Subaru Crosstrek Complaints (2021)

114 consumer complaints on file.

#11675030July 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the battery. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with head gasket failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674966July 21, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
P26A5 code came on after driving a little over 200 miles. It went off at one point but came back on and has not gone off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673646July 15, 2025
SEAT BELTS, SEATS, AIR BAGS
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.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11670144June 30, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
Rear rotors delaminating at 33000 miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644525February 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
I just recently had my car come out of park while running at the top of a steep hill. I had stepped out of my car to deliver paperwork to my client. I walked to and from my car approximately 75-80 ft. As I was approaching my car I heard a clicking or a release sound then it began to roll. I wasn’t close enough to stop it and it rolled down a neighbor of my clients driveway and eventually rolled over landing against a tree. When I arrived at my car it was still running. I have awd and I noticed the tires in the air were not turning as they should have if it was in drive. My car was obviously totaled. How do I have someone check my car to see if there was defect that caused it to come out of park? I must say I forgot to set my handbrake. But I feel the car should not have come out of park regardless. Could it have been the front axle shaft or anything else?
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643875February 20, 2025
SEATS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641552February 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I was experiencing a weird binding or lurching in my drive train which made my Subaru feel unstable. I am a mechanic so I investigated these symptoms online and found that a large number of Subaru owners with manual transmissions were experiencing the same issue......a failing viscous coupler was the issue. There were no warning lights or indications prior to failure A failing viscous coupler will not properly engage the front wheels when needed, causing reduced traction in slippery situations, increasing the risk of sliding or spinning out. Uneven power distribution: When a viscous coupler fails, it can lead to uneven power distribution between the front and rear wheels, potentially causing the vehicle to pull or jerk, especially during turns. Sudden engagement: In some cases, a failing viscous coupler might engage too aggressively, causing a sudden jolt or shudder, potentially leading to loss of control. I purchased and replaced this component at my own expense not knowing the magnitude of the issue. This is a definite safety issue that could lead to serious injury or even death. I have the old part in my possession, it failed around 85,000 miles. One of the mechanics in the Subaru forum said he had submitted a report to NHTSA but I didn't see anything on your sight. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11626315November 20, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The USB A outlets under the head unit that allow connection to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Yes it is available for inspection upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The connection when hooked up to a phone is intermittent. This results in driver distraction whenever it disconnects due to trying to get it to reconnect. Especially when using gps apps this means the driver may be "lost" until it can be reconnected, which means they will try to get it reconnected while driving which is dangerous. Sometimes it goes in and out every 60-90 seconds. Sometimes it won't connect at all until the vehicle is power cycled or the head unit is reset but neither of these guarantees a stable connection. The issue is not fixed by replacing the USB cable or the phone with a brand new phone. The cables and phone do not have this issue with any other USB port that they have been used on (in other vehicles). Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not on my vehicle but there are hundreds of reports online for years with multiple Subaru models where it has been. I could get it reproduced easily, just haven't had the time. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No This happens every day, at any speed, and has been happening since I got the vehicle at 20000 miles and there are 35000 miles on it now (approximately).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11626207November 19, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off unintendedly and failed to restart. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11619624October 14, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Check engine light came on while idling. "Eyesight" tech turned off along with certain associated safety features. Next day, vehicle struggled to ignite. Came to a complete stop at an intersection, released brake, stepped on gas, and the car rolled forward as if in neutral and bucked up and down like a rodeo bull.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11610017August 21, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While driving in the left lane on a three lane highway (about 70mph) the car's automatic braking system engaged. The car would not accelerate creating a very dangerous situation on a congested highway at night. Luckily, we are able to navigate to a brake down lane without a collision. The check engine light, Eyesight light and RAB light turned on. The car would not function normally and was towed to a Subaru dealer (Patrick Subaru, Shrewsbury MA). Diagnosis was a failure of the Engine Coolant Bypass Valve P26A6. Other failure codes were: P0087, P2004, P2005, B2806, B2C22. I was told this is a known problem in Subarus of certain years, but, instead of recalling, the company has extended the warranty on the malfunctioning part. This incident happened without any previous warning and caused a life threatening situation for us and those around us.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11603340July 19, 2024
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On two incidents randomly and without warning the car failed to accelerate while driving in traffic on an open road and I had to coast to safety and put in park, then drive, then travel less than five miles home. Both times I immediately scheduled service with suburu with appointments about a week out. The car drove without incident while awaiting service. Service failed to replicate the problem, diagnose or remedy it after having the car a week and I was told“vehicle is operating properly at that time”. The second occurrence at the end of June was far more dangerous as I was traveling at a higher speed in heavy traffic on a multi lane road when it occurred Car is unsafe for me, passengers and other drivers. I risk being stranded. I have no sense of reliability or safety and the car is just now at 30k
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11602575July 16, 2024
AIR BAGS, SEATS
Airbag shows OFF even when passenger is seated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11588934May 15, 2024
ENGINE
While driving down the freeway, all the warning lights came on and the engine sputtered and cut out. As we were in the left lane on a busy freeway, it put us at considerable risk. We were able to get to the left shoulder and get towed off the highway. This was caused, I later learned, by a faulty electronic thermostat which caused the system to fail.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579141March 24, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Suddenly warning light "Check Engine" came on along with Eye Sight malfunction warning. "i RAB off" "Check Engine" Automatic Emergency Braking not working. Yes, available for inspection. Not confirmed yet by dealer. It is the weekend. There were no unusual symptoms prior to ADAS malfunction.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11578354March 19, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
While the vehicle is moving. There is a loud pop noise from under the car. Subaru of America said it is a weld that is cracked. This pop noise is also felt in the steering wheel.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577927March 18, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Subaru Eyesight system engaged randomly with no forward obstacles. Dashboard lit up, signaled alarm, and brakes engaged causing the car's nose to bottom-out. This has happened twice, thankfully at low speeds and thankfully without another car rear ending me. I'm worried this will happen on the highway. Eyesight system is generally unreliable. Random lane departure warnings and obstacles detected where there are none.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11574119February 26, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is not specific to the Crosstrek. Subaru's remote connect app "mysubaru" has a dangerous flaw. When buying a vehicle pre-owned, the previous owner may still have access to the car. Subaru's call center says it takes at least 5 business days for a "transfer of ownership" process to occur. More often, customers never gain access to their pre-owned Subaru. The main cause of concern is that the previous owner may still have access to remote start the vehicle! Imagine you park your Subaru in your garage overnight, just for someone to start it remotely. Carbon Monoxide is borderless and colorless! This problem will eventually KILL someone!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11573860February 25, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Turned on defroster to clear window fog, window cracked along bottom of windshield about 3-4 inches from bottom along 2/3 the length of the windshield. No prior chips or scratches existed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11571581February 13, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
The windshield cowl is greatly separating at the bottom where it meets the wipers. The windshield and cowl are factory and no replacement or alterations done during the life of the car. I am the only owner
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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