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.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Dec 12, 2019
THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER AND GETTING CLOSE TO THE POINT OF STALLING BUT NEVER STALLED. IT WOULD PERIODICALLY NOT SWITCH GEARS AS WELL. SEEMS LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. APPARENTLY I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL PUT OUT EARLIER FOR THIS ISSUE. SO I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET.
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 9, 2019
MY VEHICLE (2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK, 74K MILES) BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE DURING HIGHWAY SPEEDS TWICE IN ONE WEEK. I WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 80MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING. MY VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. I CALLED A SUBARU DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT MORNING AND BROUGHT IT IN THAT SAME DAY WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG: NO CODES, NO BULLETINS, OR RECALLS, AND THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY JUST DRIVER ERROR. THE VERY NEXT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THE EXACT SAME SCENARIO: DRIVING 80MPH WHEN MY GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED THEN DIED WHERE I HAD TO COAST OFF THE ROAD. THIS TIME THE CAR WOULDN'T START FOR ABOUT 30MIN DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS (IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN OVER). THEN AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 30 MIN, IT STARTED JUST FINE AND I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE. I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A SUBARU DEALER (A DIFFERENT ONE) FIRST THING, TOOK IT IN, AND WAS TOLD ONCE AGAIN THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER DOING SOME INTERNET RESEARCH I FOUND A FORUM OF CROSSTREK OWNERS THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, SO I KNOW IT ISN'T "DRIVER ERROR" AND I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T ISOLATED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART OR SYSTEM WOULD BE FAILING IN THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE FORUM HTTPS://WWW.SUBARUXVFORUM.COM/THREADS/SHUTTING-DOWN-WHILE-DRIVING.106065/ I ALSO CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA TO TRY AND GET THEM INVOLVED, ALTHOUGH THEY REALLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AND NOW I HAVE 2 SEPARATE CASE NUMBERS WITH THEM. THE FIRST BREAKDOWN OCCURED 11/14/2019 AND THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED 11/16/2019.
Exterior lighting, Nov 28, 2019
EVERY 4 MONTHS I'M CHANGING HEAD LAMP LOWER BEAM,,
Other or unspecified, Nov 28, 2019
THREE YEAR OLD CAR AND HORN DOESN'T WORK ,,,
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Nov 12, 2019
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AROUND CURVES AT ABOUT 15-20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL KIND OF LOCKED, AND COULD NOT GO BACK STRAIGHT. HAD TO STOP, TURN THE CAR OFF IN ORDER TO THE STEERING WHEEL FEEL NORMAL. IT DID IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, ALSO WHILE PARKING IT MADE LIKE A CLICKING NOISE BY THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. HAD IT FIX, SUBARU REPLACE RELIEF VALVE, ELECTRIC OIL PUMP. EVEN THOUGH SUBARU IS AT FAULT, I HAD TO PAY ALMOST $600 TO HAVE THIS FIX BECAUSE MY CAR HAD A CONDITION THAT WAS NOT COVERED BY THEIR WARRANTY. IT ISN'T FAIR. I BOUGHT THIS SUBARU BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIABILITY. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE DEFECTS. THIS SITUATION EXPOSED MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE AND MINE. I HOPE NOBODY ELSE GOES THROUGH THIS RISKY SITUATION. THANK YOU.
Power train, Oct 17, 2019
CANNOT TURN OFF CAR AND REMOVE KEY AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK. PROBLEM IN INTERMITTENT. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES.
Electrical system, Oct 16, 2019
THE KEY MECHANISM FAILS TO LET YOU REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE SWITCH. IT FAILS TO RETURN TO THE FULL OFF POSITION TO ALLOW THE KEY REMOVAL. I HAVE TO TURN KEY OFF & ON ANYWHERE FROM TWICE TO 20 TIMES TO GET THE KEY TO RETURN ALL THE WAY TO THE OFF POSITION TO ALLOW THE KEY REMOVAL. SOMETIMES, I START AND STOP TO ASSIST THE OPERATION BUT STILL CAN TAKE UP TO 10 TIMES FOR THE KEY POSITION TO FULLY RETURN TO THE OFF POSITION TO ALLOW FOR THE KEY REMOVAL
Other or unspecified, Sep 30, 2019
KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. SEVERITY INCREASES WITH OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND DRIVE TIME. KEY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO BE REMOVED ON TWO OCCASIONS. REPEATED VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP HAS RESULTED IN NO LONG TERM FIXES. THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE SINCE FEB 2019. THIS RESULTS IN A CAR IN PARK, THAT CAN NOT BE LOCKED, WITH A KEY THAT CAN BE TURNED ON AND USED BY ANYONE WHO OPENS THE DOOR AND SITS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 23, 2019
EXPERIENCING SAME ISSUES AS MANY OTHERS. KEY WILL NOT PULL OUT UNLESS TURNED BACK ON AND CHANGE GEARS; THEN WHEN TURNED BACK OFF KEY WILL PULL OUT. STARTED HAPPENING IN 2019. AGAIN, SAME AS OTHER PEOPLE, HEAR CLICKING WHEN TURNING LEFT. TAKING TO DEALERSHIP TOMORROW BUT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL BE THE AXLE FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING.
