Complaint volume
193 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
193 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
193 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 10 crash reports, 1 fire report, 1 injury report, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 117 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 23,314 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
193 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHIN 30 TO 45 DAYS OF PURCHASE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD A SECOND CRACK LESS THAN A YEAR LATER | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING MY BRAND NEW 2019 CROSSTREK MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED TWO VERY LARGE CRACKS ACROSS IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR BRAND NEW, AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT HALFWAY UP. I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD ONLY TO HAVE IT CRACK IN THE SAME SPOT 3 MONTHS LATER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | OCT 2017, STONE CHIP PASSENGER VIOLENTLY CRACKED NEXT MORNING WHEN DEFROSTER WAS RUN TO DEFOG FRONT WINDOW. CAR WAS STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,230 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2018 CROSSTREK WITH 3000MI, GOT INTO CAR EARLY COLD MORNING 1/2018, TURNED ON DEFROSTER WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE STOPPED. NO "TRAUMA," NO ROCKS, NO ACCIDENTS. CROSSTREK WITH EYESIGHT DRIVER ASSIST PACKAGE, HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD AND RECALIBRATE EYESIGHT. A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. WINDSHIELD COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, ONLY REPLACED, DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF EYESIGHT. TWO DAYS FOR REPAIR, LOANER CAR PROVIDED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | INTERMITTENT JERKY ACCELERATION COMBINED WITH A SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN POWER DURING MODEST ACCELERATION. AT TIMES I GET NO ACCELERATION WHILE THE CAR JERKS BETWEEN 2,000 & 3,000 RPM. THIS IS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN IT MIGHT HAPPEN BUT OCCURS AT ENGINE SPEEDS UNDER 3,000 RPM REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE SPEED OR GEAR SELECTED. MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT IT IS MOST FREQUENT WHEN RESUMING DRIVING AFTER HAVING STOPPED FOR A SHORT PERIOD WHICH WAS PRECEDED BY PROLONGED HIGH SPEED DRIVING. NOW IT SEEMS IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. MAY BE RELATED TO OUR HIGH AMBIENT TEMPS THIS TIME OF YEAR. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ON THIS FORUM. HTTPS://WWW.SUBARUXVFORUM.COM/THREADS/HESITATION-WHILE-MODEST-ACCELERATING.163650/ I TOOK IT TO MY SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THEY SAID THEY WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE WHAT I DESCRIBE AND SAY IT IS "NORMAL". I HAVE OWNED 7 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES PRIOR TO THIS ONE AND CAN SAY IT IS ANYTHING BUT NORMAL. "NORMAL" APPARENTLY MEANS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THERE'S NOTHING MY DEALER CAN DO ABOUT IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SMALL PEBBLE HIT WINDSHIELD. NOT MOVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NOW WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 36,800 |
| Sep 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TURNED OFF (COMPUTERS AND ALL). THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS BEING TURNED OFF (FROM GOING ABOUT 75) BECAUSE I WAS APPROACHING TRAFFIC AND IT JUST TURNED OFF. BRAKES STILL WORKED AND I GOT ON THE SHOULDER. THEN WHEN TRYING TO TURN IT BACK ON, IT WOULD HAVE VERY STRANGE NOISE LIKE AN OLD FAN OR CLUNKING. I WOULD PRESS MY ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT WOULD ONLY GO 5 MILES AN HOUR. FINALLY AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AN RESTARTING ENOUGH TIMES IT RAN NORMALLY. BUT THEN THE COMPUTER WAS ON THE FRITZ. FLASHING THE HIGH INCLINE