Subaru Crosstrek Complaints (2020)

71 consumer complaints on file.

#11774051October 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission failed at 62,000 miles out of gear on freeway. No power to get into shoulder. . I took it to dealer, they said it needed new transmission. I then took it to a specialist which ran diagnostic and said valve body/solenoid need replacement so I had the work done. Now at 63,000 2 months later same issue happened on the freeway. Specialist is replacing the entire transmission now. I’ve come to understand this is very common with the crosstrek. The 2019 has an extended drivetrain warranty to 100k miles. My 2020 is only warranted to 60k miles. The warranty should be extended to 2020 crosstrek a as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773783October 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Failing camshaft carrier seals causing oil leaks. This issue as a known issue to subaru engines in many models and no recalls have been made. This issue can cause a fire in the engine if not render over time. This vehicle has less than 60k miles with barely 5 years. Other models are failing with the same issue, if not with lower milage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763854September 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I own a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. While driving on the freeway in heavy traffic, I had to make a hard stop due to traffic ahead. When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the engine automatically shut off as part of the vehicle’s auto start-stop system. When I released the brake to proceed with traffic, the vehicle attempted to restart, but displayed a “Disabled” message and the auto start-stop system became disabled. I had to turn the vehicle completely off and restart it manually while stopped in active freeway traffic. This created a significant safety concern because the malfunction occurred on the freeway while surrounded by moving traffic. If the engine had failed to restart, the vehicle could have remained stopped in an active traffic lane, potentially increasing the risk of being struck by another vehicle or creating a traffic hazard. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms before the incident. The first indication of a problem was the “Disabled” message immediately after the vehicle attempted to restart following the automatic engine shutoff. I subsequently took the vehicle to a Subaru dealer for inspection. The dealer found a starter cancel code 06, described as “starting failure is detected when the system restarts the engine.” The dealer determined that the starter motor was bad and recommended replacement of the starter motor and fuel pump relay. The dealer has therefore confirmed a problem with the starting system associated with the auto start-stop restart function. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. The recommended repair cost from the dealer was $1,266.45. The recommended repair has not yet been completed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737783May 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN
DEFECT DESCRIPTION My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek has been diagnosed with diagnostic trouble code P2757 (Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Performance), which my authorized Subaru 802 Subaru retailer in Vermont has confirmed is caused by a defective CVT Control Valve Body. Subaru of America has acknowledged this exact defect in Technical Service Bulletin 16-156-25R (revised 10/28/25), which explicitly covers the 2013–2021MY Crosstrek 2.0L (FB20 engine, TR580 CVT) and prescribes replacement of the CVT Control Valve Body with an updated design incorporating an improved valve sleeve. This bulletin confirms that Subaru is aware of the design flaw in the original valve body and has developed a permanent engineering fix. WARRANTY EXTENSION DISPARITY Subaru of America issued a CVT Warranty Extension on June 30, 2025 (Retailer Bulletin 16-155-25R, revised 07/14/25) extending CVT coverage from the original 5 years/60,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles for certain 2019–2020MY vehicles. However, the 2020 Crosstrek equipped with the FB20 engine and TR580 CVT was specifically excluded from this extension, despite: 1. The 2019 Crosstrek (identical FB20/TR580 drivetrain) being included in the extension. 2. The 2020 Impreza (identical FB20/TR580 drivetrain) being included in the extension. 3. TSB 16-156-25R explicitly listing the 2020 Crosstrek as an affected vehicle with the same valve body defect. This exclusion appears arbitrary and inconsistent. Owners of the 2020 Crosstrek are being denied warranty coverage for a documented design defect that Subaru has acknowledged and corrected through a TSB, and for which owners of vehicles with the identical powertrain (same engine, same CVT) are receiving extended warranty protection. SAFETY CONCERN DTC P2757 indicates a failure in the torque converter clutch pressure control circuit. This defect can result in unexpected transmission behavior including hesitation, shuddering, loss of power delivery
