What breaks most · 2013 to 2017 model years
Subaru XV Crosstrek problems by year
Owners have filed 261 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 powertrain and transmission complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2013, 2014, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 2612013 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201396 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 194 fires · 11 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 55kMedian 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | 5 | 2 | Engine (35) | |
| 81 | 8 | 0 | Electrical system (20) | |
| 78 | 5 | 1 | Unknown or other (20) | |
| 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 | 36% |
35 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 22% |
21 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 20% |
19 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 15% |
14 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 9% |
9 | 2 | Shop steering parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| Wheels | 6% |
6 | 0 | — |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
5 | 2 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 5% |
5 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2013 Subaru XV 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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The engine stalled unexpectedly during operation. I noticed a sudden loss of power, and the vehicle shut off without warning. This has happened more than once, posing a safety concern.
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When attempting to put the car in park, the key will not release and is stuck. Incident happens often in recent past days. Key will not release from ignition.
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Cv joints went bad around 100,000 miles when warranty expired. All freeway driving, even tho car was purchased for more off road/unpacked road use, which hasn't happened much. Guess if i did use it more off road this wld have happened earlier & be covered under warranty. Needs to be a recall on this issue.
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 6, 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 96 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 35 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 55,000 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.