What breaks most · 2013 to 2017 model years
Subaru XV Crosstrek problems by year
Owners have filed 88 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru XV Crosstrek across model years 2013 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2013 for engine complaints, 2014 for electrical system complaints and 2015 for electrical system complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2013, 2014, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 882013 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201334 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 91 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 21kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 3Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 1 | 2 | Engine (12) | |
| 25 | 5 | 0 | Electrical system (9) | |
| 23 | 2 | 1 | Unknown or other (6) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Engine (2) |
What fails on the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 35% |
12 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 26% |
9 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 18% |
6 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 15% |
5 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop stability control parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Wheels | 6% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
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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My 2013 subaru xv crosstrek is burning oil. At the time that the oil light came on, the car had 43,675 miles on it. I just read where someone else is having this same issue. I purchased this vehicle brand new 2 years ago and feel that a new car should not be burning oil.
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The car cannot move due to it is unable to shift out of park. The brake light doesnt come on --believe it is the brake switch sometime doesn't work dealer wont admit problem
-
2015 subaru xv crosstrek limited with auto climate controls after sitting for 3 days i started vehicle and had no hvac control, vehicles has 80,000 miles. I disconnected the battery after driving 80 miles hoping the computer glitched and would reset the controls, still no control of hvac system
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 XV Crosstrek years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2013, 2014, 2015 carry the most filings on the Subaru XV Crosstrek. The 2013 alone has 34 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Subaru XV Crosstrek problem?
On the 2013 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Subaru XV Crosstrek problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Subaru XV Crosstrek complaints that include mileage is about 21,000 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.