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737051May 11, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek CVT Valve Body equipment failure and CVT Torque Converter failure. This appears to be a common failure for prior Subaru Crosstrek model - however was not extended for coverage to 2020 and beyond models - appears the issue still persists and additional year models should be covered. My vehicle experience the same failure for CVT Valve Body failure and CVT Torque Converter while driving at highway speeds. Problem occurs for previous Subaru Models example: MC-11021247-0001, Subaru Service Bulletin: 16-155-25R where Subaru extended coverage to 10yrs/100k miles or +1 year from date of notification - and my vehicle is currently at the Subaru Dealership for repairs for both CVT Valve Body and Torque Converter. Warning lights did not appear until issue occored.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737166May 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving 2020 Crosstrek Hybrid, the dashboard lights suddenly flashed and then engine stalled, leaving me with no brakes and no steering. I rolled through straight through an intersection with four stop signs and I could not stop. Luckily no one was driving or walking at the time. I couldn't start car, even with a jump start. I bought a new Interstate battery with higher specs. Three days later the same thing happened, the car stalled while driving just about to park. The dashboard lights also flashed and I saw Hybrid System this time. Car was towed to the dealer and there was a huge amount of corrosion with the electrical system underneath the car. Previously, four times this winter the car batter was completely dead after being parked in a garage and twice in a parking lot. I was told by a mechanic who gave me a jump start that there's a parasitic drain somewhere.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735976May 6, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled due to a blown ignition fuse. Diagnostic code P1604 (Startability Malfunction) was stored. Inspection by Wayne Subaru (Invoice #25340) confirmed the Cylinder 3 ignition coil had shorted and physically melted. This is the exact failure mode described in Subaru Safety Recall WRE-21 (NHTSA Campaign 21V825000), which currently only covers 2018–2019 models. My vehicle experienced a thermal event and a stall despite being a 2020 model. The dealer replaced only the melted coil and did NOT update the ECM software. This leaves the vehicle at risk of a repeat stall in traffic, as the underlying software defect that causes coils to overheat remains unaddressed in the 2020 model year and the remaining coils may already be at risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725956March 20, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
Beginning one year after buying this used 2020 Subaru Crosstrek base trim the starter failed and battery fully died after failing to start from a stop. The engine was OFF due to the auto-stop system and failed upon lifting my foot from the brake on a slight incline, causing a constant warning beep and a starter system failure message on the dash display. Immediately after failing to start the brake pressure significantly dropped causing my car to roll into the front of the car behind it. The car was stranded in the road and required a jump start. Since this event the issue has occurred twice more on two brand new batteries on no incline, and I now fully disable the auto-stop feature before driving to avoid an accident. The car starts properly with no battery damage if started from the full ignition off position, even if auto-stop originally stopped the engine, pointing to a failure of the auto-stop system specifically. Importantly, I have also personally seen this exact failure occur to a separate 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, with the sport trim.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720387February 25, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The rear differential on my PHEV Crosstrek failed around 31,500 miles. My spouse was driving under 30mph and turning, and heard a clunking/popping/metal-on-metal sound that persisted intermittently for the remainder of the drive home. Since then on 1/8/26, the sound has been aggravated and persistent, every 45 seconds or so while driving, mostly while turning, so we brought it in and were alerted to significant and large metal shavings in the rear differential oil. The current service bulletin (03-95-24) the dealership is relying on to inform the replacement describes sounds much subtler than the sounds my car is making and I remain concerned about other components in my vehicle that may be impacted by this failure. This kind of failure is a safety risk and did occur in traffic in my spouse’s case. The metal-on-metal sounds and drivetrain resistance are alarming. Thankfully my spouse was able to safely get home and alert me to the situation so we could take it in. I have not engaged in any of the vehicle uses that typically relate to rear differential failures; I don’t engage in heavy off-road use or tow heavy trailers with my vehicle, I have only had my tires replaced at Subaru, and the only gear/differential oil was from Subaru. I also did not have any deleterious or obvious gaps in differential/gear oil replacement that could reasonably cause this issue, as confirmed by a dealership mechanic. I have researched extensively about this unusual (and expensive) part failure and have alerted SOA to my concerns. My research is showing it appears to be a trend warranting further investigation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693525October 15, 2025
SEAT BELTS
