49 of the
1,552 complaints filed about the Subaru Crosstrek
are about the braking system —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2024.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11758570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The AED, Braking, Cameras and lane centering systems failed and caused a crash into the highway barrier suddenly due to defects in the driver assist systems defect in the electronic safety systems causing the steering wheel to turn forcefully to the barrier striking it. This happened without any warning despite driver input to stop the sudden steering inputs and braking.
NHTSA complaint #11749816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car in front of me was about a two car's lengths away. It was very cold and that car's exhaust plume was larger than normal. The exhaust plume was highlighted by sunlight, and I believe my car thought it was an object. The auto braking system alerted and immediately slammed on the brakes in the middle of heavy traffic. There was no time for me to respond. Thankfully no one hit me. If I'd been on the highway it could have been catastrophic. The problem has not been reproduced or inspected.
NHTSA complaint #11736429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
the rear brakes keep engaging while the car is driving. we purchased the car in November 2022. this happened in December 2024 & at the time a dealership in [XXX] area (where my son attended college), said it was an issue and replaced parts in the brake system. yesterday while we were driving back from [XXX] to Houston - the brakes started to make loud squeaking noise as if they were engaged and the brake light keep going on and off. fortunately, this happened very near to Houston and we drove slowly on by roads back home. it feels likes driving with hand brake engaged. fortunately nothing happened to us. but this is a systemic problem with subaru crosstek! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11735448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11725956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 2/5/2026, my "brake booster" failed while trying to leave the parking lot of a restaurant. When I put car in reverse I had my foot on the brake, I heard an usual sound and quickly realized the brake was not holding as I was moving backward. I had to reapply brake pressure HARD in order to stop, once while backing up and once again to pull forward so I wasn't blocking anyone from maneuvering around me. I was towed to Hanania Subaru where they identified the "brake booster" failed. My vehicle is ready today, 2/18/2026 to pick up and I'll return the Subaru loaner vehicle. Apparently the problem was an electronic failure code and replacing the brake booster was all that was needed. Fortunately, I was not driving in traffic when it failed and I'm told this type of failure is extremely rare. I do appreciate the ability to document this potential hazard to NHTSA.
NHTSA complaint #11718856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek brakes engaged TWICE without the driver pushing on the brakes, slowing the car down significantly. The initial vehicle speed was around 65 mph on the highway, and slowed to around 45 mph after the second automatic braking incident occurred. Adaptive cruise control was NOT on. The car in front of the Crosstrek was 8-10 car lengths away. Then while the Crosstrek was still moving, a truck hit the back right bumper of the Crosstrek and pushed it into the next lane to the left. (I), the driver of the Crosstrek, was able to steer back into the original lane of travel to the right. After the Crosstrek was steered back to the original lane of travel, it came to a stop due to right rear axle damage. The Crosstrek driver was able to creep to the shoulder to wait for emergency personnel to arrive. The safety of myself and others, due to the Crosstrek (Eyesight?) malfunction, is extremely important to investigate. This safety feature when engaged unexpectedly is dangerous. When drivers do not have control over the braking system of the car, sudden and unexpected slow-downs can lead to rear-end accidents, and even the loss of life. When I was pushed to another lane of travel, a secondary accident could have occurred, or a chain-reaction with many cars. I did not see or hear any warnings, messages, or experience any unusual symptoms before the car braked on its own and I was rear-ended. After I crept to the right shoulder of the interstate, the Crosstrek was still running and there were no warnings or messages. Since the Nov 11 accident, Dean Team Dealership in Ballwin MO has reported the issue. State Farm Insurance has totaled the 24 Subaru Crosstrek, recovered data from the Event Date Recorder (EDR), and is discussing the vehicle losses with Subaru Corporation. [XXX] is receiving chiropractic care also. Additionally, there similar reported incidents on websites—Reddit and [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11707689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Automatic braking: One incident of the automatic braking system engaging on a side street when the road was clear of obstacles. The road surface had been prepared for some kind of minor work in the center of the road - there were regularly intermittent disturbances to the otherwise smooth surface. These appeared to be small prox 6-8” square cuts in the surface. On two occasions the car braked suddenly and sharply in front of these disturbed areas. Potential risk from a following car.. Steep, windy road with cars parked on either side. Weather clear. I have not yet reported this to the dealer so it has not yet been inspected. I did not notice any other signs or warning systems prior to this event and during the event I was distracted by the event itself and too busy looking for vehicles that might hit me from behind,etc. to notice.
NHTSA complaint #11700419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a formal dispute and safety complaint regarding my 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited. On November 12, 2025, while driving at approximately 70 mph on the highway, the vehicle suddenly stopped operating automatically without warning. This was a terrifying and dangerous event for me and my family. We could have been seriously injured or worse. The service department later claimed that the issue might be related to the battery, but I am not convinced that this explanation is accurate or acceptable. A vehicle with only around 41,000 miles should not suddenly lose power or stop at highway speed. This is a serious safety defect and raises strong concerns about the vehicle’s reliability, engineering, and overall safety. I request that Subaru of America open a formal investigation into this incident and document it as part of my ongoing complaints. I also ask that this matter be reviewed under the Florida Lemon Law and BBB Auto Line programs, since this issue demonstrates a clear and dangerous failure of the vehicle’s systems that should not occur under normal operation. Please confirm receipt of this dispute and provide a case reference number and next steps for resolution. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] 📞 786-718-0305 [XXX] et 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited VI [XXX] 29 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11699058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had a frontal accident on March 6, 2025. When I turned to pull into the driveway of my rental apartment, I lost control of the vehicle. It surged forward, climbed a low retaining wall of about 14" and then hit a support post. I sat there stunned thinking "what just happened and how?" At first, I thought it was me, but thinking about it more, I'm wondering if this could be a potential safety problem. I have read several other similar instances on the internet, and someone I know had a similar accident which was attributed to her age. Collision repair for the Crosstrek was $10,358 done by a local facility, not Subaru. Repair of damage to the support post was $1,340. I reported this to Subaru, but after several follow-ups (last one on July 29, 2025), I still have not received a reply from Subaru. I can forward the email string to you if you want. I don't know how to attach it in one of the acceptable formats.
NHTSA complaint #11696641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving on the highway in stop-and-go traffic when suddenly I found myself depressing the brake pedal to the floor and the car would not stop. Additionally, the eyesight function that prevents forward collisions did not alert for obstruction or stop the vehicle. I was able to put the vehicle in park and then tried to reengage the vehicle, but the brakes failed to respond. I was in the middle lane of a major highway. My vehicle could have harmed someone else, in addition to myself, and I was also at risk by being stopped in the middle of traffic. I could have died, had I been traveling at actual highways speed. No lights or warnings were on in the vehicle before, during, or after the incident. As of now, the dealership has been unable to replicate the issue, thought they still have the vehicle. They have not been able to identify the cause of the issue, but have also been unwilling to put the tests they have done in writing for me at this point. At this point, I have little confidence in my vehicle, despite it being a 2022 with low miles. I am terrified that this intermittent issue could happen again. The week prior, I had an experience where the acceleration and braking were not functioning as expected, but I had just pulled out of a parked position and this resolved after putting the vehicle in park and reengaging the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11683292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE BRAKE PEDAL SOME TIME GOES DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I BROUGHT VEHICLE IN SUBARU DEALER FOR CHECK UP. THEY STATED THAT THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER IS DEFECTIVE, NEED TO BE REPLACE. THIS IS 2023 VEHICLE AND THE MILEAGE IS ONLY 46,000 MILES. For safety to me and other drivers please investigate this safety concern.
NHTSA complaint #11681261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The affected component of this vehicle is the braking system. When rocks or gravel get stuck to, in, on, or around the brake pads/brakes the braking system is compromised. Yes, The vehicle is available for inspection. When gravel gets stuck in, on, and around the brake pads, the safe operation of the braking system malfunctions. If the vehicle braking system does not work as designed/intended, lives are at risk. When you need to brake, the braking system needs to be reliable. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, upon taking the vehicle back to the dealer, the service manager confirmed this is a known defect by both sales and service teams. The service manager said this happens often and we should expect it to happen again. The service manager told me this vehicle is not to be driven on gravel. This was not disclosed at the time of purchase. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The dealer service department inspected the vehicle when it was towed back to them for service related to this problem. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there was no warning. The brakes failed to operate properly, they did not completely fail.
NHTSA complaint #11670291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. Subaru 2022 Crosstrek accelerated on its own when foot is on the brake and trying to move the shifter knob to park, instead the car thursted into the parked car in front with such force that ran into the garage. 2. Towed car to Subaru dealer informed to escalate to Subaru of America, opened a case #250402-1600810, please see attached email communication. 3. Subaru will not respond unless I signed a consent to extract EDR (event data recorders) for inspection but denied me to be onsite or a copy of the files, The data retained from EDR is the property of the owner, per section 563.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. 4. 4 weeks later, Subaru issued the results of this vehicle indicate it has no brake, accelerator or throttle abnormalities. Also quoting the police report that I provided. 5. There was no EDR saved in the accident, Subaru cannot provide any summary or why the computer did not capture any of the events, the brake pedal, gas pedal, etc. 6. There has been over $12,000 damage on the Subaru, over $7,000 on the parked car, and the garage door. The insurance repair for the vehicles only address body work and no mention of the EDR testing, engine and throttle, eyesight, etc. 7. Subaru should be more transparent and issue the summary of the inspection from the team, not the Adovcacy (advocating for Subaru). The car battery went completely dead on March 14, 2025 and was told there is nothing wrong with it after the dealer service center look at it on March 15. The inspector was going to determine if the vehicle is drivable. 8. The car is under 3 year warranty with extended warranty for 7 years. I want a response from Subaru of America states that the Crosstrek 2022 is safe to drive and does not have an unintended acceleration issue since Subaru conducted the inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11659413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hello! I started financing my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek in 04/2023. A month after that date, I had a head gasket issue. Then in 2024, a radiator cap deformed after going to the dealer to get an oil change at SF Honda. (The time on that was suspicious being that I didn’t touch that cap at all.) so I had to pay for that repair. Now in 2025, after getting an oil change at Subaru, a day after that oil change, a lot of lights came onto my dashboard. I have two diagnosis reports from other places because I didn’t have the money to pay Subaru $300 to “diagnose” the issue, especially after my car just came from there a day before the problem existed. Since I got into this vehicle, I’ve been suspicious whether or not it’s safe for me, reason also being, I found out in 2024, that this car has been into 5 wrecks. Which I was NOT aware of prior. And now, they are making me feel, there is NOTHING they can do, unless I have a Co-signer, or the approved “credit” score. And now that my vehicle has “7” recalls! I am hoping I can get out of this vehicle. Thanks!
NHTSA complaint #11644364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On the morning of 12/26/24 - I stepped inside my 2023 Subaru Crosstrek and turned on the engine. The vehicle was parked in a commuter parking lot near my home to begin with. When I turned on the vehicle - I noticed a loud roaring sound when the engine turned on which i thought was very strange. Additionally I did NOT have my foot on the gas pedal at all during this time. I proceeded to place the car in drive and all of sudden the car experienced a unintended acceleration straight forward with a sudden burst that i never experienced before. I proceeded to press the brake pedal and tried to turn the steering wheel - but both functions were non-responsive which was incredibly frightening. My car then went straight into a tree with great impact and the vehicle was damaged beyond repair. Also - the vehicle's windshield mounted motion detection camera system (Subaru Eyesight) along with motion detector auto breaking system did not engage before i hit the tree which was very troubling. Thankfully the airbag deployed and other then some medium knee pain i was not injured nor was anyone else injured. A local paramedic truck happen to be onsite at the same time and called local authorities. Overall the malfunctioning of the vehicle is of great concern to me.
NHTSA complaint #11632612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2024 Subaru Crosstrek was stopped at a red light behind a car. My cruise was disengaged after the car stopped and my foot was on the brake. Suddenly, the car lurched forward on its own and only stopped when I pressed hard on the brake and moved transmission from drive to park.
NHTSA complaint #11619942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH on the slow lane in the snow, he lost control. The brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact veered to the side of the road, off a slope, and then fell and crashed into a tree. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries or fire. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the event data recorder was retrieved. The manufacturer was unable to determine the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
NHTSA complaint #11612855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On January 19, 2024 I was slowly pulling in to a parking spot at my doctors office. I did not pull up far enough, as there was a concrete retaining wall at the head of the spot and no tire block for safety. I was maybe 5 feet from the wall when I lightly tapped the gas pedal to inch up (as the back end of the car was sticking out into the passing lane). When I did so, the car slipped into rapid acceleration causing a full head on crash with the retaining wall. I had pressed the break pedal but the brakes did not have enough time to engage before the wall stopped my car. As a result, I had bumper damage, a crooked hood (due to bent hinge on the right side) and a cracked bracket above the light assembly. Thankfully I was not injured, but the repair was costly. I leased this car new in 2017, and am paying off end of lease buyout. I have been the only driver, and I bring my car for regular servicing. At this point I am afraid to drive it because I don't know when or where the next rapid acceleration will occur.
NHTSA complaint #11575912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.