Other or unspecified, Sep 21, 2019
MY WIFE WAS JUST GETTING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SHATTERED GLASS ALL THROUGH THE CAR. NOTHING HIT THE CAR AND THERE WAS NO WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT WAS SUNNY AND 68 DEGREES IN BOISE, ID.
Steering, Aug 15, 2019
WHEN TRYING TO TURN OFF THE CROSSTREK IT WOULD NOT LET THE KEY COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. IT FORCES YOU TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE THEN BACK INTO PARK A FEW TIMES TO TAKE THE KEY OUT. I WENT TO SUBARU AND THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, WHICH THEY HAVE A FIX FOR. THIS PROBLEM IS SEEN IN MANY OF THE OLDER MODEL SUBARUS I HAVE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM IN MANY YOUTUBE VIDEOS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY SUBARU. SUBARU DEALER TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS A STICKY PLATE CYLINDER.
Other or unspecified, Aug 12, 2019
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CAN NOT BE REMOVED UNTIL TRYING TO SHIFT GEAR. SEEMS LIKE IT IS NOT GOING INTO PARK. STARTED AUGUST 8, 2019 AND EVERY DAY SINCE.
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 9, 2019
NOT ABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK PUT IT BACK IN PARK IN PARK AND SOMETIMES REPEAT THEN ABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY THE SERVICE ADVISOR NEE EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AS THEY JUST DID THE REPAIRS TO ANOTHER VEHICLE THE PART IS TRANSMISSION PLATE GUIDE ASSEMBLY LOCATED IN THE SHIFT CONSOLE THAT COST $50 AND $350 FOR LABOR WITH A TOTAL OF $400. MY VEHICLE IS NOW AT 40,000 MILES.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2019
MY KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION ON THE ACC POSITION, SO I CAN NOT LEAVE MY CAR WITH THE KEY IN IT BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS STILL ON. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN PARK. I TURN THE KEY COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY, THE KEY WILL NOT GO FURTHER THAN THE ACC POSITION, AND NO, IT IS NOT THAT I'M NOT PUSHING IT IN ENOUGH OR THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK. I AM ESSENTIALLY STUCK IN MY CAR OR AT RISK OF IT BEING STOLEN. IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY (AT LEAST ONCE A DAY) BUT NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. IT HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE, AND FOR FEAR OF DAMAGING THE TRANSMISSION OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FURTHER I TRY NOT TO DRIVE IT. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ACROSS FIVE OTHER SUBARU MODELS OVER FIVE YEARS (2013-2018; LEGACY, OUTBACK, IMPREZA, CROSSTREK, FORESTER, WRX - UNTIL RECENTLY THEIR ENTIRE LINEUP!) AND ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN LAST YEAR (ATTACHED). IT IS AFFECTING SO MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS, YET THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. THE SERVICE BULLETIN ANNOUNCED A DESIGN CHANGE TO THE CVT SELECT LEVER DUE TO PARK-RANGE SWITCH INTERNAL COMPONENTS. THEY CLAIM IT IS "ISOLATED" BUT A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET PROVES THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
Vehicle speed control, Aug 7, 2019
I WAS DRIVING TO A TOWN ABOUT 12 MILES AWAY VIA THE HIGHWAY. AFTER 10 MILES MY ACCELERATOR NO LONGER FUNCTIONED AND THE ABS LIGHT, THE VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT, AND THE HILL START ASSIST WARNING LIGHT COME ON. I TOOK THE CAR OUT OF GEAR SO I COULD COAST TO A SPOT TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND AFTER PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR A FEW TIMES, THE ENGINE STARTED TO RESPOND. I PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE AND CONTINUED ON. THIS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES WHEN I RESTARTED, THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF AND DIDN'T COME BACK ON WHEN I DROVE BACK HOME 12 MILES. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE NEXT DAY.
