2016 Subaru Crosstrek
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 131 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 14 Crosstrek model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 4 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 1 person was injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchFeb 28, 2019
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.
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
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.
Campaign 19V149000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
131 reports, newest first.
Steering, Wheels, Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2020
THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM ONE OF MY WHEELS . I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S A BAD WHEEL BEARING . NOTICED THE NOISE AFTER BRAKING VERY HARD TO AVOID A COLLISION .HAVE HAD THE SUV LOOKED AT TEST DRIVEN BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC . HE BELIEVES IT IS THE WHEEL BEARING
Other or unspecified, Oct 28, 2020
IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION AND CAR REMAINS ON UNTIL IT CAN BE REMOVED.THIS HAPPENS AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN PARK. CHANGING TO ANOTHER KEY DOES NOT CHANGE THE PROBLEM. AN INTERNET SEARCH AND THE CAR DEALERSHIP NOTE THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN SUBARU'S.
Other or unspecified, Oct 20, 2020
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION WHEN IN PARK AND HARD TO GET OUT. HAVE TO START THE VEHICLE, SHIFT AND TRY AGAIN FOR IT TO COME OUT.
Electrical system, Oct 4, 2020
KEY IS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION AFTER SHIFTING TO PARK. SOMETIMES REQUIRES YOU TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE KEY TO RELEASE. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT AND A DEFECTIVE PARK POSITION SENSOR.
Engine, Sep 29, 2020
THE IGNITION KEY DOES NOT COME OUT AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO START IT ON AND TURN IT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL IT DOES COME OUT. BTW, MY SISTER OWNS THE SAME CAR, AND SHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS.
Electrical system, Sep 21, 2020
WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK I AM UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER 2-6X OF PUTTING IT IN AND OUT OF PARK THE KEY WILL RELEASE.
Electrical system, Sep 20, 2020
MY IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK SOMETIMES. I BELIEVE IT IS THIS ISSUE: HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2018/MC-10153178-9999.PDF
Power train, Sep 11, 2020
2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK, KEY BECOMES STUCK IN IGNITION. MUST MOVE SHIFT LEVER OUT OF AND INTO P(ARK) POSITION SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE KEY CAN BE TURNED TO THE PROPER POSITION TO REMOVE IT. COMMONLY HAPPENS WHEN PARKING VEHICLE.
Electrical system, Sep 6, 2020
WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN PARK THE KEYS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK IN THE IGNITION AND CANNOT BE REMOVED. WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE IT CAME UP NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF TIMES. SOMEONE FOUND OUT THE ISSUE THAT SUBARU INSTALLED FAULTY CONNECTORS NEAR THE SHIFTER. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SEND A SIGNAL TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION. HOWEVER THAT SIGNAL IS NOT ALWAYS SENT BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DO NOT CONNECT WHEN IT IS PUT INTO PARK. DRIVER'S ONLY HAVE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION OF SHIFTING IT INTO DRIVE THEN BACK INTO PARK MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE TRYING TO PULL THE KEYS OUT. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE HOWEVER IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY A RECALL, SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS KEYS MAY BE LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE AUTOMOBILE TO BE STOLEN.
Steering, Sep 4, 2020
POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE.HAS HAPPENED ON MANY OCCASIONS.LOSS IOF POWER STEERING LASTS FROM A FEW SECONDS TO 10 TO 15 SECONDS,RESOLVES BY ITSELF.HEARD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FROM DEALER THAT THEY CAN NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. FEEL IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM MAY LEAD TO LOW SPEED ACCIDENT.STEERING WARNING LIGHT DOES COME ON.DOES GENERATE ERROR CODES PER DEALER.DEALER(JOHNSON SUBARU DUBOIS PA 15801) HAS ATTEMPTED REPAIR X 5 W/O RESOLUTION.STATE THEY HAVE REPLACED ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE,REPLACED THAT WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED ECM AND STATE THEY HAVE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK.EPISODES OF LOSS OF STEERING CONTINUE. HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA ADVISING THEM OF PROBLEM.THEY SUGGEST RETURNING VEHICLE TO DEALER EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED IN THE PREVIOUS 5 VISITS
Other or unspecified, Aug 19, 2020
KEY STUCK IN IGNITION SWITCH WHILE IN PARK AND DOES NOT WANT TO COME OUT.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Aug 12, 2020, crash
MY BATTERY KEEP DRAINING ALL THE TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAVE CHANGED 3 OF THEM. TWO OF THE BATTERY WERE STILL OKAY BUT I STILL CHANGED THEM. ALSO, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD KEEP ON AND OFF WITHOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE BRAKE SWITCH RECALL AND I ALSO MENTION THE PROBLEM TO THEM BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. FEW DAYS LATER, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND OFF ON THE DASHBOARD. THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR AND SAID THE CAR NEED TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY TRANSMISSION WHICH I DOUBT THAT MY CAR HAS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SUBARU HAVE THAT SAME ISSUE. I PERSONALLY USED TO OWN THE SUBARU BRZ AND THAT CAR ALSO HAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY AND THE DEALER JUST REPLACED IT FOR ME.
Wheels, Jul 26, 2020
WHEN TURNING CLICKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM WHEEL AREA. CAR HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES. WHEN I TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHECK MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT FOR ME. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE PASSENGER CV AXLE.