At Miami Airport, with ample space behind the vehicle in front, a pickup truck with a very long sloping ramp trailer to carry several cars pulled into the stated space. The lefthand side rear of the trailer being well below my line of vision hit my bumper on the passenger side. My insurance provided GPS confirmed I was driving at 16 mph at the time. We both stopped. We looked at no damage to the trailer and seemingly minor damage to the car. We both drove off. I was about 500 yards from where I parked at the airport. After my return from the UK 5 days later I drove home and used the car for several days. At the time of the collision, my diagonal part of the seatbelt failed to restrain me. My chest hit the steering wheel and I have since experienced continuous pain. (No broken bones). The incident was a sort of sideswipe. Despite its roadworthiness, the car became a write-off as a support for the engine was found to be unexpectedly bent as well. Driving conditions were ideal. I was also looking for airport signage at the time. The incident was late April 2025. There is not much more I can add. There was no time to call the police nor was there any need,
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11664451June 2, 2025
SEATS
The bolt attaching the front left corner of the seat to the rails came loose and allows the seat to wobble and bounce.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661551May 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The rear differential on my Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid has failed twice. The first failure occurred around 12,000 miles and the second around 50,000 miles, both while maneuvering slowly in a parking lot. There were no warning lights or messages beforehand. The failure caused grinding and drivetrain resistance while turning. During the second incident, a certified Subaru dealer confirmed the rear differential had failed again. They also discovered that Subaru had issued a revised version of the differential that is no longer compatible with the original axles, requiring additional parts to complete the repair. I was informed the original design has been discontinued, suggesting Subaru was aware of an issue. This kind of drivetrain failure is a significant safety risk, especially if it were to occur at higher speeds or in traffic. The issue has now occurred twice on my vehicle under normal driving conditions, and was verified both times by a 2 Subaru dealerships in Southern California. When I returned to pick up my vehicle, I was told by the service technician that another hybrid Crosstrek had just come in for the exact same failure. Additionally, a local independent Subaru performance shop mentioned they have performed three similar rear differential replacements this year. This clearly appears to be a recurring problem, potentially linked to a design flaw, and I believe it warrants further investigation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650867March 26, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
The 2019-2021 Crosstrek Hybrid has an issue with the fuel tank design. Subaru has finally released a TSB (Reference: 09-82-23R) that explains the issue in more detail and how the defective parts need to be replaced. In short, the fuel tank has a design flaw such that regular fuel corrodes the fuel tank and causes clogging in the vapor vent tubes. Subaru says it's related to fuel with high ethanol content, however I have been filling up with regular fuel and have still experienced the issue. I have personally owned two of these vehicles and experienced the occasional P0452 check engine light which when diagnosed by a licensed shop pointed to this fuel evap system issue. Subaru has finally acknowledged that this is a known issue and issued the TSB, however they have not yet issued a recall. The repairs for this issue are expensive and the symptoms are an occasional check engine light. I am concerned because this issue is not easily detectable and is expensive to repair. Since this involves the fuel tank and fuel vapors tubes I am concerned there might be a fire risk or health risk, but since there is no recall issued I don't know if it can be ignored or needs immediate attention. Subaru does cover this repair under 3 yr / 30k mile warranty but with the irregular symptoms it is hard to detect and diagnose it and Subaru only issued the TSB in Jan 2024 when the 2021 model became 3 years old and out of warranty. It seems like Subaru knew about the issue but didn't want to address it under warranty so they issued the TSB only after all the cars were out of warranty and only now when the consumers have to pay out of pocket are they diagnosing it correctly. Also, this issue triggers the check-engine light only occasionally and at random, and when the light goes on all the vehicle safety aids like pre-collision braking and rear cross traffic warnings are disabled. I think this is dangerous because drivers tend to get used to having those features.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643745February 19, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal a second time, the vehicle jerked, unintendedly accelerated, drove up the curb, and crashed into the metal plastic pole of Wawa. The pole was fractured. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. There was no warning light illuminated. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could only diagnose the vehicle after it had been repaired by an auto body repair shop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that she would be contacted later and would be informed of the location she would need to take the vehicle for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637535January 21, 2025