Steering, Jul 17, 2019
TOTAL POWER STEERING FAILURE AT 40,076 MILES. DEAL READ CODE C2532. DEALER REPLACED FULL STEERING SYSTEM; RACK, CONNECTORS. STILL DID NOT WORK. REPLACED 80 AMP FUSE ON POSITIVE TERMINAL. NOTE THAT STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS OFF. MAJOR CONCERN IF IT HAD HAPPENED DURING OPERATION.
Steering, Jul 16, 2019
PUT CAR IN PARK, SHUT THE IGNITION OFF, AND I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON, MOVE THE SHIFTER FROM PARK TO DRIVE POSITION, THEN PUT BACK IN PARK AND BY DOING THIS I AM SOMETIMES ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY.
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 8, 2019
VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY. AFTER BACKING INTO STREET THE VEHICLE CANE TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN QUICKLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY FAST SPEED. THIS WAS ON A BUSY ROAD AND THE VEHICLE APPROACHING MY REAR HAD TO SLAM ON ITS BRAKES TO AVOID A COLLISION. LATER IN THE SAME EVENING IN A PARKING LOT THE SAME GEAR CHANGE PROBLEM HAPPED AGAIN. AFTER GOING FROM REVERSE THEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED TO THE DRIVE POSITION. THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED THEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A NEAR STALL. AFTER A LONG DELAY THE VEHICLE JOLTED FORWARD. A PERSON WALKING THROUGH THE LOT NOTICED MY HESITATION AND THOUGHT I WAS LETTING THEM CROSS IN FRONT OF ME. MY VEHICLE CAME WITHIN A COUPLE FEET OF ALMOST STRIKING THE PEDESTRIAN.
Electrical system, Jul 7, 2019
TRANSMISSION IN PARK. KEY IS IN IGNITION AND TURNED OFF. HOWEVER THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO RUN. REQUIRES SEVERAL ON OFF ATTEMPTS TO SHUT ENGINE OFF.
Other or unspecified, Jun 27, 2019
WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE KEY IS ALWAYS STUCK EVEN IF THE SHIFTER IS ON PARK MODE, HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND PUSH THE SHIFTER WITH FORCE TO RELEASE THE KEY.
Vehicle speed control, Jun 19, 2019
CAR INTERMITTENTLY LOSES THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN SPEED AT A RANGE OF SPEEDS FROM 30MPH TO 75MPH+ IN MY EXPERIENCE. NO RESPONSE WHEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL AND ENGINE DOESN'T RESPOND WHATSOEVER TO GAS PEDAL INPUT. IT'S AS IF I HAVE REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND I'M ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO COAST. THIS LASTS FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL NORMAL FUNCTION RESUMES. THIS MOSTLY OCCURS AT ON THE HIGHWAY AND WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE, BUT SUBARU WILL DO NOTHING UNLESS THEY'RE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE THEMSELVES. IT'S BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP ONCE ALREADY. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT AND ONLY HAPPENS EVERY FEW DAYS, SO IT'S HARD TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHEN YOU WANT IT TO. I HAVE A BAD VIDEO RECORDING OF HALFWAY THROUGH IT HAPPENING, BUT I'M ATTEMPTING TO GET A BETTER RECORDING.
Power train, Jun 18, 2019
2016 SUBARU CROSS TREK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING IN MANUAL MODE. *LD *JS
Seats, Jun 5, 2019
TRACKING NUMBER 11217079:THIS IS TO ADD PHOTOS SHOWING THAT SEAT HEIGHT ADJUST LEVER AFTER WEAR PROTRUDES FROM SEAT BASE CASTING, AND CATCHES PANTS CUFF ON EXITING CAUSING TRIPPING.
Other or unspecified, Jun 3, 2019
THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AFTER PLACING THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. THE CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS IN PARK SO IT WON'T RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE BREAK LIGHT SWITCH RECALL AND IT STARTED HAPPENING THE NEXT WEEK.
Power train, Jun 2, 2019
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING DANGEROUSLY WHILE DRIVING