What breaks most · 2012 to 2019 model years
Subaru Crosstrek problems by year
Owners have filed 125 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru Crosstrek across model years 2012 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2018 for engine complaints, 2016 for electrical system complaints and 2013 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2012, 2014 and 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2018, 2016, 2013
- Fewest complaints: 2012, 2014, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 1252012 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 201830 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 76 fires · 3 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 27kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 17Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Engine (2) | |
| 18 | 1 | 1 | Engine (6) | |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 14 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (4) | |
| 29 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (6) | |
| 10 | 0 | 1 | Unknown or other (5) | |
| 30 | 3 | 5 | Engine (9) | |
| 9 | 0 | 7 | Unknown or other (2) |
What fails on the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 30% |
9 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 30% |
9 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 23% |
7 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 13% |
4 | 0 | — |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 10% |
3 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 3% |
1 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Wheels | 3% |
1 | 1 | — |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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When phone is connected via usb to phone it doesn't always pull up apple play. Also if phone is left plugged in and turn car off go into store come back it says error connecting and wont connect back to apple play for hours.
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Key is sticking in ignition. Was informed that there is a known fix for a known problem that happens but it will cost over $400 to fix. This is a known design flaw with a known service bulletin that makes a change to a piece of plastic in the shifter.
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Subaru of america, inc. (subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 , , xv crosstrek the engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall. Its been months and still no response from any subaru dealership regrding my subaru.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Subaru Crosstrek years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2018, 2016, 2013 carry the most filings on the Subaru Crosstrek. The 2018 alone has 30 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Subaru Crosstrek problem?
On the 2018 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 9 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Subaru Crosstrek problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Subaru Crosstrek complaints that include mileage is about 27,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.