POWER TRAIN
What component of system failed: transmission At low speeds, my car makes a low moaning sound. I took it to the subaru dealership and after 2.5 hours, they said it's an issue with the transmission and needs a full replacement. Safety: According to a local subaru dealer's website, "While it might be tempting to keep driving despite a known transmission fault, especially if the car seems to be running ‘fine’, there are inherent risks. Firstly, there’s the potential for the fault to escalate, causing more significant damage to the transmission system. This could, in turn, result in costlier repairs down the line. Secondly, and more crucially, a transmission fault could lead to unpredictable vehicle behavior, especially when changing gears. This unpredictability can be hazardous, not just for the driver but for others on the road as well." Problem reproduced: YES on 1/20/25 at Dewey Griffin Subaru in Bellingham, WA Inspected: YES on 1/20/25 at Dewey Griffin Subaru in Bellingham, WA. Warning lamps: NO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635355January 10, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
6-8in windshield crack on passenger side, near the bottom just above defrost vents. No apparent trauma to the windshield in that area. No indication that there was a crack forming otherwise; appeared seemingly overnight. Have not yet reported to insurance, dealer, or mfg. I have seen that there was a class action settled recently regarding some Subaru windshields cracking without warning so this may be a known issue. Car is available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11595485June 20, 2024
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
The contact's significant other owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while his significant other was driving from a complete stop, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The dealer replaced the battery, the fuel cap, and cleared the warning lights; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577568March 15, 2024
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The auto engine shut off was disengaged by the dealer while doing some repair. When we picked up the car, noticed engine trouble icons signifying this. We called the dealer and advised of this situation. We had asked if it could be disconnected and was told no, it is forbidden and a safety issue. So when I advised it was turned off, the dealer then refused to work on the car any further or to turn it back on. THEY ARE THE ONLY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER IN KNOXVILLE. That certified mechanic is the one who DID NOT reconnect this safety feature and then refused to fix it. What ever measures need to be taken to this dealer (Grayson Subaru - Knoxville) I need to do so. This has created a huge safety issue with the car and driving and a authorized / approved Subaru dealer refuses to follow the law.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575695March 5, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
This vehicle is a plug-in-hybrid. It should not be able to move while plugged in. Problem is attempting to move the vehicle when the charge cable is still attached and the vehicle is on an incline. Subaru does not display a warning message - instead it displays "check engine" and an ambiguous symbol (a red steering wheel). Subaru disables the power to wheels that would have enabled the driver to close the gap to the charging station. Instead the vehicle rolls away from the charging station, breaking power plug at the vehicle port. Even placing the car in Park does not prevent damage, the car will roll down hill until the Parking gear latches. I have now broken my power plug 3 times. I am a professional electrical engineer. This should not be able to happen Subaru should prevent the car from being able to move if the cable is still attached, and instead display a message that the cable is still attached. With the "check engine" message, I engaged my OBD diagnostics and it could not find a "check engine" flag. At this point, I put the car in gear, and even through Subaru disables power, the car then passively rolls down the driveway, breaking the cable at the power port. Instead of the ambiguous "red steering wheel" icon - Subaru needs to lock the car in Park and display a real message. When you finally turn the ignition off - Subaru displays a huge "Goodbye" message on the auxiliary display. I say finally because if you do restart the ignition with the cable attatched - you will not be able to turn off the ignition - only after exiting the vehicle, disconnecting the plug will you be able to turn off the vehicle. Not being able to turn off the ignition should not be permitted. Numerous errors in the control logic.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11559357December 10, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car was thought to be placed in park, key was easily removed, and then the car became mobile and rolled downhill and could not be shifted back into park.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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