SIGN, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SIGN, AND FLASHING ALL THE CRUISE CONTROL. AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE TWO SMALL CRACKS ON MY WINDSHIELD AFTER A 1.5 YEARS OF OWNING IT. THE FIRST ONE (ATTACHED IMAGES): WAS CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I GUESS A SMALL ROCK FLIPPED UP AND HIT AND IT CRACKED. WAS GOING ROUGHLY 60-65 MPH. THE SECOND ONE (NOT PICTURED): IS MORE TOWARDS THE LOWER MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS ALSO CRACKED WHILE MOVING FROM A SMALL ROCK THAT FLEW UP. I WAS TRAVELING MUCH SLOWER THIS TIME AS IT WAS MORE OF A NORMAL ROAD OUT IN THE COUNTRY. I WAS GOING AROUND 45 MPH. IT SEEMS ABSURD TO ME THAT I ALREADY HAVE A CRACKED WINDSHIELD 1.5 YEARS INTO OWNING THIS VEHICLE WHEN EVERY VEHICLE I'VE OWNED BEFORE THIS ONE HAS NEVER HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,000 |
| Aug 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. SKIES ARE GREY. IT'S ABOUT 1300. NO RAIN. IN RIGHT LANE. 2 CARS AHEAD EXITED AND CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT SEE THE WHITE TRUCK AHEAD OF US WHO WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC. THE CAR INCREASED SPEED, ACCELERATING INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. WE APPLIED OUR BREAKS AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT GOING FROM ABOUT 50 MPH TO THE SLOW TRAFFIC SPEED OF ABOUT 20 MPH IN 10 YARDS. IT WAS QUITE SCARY. I SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH THE CAR NOT SEEING A WHITE TRUCK HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC DRIVING THROUGH SEATTLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,250 |
| Aug 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1) VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED NEW WITH REAR POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING. 2) LED BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING AT 15000 MILES , NOTICED WHEN I WAS BACKING UP IN FRONT OF GLASS DOORS. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER WIRE WAS SHORTING OUT AND ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER DID NOT STOCK PART SO I WAS SENT OFF WITH NON WORKING BRAKE LIGHT UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL THEY COULD GET PART. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I HAVE A SECURITY ISSUE RELATED TO THE 2018 CROSSTREK AND THE DOOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING SYSTEM. THIS ISSUE PUTS VEHICLE OPERATORS AT RISK AND FAILS TO PROTECT THE CONTENTS OF THE VEHICLE WHEN UNATTENDED. WE EXPERIENCE ISSUES WHERE THE ALARM WOULD SOUND WHEN OPENING THE DRIVER DOOR. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE DOCUMENTATION THAT DESCRIBED THIS SO WE WENT TO SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR HELP. WE DISCOVERED MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOCKED WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL BUT THE DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT LOCK. THE VEHICLE CAN BE ENTERED WHEN UNATTENDED, THE DOORS MANUALLY UNLOCKED AND THE CONTENTS REMOVED. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THE DOOR IS NOT LOCKED WHILE OPERATED. THIS EXPOSES THE OCCUPANTS TO THE RISK OF UNEXPECTED ENTRY FROM OUTSIDE WHILE THEY ARE OPERATING THE CAR. THIS SITUATION OCCURS WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE IS USED TO UNLOCK AND OPEN THE CAR IN A SINGLE MOTION. THE LOCKING LATCH GETS CAUGHT IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION AND WILL NOT CLOSE. THERE IS A NOTABLE DIFFERENCE IN THE SOUND MADE BY THE DRIVER LOCK. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO USE THE EMERGENCY KEY CONTAINED IN THE KEYFOB AND TURN THE LOCK. I TURNED IT TO LOCK AND UNLOCK AND RESTORED NORMAL OPERATION, BUT THIS WAS AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHERE MY WIFE AND HER PACKAGES WERE EXPOSED. I BELIEVE A WORKAROUND IS TO NOT OPEN THE DOOR IN A SINGLE MOTION, BUT RATHER TO TOUCH THE HANDLE, PAUSE WHILE IT UNLOCKS. THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS I BELIEVE SUBARU SHOULD TAKE. FIRST, I BELIEVE SUBARY SHOULD NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF THIS CONDITION, OF THE SIGNS IT EXISTS AND HOW TO RESOLVE IT. THE RISK IS REAL AND THEY SHOULD BE STATED. SECOND, I BELIEVE THE SOLENOID THAT LOCKS THE DOOR IS TOO WEAK TO FREE ITSELF, AND SUBARU SHOULD UPGRADE THIS PART SO THAT IF THIS OCCURS, THE NEXT USE OF THE LOCK CORRECTS IT. THIRD, I THINK SUBARU SHOULD CONDUCT TESTS OF ITS OWN ACROSS ALL MODELS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| May 2019 | STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | UPON STARTING CAR IN DRIVEWAY FOUND POWER STEERING SLUGGISH AND REQUIRING GREAT FORCE (OPERATIVE, BUT NO APPARENT BOOST). ENGINE SLUGGISN LIKE LIMP-HOME MODE. ADDITIONALLY MIL, TC AND OTHER LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. I TOOK PHOTO. I FORGET IF IT THREW ODB CODES, BUT I REMEMBER THAT IT TWO BATTERY DISCONNECT CYCLES, AND TWO ODB CODE CLEARING CYCLES, TO REGAIN NORMAL FUNCTION. I FORGET ID ANY ODB CODES WERE SET. HERE ARE THE CONDITIONS: DAYTIME MORNING, ABOUT 11AM, AMBIENT TEMPERATURE ABOUT 65 DEGREES. CAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. I PREVIOUSLY (ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE) MOVED CAR FROM STREET TO DRIVEWAY. DATE LISTED BELOW IS APPROXIMATE. I WILL UPDATE WHEN I CHECK EXIF DATA ON PIX. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Apr 2019 | AIR BAGS | AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT AT HIGHWAY SPEED (~80MPH). | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 18,000 |
| Mar 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Mar 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE WIPER BLADES DO NOT PROPERLY CLEAR AND WILL LEAVE AREA OF PUDDLED WATER ON THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER TO BE MADE. AT STANDSTILL THE WIPER BLADES WILL VIBRATE WHEN YOU CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE WASHER FLUID. BUT A VERY NOTICEABLE VIBRATING WIPER BLADE IS VISIBLY SEEN. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SET OF AFTERMARKET BLADES THAT SOMEWHAT FITS THE ADAPTER THAT WILL FULLY MAKE IT OPERATIONAL. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE WIPERARMS. I JUST HAD SERVICE AT 27,500 MILES AND WITH THE SAME RESULTS OF REPLACING THE WIPERARMS. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEM TO BE TOO INTERESTED IN FIXING THE ISSUE. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE WIPER ARM CONNECTIONS POINT. THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET WIPER BLADES I'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THAT WILL PROPERLY FIT THE WIPERARMS FOR BOTH FRONT BLADES. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOT TO MENTION THE WINDSHIELD WILL BOIL UP FASTER WITH HOW THE WINDSHIELD WASHER SOLUTION WILL REMAIN ON THE WINDSHIELD AND WIPER ARMS AT HIGHWAY SPEED...... HIGHWAY SPEED IS ANYWHERE FROM 60-80 MPH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,500 |
| Mar 2019 | POWER TRAIN,WHEELS | VEHICLE WAS CLIMBING A RESIDENTIAL STREET WITH A GRADUAL INCLINE IN SNOW APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES OF FRESH POWDER WITH NO ICE UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 3,150 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND THE TIRES WERE STOCK ALL SEASON YOKOHAMA WITH A GOOD MUD/TREAD RATING. THE VEHICLE WAS CLIMBING THE HILL VERY WELL UNTIL AT THE CREST A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND AWD LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE TIRES FAILED TO CLEAN THE SNOW PROPERLY AND I SLID BACK INTO A GUARDRAIL FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AND THERE WAS COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS BENT. DEALERSHIP WHERE I TRADED THE VEHICLE INTO HAD 2 OTHER CUSTOMERS TRADE THEIR 2018 CROSSTREKS DUE TO POOR AWD SYSTEM AND VERY DANGEROUS ALL SEASON TIRES. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 3,150 |
| Jan 2019 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS REAR ENDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO BODY DAMAGE TO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO IRVINE SUBARU (23663 ROCKFIELD BLVD, LAKE FOREST, CA 92630, (949) 837-3500) WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 10144878 (EQUIPMENT, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE); HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 7,000 |
| Dec 2018 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SHATTERED WITHOUT ANY CONTACT | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,923 |
| Oct 2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHEN THE SUNROOF IS OPEN - THERE IS A BLINDING GLARE(ON A SUNNY DAY) PROJECTED FROM THE BASE 6.5 INCH RADIO SCREEN DIRECTLY INTO THE DRIVERS EYES. SINCE THIS IS A BLINDING CONDITION IT MAKES DRIVING WITH THE SUNROOF OPEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT COULD BLIND THE DRIVER CAUSING A ACCIDENT - THE RADIO SCREEN SHOULD HAVE EITHER BEEN COATED WITH A NON-REFLECTIVE COVER - OR - TILTED FORWARD SOTHAT SUNLIGHT IS NOT PROJECTED DIRECTLY INTO THE DRIVERS EYES. WROTE SUBARU A LETTER - NO RESPONSE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Sep 2018 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE SINCE PURCHASED IN JUNE 2018 DUE TO JERKY, BUCKING AND HESITANT ACCELERATION AND SHIFTING. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HESITANCY HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN BEING HIT WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND FROM PARKING SPACE IN LOT. THIS CAN OCCUR IN FWD DRIVE AND REVERSE. VIBRATION AND SHAKING OCCURS AT ABOUT 1700RMP AND LESS OCCASIONALLY 1100RPM. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2018 | ENGINE | THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR FOR THE ENGINE STALLING AND HESITATION. THE RECALL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES. THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE CONDITION. SUBARU DOES NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED TO HELP MY DEALER REPAIR THE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE WHEN IT DOES LOSE POWER ITS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 70 |
| Sep 2018 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE STARLINK ENTERTAINMENT AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM (8" SCREEN) PERIODICALLY FREEZES WHILE DRIVING. WHEN FROZEN, THE TOUCHSCREEN WILL NOT WORK AND THE SYSTEM IS USELESS. SOMETIMES THESE IS NO SOUND AND AT OTHER TIMES IT IS MAXIMUM VOLUME. AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS, THE SYSTEM WILL UNFREEZE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Aug 2018 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | THE INTERIOR LIGHTING IS A RED ORANGE COLOR. FOR SOMEONE LIKE MY WIFE AND I, IN THEIR SIXTIES, IT IS TERRIBLE AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO SEE, ESPECIALLY THE ODOMETER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE WOULD NOT KNOW THIS , THE DEALER DOES NOT GIVE A [XXX] AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE AT SUBARU.COM WHO WE COMPLAINED TO AND ASKED IF THE BULBS IN AT LEAST THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COULD BE CHANGED BUT IT IS A SEALED UNIT. ALSO, THE THUMBWHEEL ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT GIVE ENOUGH ILLUMINATION EVEN AT THE HIGHEST SETTING. WE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE DURING THE SUNNY DAYLIGHT HOURS SO OF COURSE ONE WOULD NOT REALIZE THIS AS A POSSIBLE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PISSED OFF AND DISAPPOINTED WITH A VEHICLE, IF I HAD ONLY KNOWN. IT UPSET MY WIFE AND I SO MUCH THAT WE TURNED IT IN TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED VEHICLES IN THE PAST WITH EVEN THOUGH THIS MEANT A LARGE HIT IN OUR POCKETBOOK. THE SUBARU DEALER CAN GO TO [XXX]. MY BIGGEST REASON TO TELL THIS STORY IS THE HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE SO OTHERS WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. SINCERELY INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2018 | ENGINE | COMPLETE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,900 |