-OBSTACLE FRONT-WHEEL COLLISION. *TR
2013 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM. *SMD ACCORDING TO THE SUBARU MANUAL, THE BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM ASSISTED THE BRAKE POWER WHEN THE DRIVER CANNOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL STRONGLY AND THE BRAKE POWER WAS INSUFFICIENT. BRAKE ASSIST GENERATED THE BRAKE POWER ACCORDING TO THE SPEED AT WHICH THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE, ON A RURAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WITH VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC. WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65 MPH, HE IMMEDIATELY HAD TO HIT THE BRAKE, AS ANOTHER DRIVER MOVED INTO HIS LANE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER ASSIST FORCEFULLY SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN, AGAINST HIS WILL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE FOUND HIMSELF STRUGGLING WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, TO TRY AND GAIN SPEED.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026