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Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2016 Subaru Crosstrek

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 132 safety complaints about the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the exterior lighting.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 37 complaints, 28% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 38,000 miles, the median across the 78 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers April 2016 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

132 complaints on file

132

Complaints

4

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 37 · 28%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 34 · 26%
POWER TRAIN 18 · 14%
ENGINE 14 · 11%
STEERING 13 · 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8 · 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 · 5%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 · 4%
STRUCTURE 5 · 4%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 5 · 4%
AIR BAGS 4 · 3%
SUSPENSION 4 · 3%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 132.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 32.

36 27 18 9
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2016 Subaru CROSSTREK, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 15.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

19V149000 · February 28, 2019

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
The risk
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
The remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 1,303,530 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured

On 3/30 my steering column started to make a grinding sound when I turned my steering wheel over 90 degrees to make a turn. On 3/31 the airbag light went on and I made an appointment to bring it in to get looked at by my nearest Subaru dealership (Tacoma Subaru). I was told the light meant the airbags would not deploy if I got into a car accident so I didn’t drive my car until I needed to pick up grocery order on 4/2. On 4/2 I was making a slow right hand turn into the parking lot and my airbag deployed as I turned and hit/burned my forearm through a heavy sweatshirt. I didn’t bump it, experience an impact or accident of any kind. It simply deployed while I was turning without any warning.

NHTSA complaint 11515282. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 5,700 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. COLONIAL SUBARU (761 E CHESTER ST, KINGSTON, NY 12401, (845) 339-3330) ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GO TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE OIL ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SENT A LETTER TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL AND A 1,000 MILE TEST WAS TO BE PERFORMED TO CHECK THE STATUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, IT FAILED TO START WHILE IT WAS RAINING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER UNKNOWN DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THE BATTER WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE

NHTSA complaint 11162235, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · 65,000 miles

I MADE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CAR NOT STARTING, TOO MUCH OIL CONSUMPTION ETC...THEN ON NOVEMBER 11, 2018, AT 3.42PM I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 87 WHEN CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY, SMOKE CAME OUT AND FLAMES. IT BURNED DOWN IN 15 MINUTES. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO TURN THE FIRE DOWN. THE CAR IS TOTAL LOSS. I COULD HAVE DIED

NHTSA complaint 11162213. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

Car caught fire from what seemed to be an electrical issue. Car became engulfed in flames within a few seconds. Fire department was called to extinguish the fire. I was lucky myself to make it out in time. The fire became so big, so quickly, I was concerned for the safety of the surrounding property. Luckily, no one was injured and no property damage took place. Car was inspected and totaled by insurance. The headlights were constantly needing to be changed. Otherwise the car was fine. I had just replaced the battery and just a few hours later the fire happened. The fire appeared to start somewhere under the hood on the passenger side.

NHTSA complaint 11517135. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
While driving my 2016 Subaru Crosstrek (VIN: [XXX]) at approximately 70,000 miles, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic cooling system rupture on the roadway without any prior dashboard warning light. A radiator hose burst, resulting in rapid, complete loss of engine coolant and steam, creating an immediate safety hazard and forcing an emergency roadside stop. A subsequent diagnostic teardown by an independent specialist confirmed the root cause was premature degradation of internal engine seals (the upper oil pan and internal coolant crossover O-rings inside the FB20 engine block). These internal seals failed prematurely, allowing pressurized engine oil and coolant to

NHTSA complaint 11767861, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
Within 24 hours of purchase, the exhaust pipe became detached underneath the vehicle and exhaust fumes and odor were entering the cabin while driving. This created a potential carbon monoxide exposure risk to me and passengers. Subaru inspected the vehicle and confirmed the exhaust issue existed before I purchased the car. The selling dealership did not disclose this safety defect and refused to unwind the sale when notified.

NHTSA complaint 11704175. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A/C Control Head and connector burned on both ends. Dealer service center stated it was a significant safety/fire hazard if we had not immediately taken in to be checked. No warning, no fuses out. Only indication something was wrong is a/c turned on but only on 1,2 and 4. Then, same day, only on 4. Next day took to Subaru service center. When we asked how would replacing parts stop this from happening again, we were told original parts had a “Design Flaw” and was “Defective”. Replacement/New parts wiring system actually corrects the OEM defect.

NHTSA complaint 11697638. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Hood latch failed causing hood to fly open, smashing and breaking my windshield.

NHTSA complaint 11658990. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The CVT valve body was diagnosed as defective by the Subaru Dealership service department. The car was taken to the dcealership when the A/T OIL EMP, HILL ASSIST, ABS and TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL lights came up. The valve body is still available for inspection. The car was taken to the dealership for a Brake Light Switch recall that has the same simptoms.

NHTSA complaint 11657595. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Full electrical power steering failure

NHTSA complaint 11654714. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Subaru Crosstrek

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 44 0 —
2024 118 2 —
2023 34 0 —
2022 31 0 —
2021 115 1 —
2020 69 0 —
2019 284 7 —
2018 194 5 —
2017 94 1 —
2015 17 1 —
2014 16 1 —
2013 26 1 —

Other 2016 Subaru models

Outback 643 Forester 414 Legacy 147 Impreza 75 WRX 31

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Subaru on this site — 99 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst