2013 Subaru BRZ: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
64 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 64 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.92
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2013 Subaru BRZ. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with maintenance failure. The contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V772000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The ma…
Took my 2013 BRZ Limited in for the Valve Spring recall. After work completed I was unable to get my car home before I had severe knocking, CEL, and power failure. Car was at dealership for over a month. After I got it back it's been driven 10k miles and has a rod bearing failure and all the same symptoms - power loss, grinding/knocking, and dash lights lit up.
Blown short block / cracked cylinder head, broken connecting rod, $7000+ estimates for engine rebuild. my brz stalled while traveling on the freeway.
Recalls: 2 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V772000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. |
| 12V254000 | Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other Manual | SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2013 BRZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 25, 2011, THROUGH MAY 25, 2012. THE OWNERS MANUAL CONTAINS AN INACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a sports car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,700
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine47 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other7 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System3 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Visibility/Wiper3 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Electrical System3 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine And Engine Cooling2 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
Other Subaru BRZ years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Subaru BRZ?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (47 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Subaru BRZ a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 51/100, computed from 64 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Subaru BRZ's most common problem?
47 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Subaru BRZ sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Subaru BRZ cost to run per year?
About $5,143 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,718 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Subaru BRZ have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Subaru BRZ, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/11/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other sportss of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Subaru BRZ really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 64 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 64 NHTSA complaints on record (4.9/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (0.3/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems