2017 Subaru Crosstrek
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 97 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 14 Crosstrek model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 6 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 5 people were 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
97 reports, newest first.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 28, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2017 CROSSTREK CHIPS TOO EASY. I HAVE NEVER HAD CHIPS ON ANY OTHER VEHICLES WINDSHIELD. THE GLASS MUST BE TOO SOFT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY CROSSTREK A FEW TIMES WHILE IN MOTION. MY TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT SOMETIMES SLIPS, AND SHUDDERS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
Service brakes, Oct 11, 2019
MY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AFTER WORK, THE BATTERY WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. I WAS ABLE TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGH SUBARU AND RECEIVED A JUMP START. (THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE I WAS BACKPACKING THE WEEKEND OF 9/21-9/22, BUT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. ANOTHER ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR SCOUT TROOP WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME A JUMP START. PREVIOUSLY, I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING, BUT HAD BEEN ABLE TO CATCH IT IN TIME BEFORE THE BATTERY DIED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, WHICH COULD BE REMEDIED BY ME TAKING MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER THE JUMP ON 10/3, THIS LOSS OF ACCELERATION HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT CONTINUE MOVING. ON A FINAL NOTE, I REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THE EVENING OF 10/3 AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED EITHER PROBLEM SINCE.)
Air bags, Aug 27, 2019
MY AIRBAG SENSOR WENT OUT ON MY PASSENGER SEAT AND IT WAS ON BACKORDER FOR OVER A MONTH AND A HALF. THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER SUBARU CARS (FORESTER) AND IT ALSO OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE.
Electrical system, Jul 7, 2019
MY KEY STARTED TO GET STUCK, I NEED TO START MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE BACK IN PARK REPEATEDLY UNTIL IT COMES OUT. 30,000 MILES ON A CAR AND I CAN’T JUST HAVE IT FIXED WHEN THERE IS A TSB ON A KNOW ISSUE. TO DO THIS CYCLE OF ON AND OFF 1-9 TIMES ON A 2 YR OLD VEHICLE IS RIDICULOUS,THIS HAPPENS 50% OF THE TIME I TRY TO SHUT MY CAR OFF AND GETTING WORSE, PLEASE DO A RECALL
Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, Jun 18, 2019, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTRAK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE DRIVER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. DURING THE INCIDENT THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE FEATURE( 'EYESIGHT') MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AWAY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT YET NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
Other or unspecified, Jun 6, 2019
WHEN TURNING THE CAR OFF, IT DOES NOT RELEASE THE KEY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON AND OFF PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW.
Service brakes, Jun 5, 2019
VEHICLE IS ONLY 2YRS OLD AND HAS ROUGHLY 6200 MILES ON IT. THE BRAKES WERE MAKING AN AWFUL RUBBING/ GRINDING NOISE AND SMELLING LIKE THEY WERE BURNING. SUBARU DEALER IS OVER AN HOUR AWAY FROM HOME AND DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE VEHICLE THERE. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR ROTARS AND SETS OF BRAKE PADS REPLACED. BURLINGTON SUBARU SAID TOO BAD CAN'T HELP YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD CAR TOWED TO US AND WE COULD HAVE MAYBE COVERED SOME OF IT UNDER WARRANTY. CAN'T HELP YOU NOW. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS WRONG AND BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE LIKE THE CAR, BUT IF THAT IS THE TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WE GET WHEN SUBARU BOASTS "PEACE OF MIND AND QUALITY PARTS" THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO STAY WITH SUBARU. HAVING OUR CAR TOWED WOULD HAVE BEEN $300 PLUS THE PARTS AND SERVICE AND A MAYBE WARRANTY COVERAGE WASN'T AN OPTION FOR MANY SAFETY AND MONETARY REASONS. WE FEEL IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO AT LEAST COVER THE COST OF PARTS THAT WE PAID. ATTACHED THE INVOICE. LABOR IS $75/HOUR AT OUR LOCAL GARAGE X 3 HOURS. I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKE PADS ARE A WEAR OUT ITEM BUT ROTARS SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN 6200 MILES!!! MECHANIC TOLD ME THE BRAKE PADS WERE ALMOST CORRODED ONTO ROTARS. LUCKILY CALIPERS ARE OKAY. NOT ONLY THAT, I RECENTLY FOUND ON LINE THAT OUR CROSSTREK HAS A RECALL THAT WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED ON. IT CAME OUT IN FEB 2019!
