Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 115 safety complaints
about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek with the US government. Of those, 8 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 6 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the power train.
The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers,
named in 29 complaints, 25% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 2,460 miles,
the median across the 17
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers December 2020 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
115 complaints on file
115
Complaints
8
Describe a crash
2
Mention fire
6
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.
Complaints rose by half year on year: 16 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 10 in the twelve before.
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
VISIBILITY/WIPER 29 · 25%
29 25%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 25 · 22%
25 22%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 · 14%
16 14%
ENGINE 16 · 14%
16 14%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 14 · 12%
14 12%
POWER TRAIN 14 · 12%
14 12%
LANE DEPARTURE 5 · 4%
5 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 3%
4 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 · 3%
4 3%
VISIBILITY 4 · 3%
4 3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 3 · 3%
3 3%
SEATS 3 · 3%
3 3%
01531
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 115.
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 2021 at 25.
28 21 14 7
202020212021222022232023242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2020 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 2021 Subaru CROSSTREK, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SW AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
15.6%
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
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 95,830 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.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
2 injured · crash · towed
While driving on the highway in the slow lane (furthest to the right), traveling at approximately 50 mph, I came to be behind a tractor trailer. Before I had a chance to pass the tractor trailer, it switched lanes abruptly. My vision past/beyond (in front of) the tractor trailer was heavily obstructed by the massive vehicle itself, so I could not see that in front of the 18-wheeler there was a mid-size sedan traveling at approximately 5-10 mph in the same active highway lane I was in. I had almost no time to react, and neither the Automatic Emergency Braking system nor the Forward Collision Warning system engaged. Both of these systems should have activated to prevent the collision and/or …
NHTSA complaint 11538947, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
2 injured · crash · towed
We were rear ended on the interstate. Cars in front of us stopped and we also came to a complete stop and a few moments later we were hit. During the collision, none of the airbags were deployed. Both our front seats fully reclined backwards. None of our seatbelts locked. Only the two seats that no one was in locked. Also, my headrest completely broke off. Our car was later determined by the insurance to be totaled.
NHTSA complaint 11673646. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
1 injured · crash · towed · 1,300 miles
The contact owned a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while parking and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly and collided with a wall. The collision was at the front of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. The driver sustained arm, leg, thumb, back, and nose injuries. Medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,300.
NHTSA complaint 11545362. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
1 injured · crash
In the winter of 2021-22, while parallel parking, backing up, then pressing the brake, my Crosstrek spontaneously accelerated in reverse and rammed into the truck already parked behind me. The Crosstrek paused, then rammed again, as I pressed harder on the brake. I put the car into “park” and turned off the engine. I was baffled and had no explanation for what happened. Thank goodness a person wasn’t between my Crosstrek and the truck. More recently, on October 4, 2022, I was at the post office mailbox drop-off. My Crosstrek was stopped with my foot on the brake. Some mail had fallen out of the overstuffed mailbox, I opened my door, set my foot outside, leaned over to pick up the mail, and …
NHTSA complaint 11492507, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Drivers side door, interior automatic door lock switch spins and makes a clicking sound when you just start go forward.
NHTSA complaint 11762313. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
There have been multiple instances where my car has failed to “restart” if the auto-start-stop feature is on. I immediately turn that setting off every time I get into my car because if I pause for too long at a light/stop sign etc.the engine will stall and turn off (without being in park). I have reported this to Subaru on many occasions and they’ve told me to replace the battery, so I did, and nothing changed. I’ve also replaced the starter and that didn’t help either. I’m now unable to turn my car off at gas stations because I’m worried it won’t restart. I just saw that a law suit has opened because of this electrical issue so I wanted to formally report my concerns. This needs to be a …
NHTSA complaint 11758970, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SERVICE BRAKES
We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time. They said that there was a related recall for a similar issue on other CrossTrek's but that ours was not included in the VIN list, so was not a part of the recall. This appears to be a serious component failure which could result in a fatal accident. The fact that this happened with all brake hoses indicates a defective component. We were lucky that we found it and were able to have it addressed before the brakes failed.
NHTSA complaint 11758570. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but doesn’t look like it covers anything after 2020.
NHTSA complaint 11754078. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
- Rod #4 failure of unknown cause, although there is speculation that current failure may be related to a major repair in oil system a year ago. - My safety along with my unborn child’s, husband’s and brother in law’s were all at risk. Another driver had to take evasive action to avoid hitting us in an active fast lane on I-70 going between 65-70 mph. There was no shoulder available to pull off on until a half mile up the road. - Yes the problem has been confirmed from the dealership partially. They did not identify a cause for the sudden failure. However stated it could not be determined if this failure is or is not related to a previous major engine repair made a year ago. - The engine …
NHTSA complaint 11750897, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SUSPENSION
85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and turning to the right or the left, the steering wheel and the vehicle were shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the control arms and struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
NHTSA complaint 11750237. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed November 9, 2023.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
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.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst