2013 Subaru Outback Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

34Steering complaints

11.5%Of all 295 complaints

#4Most-reported category

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

How steering 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

“WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2-7-16 USED WITH 28,000 MILES.WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OVER 50 VEHICLE WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD WE CONSTANTLY HAD TO…”NHTSA complaint 10839229 — filed 03/01/2016

“STEERING WAS MAKING A NOISE (AS IF STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED ALL OF THE WAY TO ONE SIDE) WITH ONLY SLIGHT MOVEMENT BUT IT WORKED…”NHTSA complaint 10723646 — filed 06/05/2015

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND HAD TO BE CONSTANTLY TURNED TO…”NHTSA complaint 10631556 — filed 09/08/2014

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Subaru Outback have steering problems?

Steering is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Subaru Outback: 34 of 295 complaints on file (11.5%). 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 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING 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 07/14/2026.