Exterior lighting, May 22, 2019
I RECEIVED A SUBARU CRITICAL SAFETY RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE BRAKE LIGHTS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT SCHEDULE WORK FOR OVER 6 WEEKS. BLOOMINGTON, MN SUBARU. SEE COPY OF EMAIL I SENT FOLLOWING: [XXX] 9:46 AM (1 HOUR AGO) TO BLOOMINGTON "I LEFT A MESSAGE THIS MORNING WITH YOUR SERVICE MANAGER, REGISTERING MY EXTREME DISPLEASURE AND OUTRAGE THAT WHEN I CALLED YOUR SERVICE DESK OVER TWO WEEKS AGO TO SCHEDULE SERVICE ON THIS "URGENT CRITICAL SAFETY RECALL", THAT THE EARLIEST DATE I COULD GET WAS JULY 9. WHEN I EXPLAINED MY CONCERN WITH THE DILATORY SCHEDULING TO YOUR SERVICE PERSON, I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW-IP CALL FROM YOU SERVICE MANAGER. I NEVER DID. I'D CALLED WHEN I RECEIVED THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. TODAY I RECEIVED THIS EVEN MORE ALARMING SAFETY RECALL BY EMAIL, IDENTIFYING SEVERAL ALARMING DANGERS LINKED TO THE BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE, INCLUDING RISKS OF A CRASH AND FAILURE OF RELATED SAFETY SYSTEMS. . MY DETAILED VOICE MAIL MESSAGE THAT I LEFT THIS MORNING UNDERSCORED MY CONCERN THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD A CRASH AND OTHER SERIOUS SAFETY OUTCOMES IS BEING HANDLED IN THIS WAY, INTERESTINGLY, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOUR SERVICE PERSON TWO WEEKS AGO AND WAS GIVEN JULY 9 AS THE EARLIEST DATE, HE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE OTHER SAFETY RECALL ISSUES WITH AIRBAGS THAT HAD TAKEN PRECEDENCE. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT SUBARU WOULD PRESENT THIS LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE AT YOUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. I AM FORWARDING THIS SUBARU EMAIL TO YOU WITH MY ACCOMPANYING CONCERN, AND REGISTERING MY CONCERN IN WRITING TO DOCUMENT THE MESSAGE THAT I ALSO LEFT WITH YOUR SERVICE MANAGER'S VOICE MAIL. YOURS TRULY, [XXX]" INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT *TR
Exterior lighting, May 16, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V149000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (#1 COCHRAN BUICK GMC OF MONROEVILLE, 4520 WILLIAM PENN HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146, (412) 245-4220) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY UNTIL JUNE 26, 2019. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 30, 2019
MY KEY STARTED TO GET STUCK ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I NEED TO START MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE BACK IN PARK REPEATEDLY UNTIL IT COMES OUT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY NEED TO REPLICATE THE SITUATION. 18000 MILES ON A CAR AND I CAN'T JUST HAVE IT FIXED WHEN THERE IS A TSB ON A KNOW ISSUE. I DO T HAVE TIME WHEN GOING TO WORK TO DO THIS CYCLE OF ON AND OFF 1-9 TIMES ON A 2 YR OLD VEHICLE, PLEASE DO A RECALL.
Electrical system, Engine, Apr 15, 2019
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AT 45 MPH WHEN MY CAR TURNED OFF SUDDENLY. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT ON. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SLOWLY. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT TURNED BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEMS. I DROVE HOME, AND DROVE IT TO MATT SLAP SUBARU IN NEWARK, DELAWARE THE NEXT MORNING (TODAY). I SPOKE TO THE PRODUCT SPECIALIST, DENISE. SHE SAID TO KEEP DRIVING IT AND SEE IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN, AND AT THAT POINT THEY WILL DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I INSISTED THAT THEY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY INFORMED ME THAT IS NOT THEIR PROTOCOL. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN--ONE THAT SUBARU IS NOT TAKING SERIOUSLY. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FILED A REPORT TO SUBARU OF THIS ISSUE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ONLY GOING 45 MPH AND WAS ON A ROAD WITH A SHOULDER WITHOUT HEAVY TRAFFIC. HAD THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN DIFFERENT, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO OCCUR TWICE BEFORE SUBARU CONSIDERS A FIX. ONE SHUT DOWN IS ENOUGH.