Other or unspecified, Jul 22, 2020
2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK DRIVING WENT TO PARK KEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION COULD NOT TAKE IT OUT CANT UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PROBLEMS AND NO RECALLS
Power train, Jul 20, 2020
I PUT MY CAR INTO PARK AND I TRY TO TURN MY CAR OFF THE KEY TURNS HALF WAY AND STOPS. I CAN'T GET THE KEY OUT. I TRY AGAIN BY TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES THAT WORKS. SOMETIMES PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE AND AND THEN PARK AGAIN WORKS. IT IS BECOMING A PROBLEM MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. IT CAN TAKE UP TO 3 MINUTES OF FIDGETING TO GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION.
Other or unspecified, May 28, 2020
OUT OF GAS WITH 3 BARS SHOWING...TWICE *TR *BF*JB
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 21, 2020
WHILE PUTTING MY VEHICLE IN PARK THE KEY WILL NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. IT TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE KEY TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH "FAILURE TO PARK POSITION, AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE MICRO SWITCH PLATE" WITH A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $800.00 DOLLARS. *TR
Engine, May 4, 2020
WHILE PUTTING MY VEHICLE IN PARK THE KEY WILL NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. IT TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE KEY TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND SUBARU HAS YET TO ISSUE A NATIONAL RECALL. I HAVE ATTACHED A DOCUMENT THAT DETAILS THE PROBLEM.
Electrical system, Apr 23, 2020
THE KET GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN PARK. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.
Other or unspecified, Apr 10, 2020
A/C COMPRESSOR HAS FAILED AND THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 80K MILES.
Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2020
CAR IS PARKED AND KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION TO REMOVE IT.
Power train, Mar 4, 2020, crash
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2016 CAR HAS HAD POWER TRAIN FAILURE 3 TIMES. THE LATEST CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION INTO MY CAR ON 2/28/2020. VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 35 MPH ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE REMAINED ON AND POWER STEERING ALSO WORKED. CAR WAS IN DRIVE BUT NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. REAR ENDED BY A HONDA SUV WHILE DRIFTING TO SIDE OF ROAD. LUCKILY NO INJURIES...ABOUT $1500 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO HONDA SUV. NO REAL DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF MY CAR. HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE BUT NO TROUBLE CODES OR DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION. VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. SEEMS TO BE A MYSTERY PROBLEM AND THE DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION AT PRESENT. TRYING TO GET A RESPONSE FROM SUBARU. SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME FOR ALL THREE FAILURES. POLICE REPORT NUMBER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Power train, Feb 10, 2020
THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT. THE FIRST, I DID NOT REPORT, BUT WAS IDENTICAL IN OCCURRENCE. WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY @ APPROX. 70MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION AND POWER, AS IF TO BE IN NEUTRAL. THE GEAR SHIFT WAS NOT JARRED, MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE, THIS WAS NOT OPERATOR ERROR. THE CAR SLOWLY LOST SPEED AS PRESSING ACCELERATOR ONLY REVVED THE ENGINE WITH NO RESULTS. I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE HAZARDS AND MY INDICATOR TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THANKFULLY ARRIVING THERE SAFELY ALTHOUGH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY WERE REQUIRED TO REACT. UPON GETTING TO THE SHOULDER, I SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND TURNED IT BACK ON. ACCELERATOR WORKS AS IT SHOULD AND I WAS LUCKILY LEAVING THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AGO. I REPORTED IT TO MY DEALER WHO WAS REPAIRING A BRAKE LIGHT RECALL, THE SERVICE MANAGER LAUGHED IT OFF AS OPERATOR ERROR. I ASSURE YOU IT WAS NOT. IN HINDSIGHT, THIS COULD BE A FAR MORE TRAGIC SCENARIO HAVING YOUR CAR LOSING POWER WITHOUT NOTICE ON A HIGHWAY. ALL POWER STEERING AND INDICATORS ON THE DASH WERE UNAFFECTED, ONLY THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE.
Other or unspecified, Jan 12, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY APPROX 1.5 HRS TRAVELING 75 MPH AND 60 MILES OF GAS LEFT IN TANK THE VEHICLE CUT OFF.. I COASTED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND SHUT OFF VEH. NO WARNING LIGHTS GIVEN OR OUT OF FUEL. RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE WITHOUT ISSUES TO THE NEXT EXIT, FILLED THE TANK AND CONTINUED ANOTHER 45 MIN TO HOME WITHOUT ISSUE. SINCE, IVE ONLY DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES TO AND FROM WORK AND ERRANDS W/O ISSUES. AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND CONCERNED ABOUT ANY FUTURE ROAD TRIPS. DO TO NO WARNING OR REPAIR LIGHTS AND THE VEH DRIVING W/O ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. I JUST WANT TO FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE FURTHER THAN HOME
Electrical system, Jan 6, 2020
MY CAR JUST HAS HAD BACKUP CAMERA ISSUE SINCE A MONTH AGO. I CALLED THE LOCAL SUBARU SERVICE BUT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME FOR A DIAGNOSIS WHICH I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA TO PAY IT. I LEARNED THAT SUBARU RECALLS OTHER SUBARU MODELS (NON CROSSTREK) FOR ITS BACKUP CAMERA ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY BACKUP CAMERA TO BE FIXED WHICH THAT IS A SAFETY CONCERN.*DT VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. CONSUMER STATED CROSSTREK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB