268 of the
1,552 complaints filed about the Subaru Crosstrek
are about the other systems —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2019.
On XXX at approximately 8:00 p.m., I was driving my 2022 Subaru Crosstrek westbound onXXX descending from the [XXX] area toward [XXX], shortly after [XXX]. It was approximately 90°F. I was traveling about 75 mph in the middle lane, going straight, with normal traffic around me. Without warning, I heard an extremely loud explosion. I initially thought that a tire on my vehicle or another vehicle had exploded. I saw what appeared to be a shower of dark material around my vehicle but did not know what had happened. I safely pulled over and only then discovered that my sunroof glass had shattered. The sunroof was completely closed and had not been opened in many months, possibly close to a year. I did not see or hear a rock, debris, or any other object strike my vehicle before the explosion. There was no impact sound or other warning before the glass failed. I had not made any unusual maneuver and there had been no collision. The shattered glass appeared to have been expelled outward and rained across the exterior of my vehicle. Fortunately, the interior sunshade was closed and prevented the shattered glass from falling directly onto me. Had the shade been open, the glass could have struck my face or eyes while I was traveling at highway speed and caused me to lose control of the vehicle. I called my husband immediately after pulling over, providing a contemporaneous record of the approximate time of the incident. I am reporting this as a serious safety concern because the sunroof glass suddenly shattered at highway speed without any observed external impact. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was advised to file a report for a known problem with Subaru 2022 Crosstrek.It involves the infotainment system failures. These are listed in a Subaru service bulletin dated 1/28/25- head unit warranty extension. My issues primarily involve carplay but there have been other issues associated with Starlink system as well. The dealer has refused to fix this even though I have an extended warranty and the service bulletin covers the repair. I have replaced the cable and the phone and there are still ongoing problems. I am aware there is a class action lawsuit in process.
NHTSA complaint #11750503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The sunroof shattered for no apparent reason. The car was parked in my garage. Something caused it to explode outwardly from within Tempered glass fell going all over the front seats. Some of the glass stood in place, but would come crashing down if I was to drive it from the wind force.
NHTSA complaint #11750085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle requires multiple restarts after the engine is turned off to go forward or reverse. This has been happening since April 2026. I purchased the vehicle on 02/28/2026. My dealer claims they have not found any issues. However, the problem persists.
NHTSA complaint #11749869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a possible power train/drivetrain issue with a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. At steady highway speeds, most noticeably around 72–76 mph under light accelerator load, the vehicle produces a persistent high-frequency ringing/whining tone throughout the cabin. The noise stops when I lift off the accelerator and rarely occurs when traveling downhill, which suggests it may be related to drivetrain load rather than ordinary wind, road, or tire noise. The suspected component or system is UNKNOWN, but based on the operating conditions it may involve the CVT, differential, or related drivetrain/power train components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by a Subaru dealer. The vehicle was previously inspected by the dealer, and the rear differential was replaced during an attempted repair, but the noise persisted. The vehicle was returned for additional diagnosis, and dealership personnel confirmed the same noise. The manufacturer later stated that the condition was considered a normal characteristic after comparison with another like-model Crosstrek Wilderness, but no specific root cause or technical explanation was provided. My safety concern is that a persistent, load-dependent drivetrain noise at highway speeds could indicate abnormal wear, resonance, or mechanical instability in the CVT, differential, or related power train components. If the condition reflects an unresolved defect, it could potentially lead to premature drivetrain failure or loss of power while driving at highway speeds. There have been no warning lamps or dashboard messages associated with the condition. The issue first appeared while the vehicle was still very new and under factory warranty, and it remains unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11749212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Thermo Control Valve (TCV) causes a check engine light to come on and disables eyesight issue started May 29, 2026. The check engine would go on and off. Now it just stays
NHTSA complaint #11748542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Radio/Infotainment system popped up a over-the-air In-Vehicle Messaging (IVM) alert for SiriusXM advertisement. This in-motion ad force them to take their eyes off the road just to hit "Dismiss" resulting in missing a critical navigation turn in an unfamiliar location. This seems to happen every few months. The vendor does not offer a way to make these driver interruptions stop. I later called the number on the screen and they do not have a way to Opt Out of the IVM advertisements since I am not a California resident protected by CCPA.
