Subaru Crosstrek Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 1,191 consumer complaints across the 14 model years of the Subaru Crosstrek (2013–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2019 has the most, with 285. Across all years, the part named most often is visibility (341 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Crosstrek years →
All Crosstrek model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10 | — | 1 | 60 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 46 | 8,000 | 0 | 117 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 120 | 10,100 | 2 | 222 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 35 | 16,500 | 0 | 206 | 34 · Fewer | Too new |
| 2022 | 31 | 34,000 | 0 | 256 | 15 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2021 | 115 | 2,460 | 1 | 334 | 93 · More | Stable |
| 2020 | 69 | 5,200 | 0 | 406 | 63 · Typical | Falling |
| 2019 | 285 | 10,542 | 7 | 538 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2018 | 195 | 18,000 | 5 | 523 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2017 | 94 | 27,800 | 1 | 336 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2016 | 132 | 37,620 | 1 | 353 | 49 · Typical | Falling |
| 2015 | 17 | 50,000 | 1 | 296 | — | Stable |
| 2014 | 16 | 60,000 | 1 | 239 | — | Stable |
| 2013 | 26 | 68,050 | 1 | 277 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)341 27%
- Other or unknown279 22%
- Electrical system201 16%
- Engine146 12%
- Transmission and drivetrain115 9.2%
- Steering59 4.7%
- Brakes55 4.4%
- Forward collision avoidance52 4.2%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2018: “Out of nowhere my windshield had a 5 inch crack, from the bottom of the windshield on the passenger side. There is no chip, just a crack. There is nothing that I know of that caused this. I see online that there are a lot of problems with Subaru windshields cracking. I do not have a picture, just a copy of the receipt for replacement.”
NHTSA complaint #11402665, filed 2021-03, 36,300 miles2017: “The car lost power steering shortly after car was started to go on s short trip. We were still n our driveway when it happened. I could still drive it, but turning the steering wheel was difficult on curves on back roads and highway to the doctor's office 32 miles away. I have heard other subarus have had shorts in the electric power assist system.”
NHTSA complaint #11300655, filed 2020-01, 30,758 miles2020: “My car wouldn't start after stopping to visit a friend. The friend watched under the hood when I pressed the start button. He saw sparks from under the hood. I had driven over 27 miles that day before this happened. The dealer said it was because I made too many short trips. They offered to install a battery charger which I don't feel should be necessary on a brand new car.”
NHTSA complaint #11415012, filed 2021-05, 1,000 milesOther Subaru models
9,776 complaintsSubaru Forester
6,527 complaintsSubaru Legacy
3,182 complaintsSubaru Impreza
2,649 complaintsSubaru Ascent
1,038 complaintsSubaru WRX
969 complaintsSubaru SVX
279 complaintsSubaru XV Crosstrek
258 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology