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2012-2026 · 15 model years

Subaru Crosstrek Problems by year

Owners have filed 1,180 complaints about the Subaru Crosstrek across 15 model years, and it has 14 recalls. The 2024 has the most complaints once its age is allowed for (121), while 2012, 2013 have far fewer than a typical year. The most reported problem area is the visibility & wipers, followed by the electrical system.

Most complaints for its age2024121 complaints · 2 recallsSee the 2024
Complaints
1,180
Recalls
14
Crashes
63
Fires
17
Injuries
35
Deaths
0

Crosstrek complaints by model year

Highlighted: the year with the most complaints for its age. Older vehicles have had more time to collect complaints - the Safety Index grade allows for that.

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
202612110Driver assistanceD
202549030Driver assistanceF
20241212103Visibility & wipersF
202336040Visibility & wipersC
202232030Visibility & wipersB
2021116182Visibility & wipersD
202071060Visibility & wipersC
2019288774Visibility & wipersF
20181955101Visibility & wipersD
201799162Visibility & wipersC
2016133143Electrical systemC
20150100-A
20140100-A
201326112Engine & coolingA
20122000Engine & coolingA

Most common Crosstrek problems

Subaru Crosstrek recalls 14

Latest Crosstrek complaints

2026 Subaru CrosstrekFuel system

Intermittently the vehicle will only accept fuel at extremely low flow and sometimes shuts off even at low flow. I assume this is a venting problem. Dealership says there's nothing wrong. Dealership doesn't have to fill this car up in winter.

Filed Incident Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11777420
2021 Subaru CrosstrekElectrical systemAcceleration & cruise controlDriver assistance

There are 2 reoccurring problems that shows up to the Subaru Crosstrek hybrid 2021. First, it is the battery of the car, it would constantly die out or refuses to start. Second, the other issue that also constantly shows up is the flashing warning lights on the car's dashboard. It would show up multiple times every week and goes away randomly. Whenever, the warning lights do shows up it would disable Subaru's Eyesight which has majority of the car safety feature connected to it. We have brought up these concerns to...

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the Subaru dealership multiple times in the past, but they have only "look at it" and said there is nothing wrong with the car. Both of these problems show up constantly after only driven the vehicle for about 30k miles more or less.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Vehicle speed control · Forward collision avoidanceNHTSA 11777119
2025 Subaru CrosstrekDriver assistance

The adaptive speed control has a delay if it is either 1) a distance behind a vehicle and that vehicle suddenly stops, the car does not register it until it is within 60-80 feet of the vehicle and then comes to an abrupt stop; 2) if it is following a slow car and that car suddenly switches lanes, it speeds up quickly toward the car in front, which causes an abrupt stop; and 3) the warning message of an object approaching comes on when you are approaching a yellow warning sign. The first two cause abrupt stops and...

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could lead to a rear-end collision because of the hard braking. The 3rd hasn't caused problems, but there is a concern that it might trigger an automatic stop if the yellow sign is close enough and the turn is sudden. The 3rd item has been noted by the service advisor at the dealer; these cars often create false flags for the yellow signs. No has inspected the vehicle specifically for these issues.

Filed Incident Forward collision avoidanceNHTSA 11777083
2019 Subaru CrosstrekAirbagsFire1 injury

while operating my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek- a sudden and severe electrical malfunction occurred. While driving, the left side of the steering wheel overheated rapidly, causing the material to melt onto my arm and inflict a physical burn injury. The active electrical failure inside the steering unit caused a spontaneous thermal event that melted the vehicle's interior. Fearing for my safety and the safety of my child, I called [[redacted]], and the fire department was dispatched to the scene. This vehicle is subject...

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to a known federal safety recall for an electrical short-circuit in this exact location (Subaru Recall WUC-88 / NHTSA Campaign [[redacted]]). Despite this clear safety defect, Dealership has refused to open the steering wheel to inspect it and is demanding that I pay a percentage of the repair costs, on assumption. Requiring a consumer to pay for a remedy under an active federal safety recall violates federal safety regulations. I am requesting an immediate investigation into the manufacturer's failure to remedy this defect and the dealership's non-compliance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11776793
2019 Subaru CrosstrekElectrical system

From February 2025 to June 2026, I've had to have my car battery replaced 3 times. Before the battery dies, I normally lose all of my pre-programmed radio stations, have to increase the volume, and my car will take longer to start. I've brought this attention to a Subaru Dealership (where I go for all of my repairs) and was told that if this keeps occurring, they will have to send an engineer out to look at my vehicle as it passes the parasitic draw test.

Filed Incident Electrical systemNHTSA 11776649
2025 Subaru CrosstrekSteeringSuspensionDriver assistance

There is a significant wobble and wobble noise coming from my front driver side suspension. My vehicle does not feel stable the whole car kind of wobbles back-and-forth when turning, which is a major safety concern. The dealership just keeps saying everything looks fine visually I've had 6 different wheel alignments in the last month and each time the vehicle was out of alignment. The car is not holding alignments which is a huge safety concern for me and the dealership will not take it serious because they cannot visually see anything wrong. Nothing has been taken apart and inspected.. The vehicle has 18,000 miles on it and is fully covered under factory warranty still.

Filed Incident Steering · Suspension · Lane departureNHTSA 11776477

Questions about the Subaru Crosstrek

Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the most problems?

By the number of complaints owners filed with NHTSA: 2019 (288), 2018 (195), 2016 (133). Allowing for how long each has been on the road, the 2024 stands out most. Complaint counts also rise with sales, so compare years of the same model rather than different models.

Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the fewest complaints?

Among model years that have been on the road for at least three years, 2012, 2014, 2015 have the best Safety Index - the fewest complaints, crashes and recalls for their age compared with other Crosstrek years. Always check the exact vehicle's recalls by VIN before you buy.

What are the most common Subaru Crosstrek problems?

Across every model year, owners report problems with the visibility & wipers (342), electrical system (202), engine & cooling (150) most often.

How many recalls does the Subaru Crosstrek have?

NHTSA lists 14 recalls across all Subaru Crosstrek model years. Each year's page lists the recalls for that year; check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether the repair has been done.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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