Car Defect Radar
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Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 1 recall before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

1 total · 1 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Transmission recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V755000 · Nov 2023

An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

115 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
33

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

transmission slipping 7sudden stalling 7
A recent report: Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but…
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Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but doesn’t look like it covers anything after 2020.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754078 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
17

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 5software faults 4
A recent report: Drivers side door, interior automatic door lock switch spins and makes a clicking sound when you just start go forward.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762313 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
9

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

software faults 5loss of braking 2unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time. They said that there was a related recall for a similar issue on…
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We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time. They said that there was a related recall for a similar issue on other CrossTrek's but that ours was not included in the VIN list, so was not a part of the recall. This appears to be a serious component failure which could result in a fatal accident. The fact that this happened with all brake hoses indicates a defective component. We were lucky that we found it and were able to have it addressed before the brakes failed.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758570 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
6

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 2premature wear 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and turning to the right or the left, the steering wheel and the vehicle were shaking and…
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The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and turning to the right or the left, the steering wheel and the vehicle were shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the control arms and struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11750237 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 2
A recent report: We were rear ended on the interstate. Cars in front of us stopped and we also came to a complete stop and a few moments later we were hit. During the collision, none of the airbags were deployed…
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We were rear ended on the interstate. Cars in front of us stopped and we also came to a complete stop and a few moments later we were hit. During the collision, none of the airbags were deployed. Both our front seats fully reclined backwards. None of our seatbelts locked. Only the two seats that no one was in locked. Also, my headrest completely broke off. Our car was later determined by the insurance to be totaled.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11673646 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
42

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 2
A recent report: While driving 65mph on the freeway the front passenger window imploded into the car. This threatened the safety of both the driver and passenger as the glass flew at such high velocity it ended up in…
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While driving 65mph on the freeway the front passenger window imploded into the car. This threatened the safety of both the driver and passenger as the glass flew at such high velocity it ended up in both occupants clothes, hair, and skin, the glass also was found as far as the trunk. This endangered the safety of others driving on the highway as the driver was shocked and caught off guard at the sudden implosion. The problem has been found in similar model subaru's including examples of moonroof and rear windshield implosions. The vehicle has been inspected by the local dealer yet they are claiming to have found no abnormalities in the window systems, but are unable to ensure that the glass was tempered properly. There were no symptoms of the problem prior to failure.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11721026 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
5

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

premature wear 1software faults 1
A recent report: Driver seat began rocking. The dealer indicated it’s a problem they saw with other cars as well. The attachment to the rail you move your seat forward and backwards with, brakes. The dealer wants to…
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Driver seat began rocking. The dealer indicated it’s a problem they saw with other cars as well. The attachment to the rail you move your seat forward and backwards with, brakes. The dealer wants to sell you new brackets to make your car safe again.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11643875 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 115 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2026, roughly 20 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 115 complaints on file, more than the 2020 (69) and more than the 2022 (31). Of the 13 model years of the Subaru Crosstrek we cover, the 2019 has the most (284). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.