NHTSA complaint #11742457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My issue is with Sirius XM advertisements popping up on the screen while I'm driving, it is very distracting and seems unsafe especially when I'm using navigation apps on my screen trying to navigate the city. The message on the screen does have a phone number that says "Limited-time SiriusXM offer available through 6/30. Call 866-635-2495 for info/vehicle msg opt-out" but when I called the number they said it was physically impossible for them to opt me out and recommended I purchase a new in car stereo to address the issue. Which is completely outrageous because the car is a 2024 and basically new still. I asked to speak to a manager and they were unable to do anything to address it despite the message sating call to opt-out.
NHTSA complaint #11742038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Sirius XM advertisement creates an unsafe experience. The only way to safe way close it requires the driver to pull over to touch the “X”, or to risk taking eyes off the road in order to use the interface, including the climate control.
NHTSA complaint #11741717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sirius XM radio pop up advertisement disables the touch screen and features until the little red x button is hit in the top right corner away from the driver.
NHTSA complaint #11741737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Subaru’s infotainment system and GPS system has advertising pop ups which cover the map while driving. This has happened multiple times and it is incredibly distracting and dangerous. There is no way to opt out.
NHTSA complaint #11739448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Subaru Starlink alerts keep disrupting my navigation so it’s making driving unsafe bc it pops up and interrupts Waze Navigation and has to be addressed to get back to my map. It happens incessantly and persistently even though I’ve turned off app Starlink access and alerts. It is a distraction to my focus while driving and i fear it will cause me to get into an accident. Why hasn’t Subaru fixed this known issue?
NHTSA complaint #11737250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Power train automatic transmission park/neutral start interlock Reverse lights not illuminating increasing risk of collision Recall was issued not listed here WRQ-23 Recall issued 1/8/23 My issue started in 2026 off and on Why is this Recall not listed Subaru service department states not able to provide service without the recall on file Car purchased August 2025
NHTSA complaint #11737413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
my sunroof exploded. I was on the highway, no trucks around to shed debris, when I heard a pop and then the sound of glass breaking. I was near my home so I got there and then inspected the sunroof. The glass was pushed upward at the center of the sunroof. No rocks inside the interior of the sunroof. This sunroof had only been opened once, when checking operation at the dealership. This car was new and I have had it less than a month. The milage is less than 500 miles.
NHTSA complaint #11734289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek rapidly accelerated unexpectedly while pulling into a parking space with the foot on the brake. Hit a concrete pole and sustained vehicle damage and injuries.
NHTSA complaint #11733779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wheel bearing issue in 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Identified by Subaru but not full recall We were not informed Risk REAR WHEELS WILL FALL OFF Contacted Subaru Advocacy after determining the backing plate was modified due to risk of failure Internet indicated courtesy repair for vehicles under 100,000 miles with new corrected part Repair was denied without full payment not even willing to supply NON DEFECTIVE part at no cost
NHTSA complaint #11720935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11721026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I noticed that when I am driving on the freeway/highway for extended periods of time (30+ minutes) the wheel will start locking up. It stiffens enough that I have to force the wheel in a different direction. When it occurs there is no warning lights or messages from the car, it just suddenly stiffens. Other than driving on the freeway for 30+ minutes there does not seem to be any particular trigger for it to happen. This is a 2025 subaru crosstrek sport with 14,000 miles that we bought new. I noticed the first instance of it maybe a month into having the car.
NHTSA complaint #11717698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In-car pop-up advertisements, specifically from SiriusXM. The advertisement pops up while driving, attempting to use the safety features of the car, including navigation. It happens every few months, at random. There is no way to opt-out from the vehicle; the only option is using a desktop computer, creating an account, and finding the communication preferences. This is a dangerous feature, as it causes multiple issues when it happens, including driver safety. They violated FCC rules by making this easy to opt out of; I've never opted in, as I had to create an account just to cancel.
NHTSA complaint #11708560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.