Other or unspecified, Feb 28, 2019
CAR KEY CONTINUALLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THIS BEGAN A MONTH AGO. MY CAR IS IN PARK, AND THE KEY JUST WILL NOT COME OUT, PRETTY OFTEN NOW. YOU EITHER AFTER TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND MOVE IT A LITTLE OR JIGGLE THE HANDLE IN PARK UNTIL THE KEY COMES OUT.
Other or unspecified, Jan 20, 2019
SNOW AND RAIN GETTING ONTO ENGINE WITH HOOD COMPLETELY SHUT. WE HAD THE ENGINE COMPLETELY COVERED WITH SNOW EVERY TIME WE DRIVE IT. NEVER HAD A VEHICLE LET THE WEATHER GET INTO THE ENGINE WITH THE HOOD SEALED.
Electrical system, Nov 14, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. INTERMITTENTLY, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE IGNITION WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PALM SPRINGS SUBARU (LOCATED AT 67925 E PALM CANYON DR, CATHEDRAL CITY, CA 92234, (760) 318-4700) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 5, 2018
WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREET WITH FAIRLY HIGH TRAFFIC. VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HUMIDITY. I TURNED ON DEFOGGER AND THE WINDSHIELD GOT INCREASINGLY MORE FOGGED UP. THE DEFOGGER DID NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD TO DRIVE AT 20 MPG TO AVOID A COLLISION. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE DEFOGGER. THE CAR IS TWO WEEKS OLD.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 23, 2018, fire
MY 13 MONTH OLD CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR "NO APPARENT REASON".
Engine, Jun 26, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION SUBARU SCOTTSDALE (15678 N NORTHSIGHT BLVD, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Engine, Apr 6, 2018, crash
I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO THE GARAGE AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR UNCONTROLLABLY LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT AN ISSUE AND WAS SECURE. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED, THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD.
Other or unspecified, Dec 29, 2017
DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY AND THEN A SUDDEN BOOM! SOUNDED LIKE A BRICK HIT THE ROOF OF THE CAR. FRIGHTEN A BIT BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND THE NOTICED THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED. DROVE SOME SLOWLY AND LOOKED AT IT MORE WHEN I GOT HOME. I NOTICED THAT THE GLASS LOOKS LIKE IT BLEW UP LIKE A VOLCANO. IT BLEW OUTWARD. SO I STARTED SEARCHING IF THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS WITH MANY MANUFACTURERS.
Suspension, Oct 17, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEELS TO WOBBLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Structure, Seats, Jul 6, 2017, fire
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS RESTING HIS RIGHT ARM ON THE LEATHER SHIFTER, HE SUSTAINED BURNS. THE PASSENGER AND HIS WIFE ALSO RECEIVED BURNS ON THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT FOREARMS OF THE LEATHER SEATING SURFACES. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS INJURIES; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CHEMICAL REACTIVE SECOND DEGREE BURNS. THE CAR RENTAL VENDOR WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE LOCAL DEALER (MARK MILLER SUBARU MIDTOWN LOCATED ON 3535 STATE ST, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, 84115) WAS CONTACTED AT 888-859-6198 AND STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE FAILURE AND WOULD "LOOK INTO IT". THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 396.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 11, 2017
SIDE VIEW MIRRORS, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ARE MOUNTED 8'" BEHIND FRONT OF DOOR CREATING VERY LARGE BLIND SPOTS FOR DRIVER. FOR SHORT DRIVERS WHO DRIVE WITH THE SEAT IN A FORWARD POSITION THE VIEW THAT THE MIRROR PROVIDES IS VERY LIMITED.