Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that after several attempts of applying pressure to the brake pedal, the vehicle stopped. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The contact then stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact then stated that the after approximately thirty seconds of applying pressure to the brake pedal, the vehicle stopped. Additionally, the cruise control warning light intermittently illuminated, and the contact heard the engine revving. …
Upon entering a parking space,my 2013 Subaru Outback went from idle to full acceleration,hitting a parked,unoccupied truck. Braking had no effect on the car,the air bag did not deploy,and the car did not decelerate until I was able to engage Park-within a few seconds it resumed the idle. The police made a report,car was taken to wrecking yard,and is now at repair facility for possible repair. There were no prior warnings or messages. I was unaware of a safety issue with Subaru and when I contacted my local dealer,I was told they were unaware of any issues. I then did research online and found numerous problems.
I was pulling into a parking space very slowly when the car went into overdrive and suddenly accelerated at a high speed. It plunged down a slight decline and hit a large tree. My airbag failed to deploy although I was thrown violently forward, and the car sustained severe front end damage. The car is considered a total loss and I spent a day at a hospital emergency room. The sudden unexpected acceleration and the lack of airbag inflation is going to be assessed by Subaru on 10/24/23. I understand that there are two class action lawsuits against Subaru (in NJ & CA) for this same unanticipated acceleration issue.
I was pulling into a parking spot, without any warning the car accelerated through a fence and hit a tree. There were no injuries and the airbags did not deploy. A man was waving me to stop and I could not. Fortunately the small tree stopped the car. At first I thought maybe the gas pedal stuck or in human error I hit the gas to hard. But that was not the case. I could not control the car and my thought "what is happening"!
Thank you NHTSA for being my voice. We need and appreciate the life saving work you collectively do to keep my family, myself, and others safe on our roads. I need your action. My 2013 Subaru Continuously Variable Transmission valve body is failing. This is a major safety issue because my Subaru risks stalling out and potentially being harmed in a crash causing bodily injury or death to the driver, passengers, and other motorists. This is a known issue with Subaru and the NHTSA. Instead of a recall, Subaru of America opted to extend the warranty to 100,000 miles or 10 years for this safety issue. My car is 8 years old and over 100,000 miles. …
I experienced a sudden unintended acceleration of my 2013 Subaru Outback while braking to make a left hand turn at a stoplight on Federal Road in Brookfield, CT. I was able to squeeze the brake hard while shifting into neutral to avoid slamming into the car in front of me while the engine raced. The car would have gone out of control had I not been able to press very hard on the brake pedal. This incident was not the first time this unintended acceleration of the vehicle occurred. About a month ago, I was in a similar situation on the road when I was decelerating and applying the brake that the car had a rapid unintended acceleration that caused me to press very hard on the brake pedal to keep the car from lurching forward. I've owned the vehicle since December 2012 and this situation has probably occurred less than 5 times over the 10 years of operation. …
Prior to this incident, I had noticed several occasions where the engine would suddenly rev for no reason while I was driving at a slow speed or braking. This incident happened on dec 2, 2014 at approx. 7:40 am eastern time. As I was approaching the security check-in gate at my job, traveling about 10 MPH, I depressed the brake to slow down and wait for the gate to open. As I was slowing down, the engine suddenly rev'd to maximum and the car accelerated and lurched forward. I was not able to stop or control the car and it crashed through the security barrier gate. No one was injured and there was no damage done to the car, but the metal arm of the gate was severely bent. I took the vehicle to my Subaru dealer several days later to be inspected and report the incident. The dealer said there was a problem with the engine control module (ECM) and updated the software. …
Subaru Outback self-accelerated (unintended acceleration) on March 22, 2018 as I was attempted to park the car in a parking lot. Due to the self-acceleration the car hopped over the curb in the parking lot and ran over a bush. My foot was no where near the accelerator and even when applying the brake, I had to press extremely hard on the brake to stop the vehicle. While it self-accelerated the engine made a loud revving sound. On March 23, 2018 the car self-accelerated again with my husband driving on the open road. After this incident we had the car towed to our car dealership. Subaru has had the car since March 23 and denies any problem with the accelerator or car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle in the driveway, it accelerated without warning and crashed into the garage door. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained head injuries, but did not require medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000.
Sudden unwanted forceful acceleration (suspect auto cruise control got engaged via eyesight malfunction), collision avoidance failed to engage. Back home safely from a local grocery, pulled the car slight on the driveway, stopped with foot on the brake to open the garage, about to hit the home link, must remain stopped while garage door opens because driveway slopes downward, heard engine roar with foot still on the brake, car started throttle forcefully, got bewildered, pressed hard on the brake; it did not respond, the car hit hard on the garage and brick wall, causing extensive damages. Air bags deployed, driver was senseless, both driver and passenger hurt, car is declared total. It was very hot at about 4:15 pm, air condition had been running at full force all the while during the short 15 minute drive. …
Acceleration complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2013 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2013 Subaru Outback, 9% of the model year's 297 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Subaru Outback acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2013 Subaru Outback, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Subaru Outback acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 17,000 miles, and 55% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.