What breaks most · 2013 to 2024 model years
Subaru BRZ problems by year
Owners have filed 101 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru BRZ across model years 2013 to 2024. Three years stand out: 2013 for engine complaints, 2022 for engine complaints and 2017 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2018, 2019 and 2020.
- Years to check closely: 2013, 2022, 2017
- Fewest complaints: 2018, 2019, 2020
- Complaints on file
- 1012013 to 2024, all trims
- Worst year
- 201364 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 23 fires · 0 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 52kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 6Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 0 | 2 | Engine (47) | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Engine (5) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Engine (2) | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Wheels (1) | |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Unknown or other (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Engine and cooling (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Engine (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Wipers and visibility (1) | |
| 10 | 0 | 1 | Engine (6) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Engine (2) |
What fails on the 2013 Subaru BRZ
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 73% |
47 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2013 Subaru BRZ |
| Unknown or other | 11% |
7 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 5% |
3 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2013 Subaru BRZ |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 5% |
3 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
3 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2013 Subaru BRZ |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 3% |
2 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 3% |
2 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2013 Subaru BRZ |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 3% |
2 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Blown short block / cracked cylinder head, broken connecting rod, $7000+ estimates for engine rebuild. My brz stalled while traveling on the freeway.
-
Found traces of silicone in my engine. Checked the dipstick out of curiosity and found silicone or RTV sealant. The car only has 500 miles on it. Will do oil change after break in period of Subaru’s recommended 1000 miles and will have them check the oil pan filter for more RTV…
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Subaru BRZ years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2013, 2022, 2017 carry the most filings on the Subaru BRZ. The 2013 alone has 64 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Subaru BRZ problem?
On the 2013 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 47 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Subaru BRZ problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Subaru BRZ complaints that include mileage is about 52,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.