🚗 AutoDefect IQ

2013 Subaru Tribeca problems, complaints & recalls

Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (1) · Engine (1) · Air Bags (1)

3
Complaints
6
Recalls
176
Service bulletins
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Deaths

Safety recalls (6)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-01-09 · campaign 19V007000 · 43,394 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag m

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-19.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-01-09 · campaign 19V008000 · 330,120 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag in

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-19.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-01-09 · campaign 19V009000 · 452,630 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembl

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-19.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2018-01-09 · campaign 18V012000 · 64,179 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.

Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2016-02-03 · campaign 16V060000 · 77,017 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Tribeca vehicles manufactured November 16, 2004, to January 27, 2014. Due to a possible malfunction of the hood safety system and hood lock system, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving.

Risk: If the hood unexpectedly opens while driving, it may interfere with the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will complete this recall in two phases. Phase one will involve inspection, cleaning, and lubricating the hood safety and hood lock systems. If after this is performed the hood latch does not operate properly, it will be replaced with a new current style part. Phase two will involve installing an improved hood safety system and hood lock system. Interim notification was mailed March 4, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Sub

Power Train:automatic Transmission 2013-08-01 · campaign 13V336000 · 202 vehicles

Defect: Subaru of America is recalling certain model year 2014 Legacy 3.6R and Outback 3.6R and 2013 Tribeca vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through June 28, 2013 and equipped with 5-speed automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the parking rod may come loose inside the automatic transmission.

Risk: As a result of the parking rod detaching, the transmission may not be able to be moved from the "park" position preventing the vehicle from being moved or driven. Furthermore, even with the transmission shifted into the 'park' position, the parking mechanism may not engage, and the vehicle may roll away while in the "park" position, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. The recall began during August 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall number is WQJ-46.

Service bulletins (176)

Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.

Unknown Or Other 2026-10-05 · SubaruNet Announcement (M · Other

this announcement provides information on a new software update for the midtronics dss and dca machines.

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-18 · 13-109-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other

this announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.

Unknown Or Other 2026-09-14 · 15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Electrical System 2026-09-14 · 15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of infotainment concerns. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Electrical System 2026-08-20 · 15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

this service information bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.this is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Showing the 6 most recent of 176 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.

What owners report

2026-05-17 · Power Train

“alt temp light continues to come on the care will have a funny shift then a strong jerk, speed can only go under 20 mph and then the alt temp light comes on along with the check engine light and curise control lights. …”

2019-03-09 · Engine · 128,000 mi

“subaru of america class action law suit hello i own a 2013 subaru tribeca with vin [xxx] that has recently lost all the engine oil and no warning light illuminated alerting me the vehicle was low or had no oil. this vehicle was just in the subaru service department from 1/301/9-2/5/19 for loss of engine power and a reported belt break at highway …”

Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.

Other Subaru Tribeca years