2019 Subaru Crosstrek
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 284 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 14 Crosstrek model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 6 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, softwareApr 15, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.
Campaign 21V264000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearApr 15, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.
Campaign 21V263000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, rear/otherMar 31, 2020
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. The began April 15, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-20.
Campaign 20V189000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, crankcase (pcv)Dec 2, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Campaign 19V856000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareOct 18, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.
Campaign 19V743000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, glass, side/rearMay 30, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The driver's side rear-door window glass may be improperly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."
Improperly tempered glass can shatter into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side rear-door window glass, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUG-92.
Campaign 19V404000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemFeb 6, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Forester and Crosstrek vehicles. A connector inside the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit may short circuit resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
None of the affected vehicles have been sold yet. Subaru has notified dealers and they will inspect the steering gearbox, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUC-88.
Campaign 19V065000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
284 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Feb 9, 2023
The main information panel which displays navigation information under Carplay goes blank for approximately 5 seconds every time the user adjusts the car volume. This appears to be by design. The "feature" creates an unsafe driving situation by forcing the driver's attention to linger on the main panel waiting for navigational or other information, creating an unsafe situation which could cause an accident. In addition, though less threatening, the vehicle's audio volume turns on when the car is started, regardless of whether it was last left off or on. The unexpected volume sound interferes with a driver's initial planning and focus in the vehicle unnecessarily. This unfortunate "feature" is less threatening than the screen blanking resulting from volume adjustment because it occurs before the car begins moving. The volume control screen blanking creates a hazard because it interferes with the driver's access to important information while the vehicle is in motion, tempting the driver to take their eyes off the road waiting for the main screen to once again resume normal operation.
Vehicle speed control, Feb 6, 2023, crash
unexplained acceleration. I was in a parking lot and driving slowly and the car just took off. I had to crash it into the building at the mall to avoid cars and people. The car was totaled and my husband had a broken rib. We were taken to the hospital. Car was inspected and serviced. by the dealership, no problems before this accident, no warnings.
Power train, Engine, Feb 5, 2023
When driving, the car has intermittent random power failures. When you start to accelerate, it does not go even when applying full petal to the floor or letting go and pushing the petal again then it goes rapidly to speed. It is failing to accelerate more frequently and when I brought it in to the dealership twice, they said if I can tell them exactly how and when it is failing they would have a chance at fixing the problem. The problem they say is that it is random. Because of the problem with this we are seriously looking at buying another car. We no longer pull out into traffic because we do not know if it will fail. There are no warning lights on the dash or other indications.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jan 9, 2023
The screen display with the oil temp gauge and water temp gauge will randomly turn off while driving as well as sometimes it will not turn on immediately when the car turns on. I have brought this to the dealers attention and nothing has been done, there has been no warning lights on the dash illuminated. This has been going on randomly for the last 6 months. Another issue is that when the bluetooth or carplay is inuse and there is a call in progress the digital speed display is blocked by a screen that says call in progress. This is very dangerous that the digital speed display is blocked when bluetooth or car play is used to make calls. This has many times resulted in me speeding as the speedometer on the car is marked well with tick marks for how big the arm is that tells you how fast you’re going. There is no reason subaru should block the digital speed display. The infotainment system powers off randomly, changes the radio station on its own, and changes the volume on its own. This started in 2019 when I got the car and the issue was observed by the dealer and the radio was replaced. However now that the radio was replaced in 2019 or 2020 the radio has been recently not turning on when the car is started, shutting off in the middle of the drive, and sometimes not even connecting to carplay to use navigation. Subaru won't help me anymore or even look at the car now for this concern without charging an insane diagnostic fee (which is wrong to charge for safety concerns)
Structure, Jan 4, 2023
The left rear door would not open from the inside when unlocked. In an emergency, my passenger would not be able to get out on their own.
Visibility, Dec 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and activating the front window defroster, moments later while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield started to crack. The contact stated that the crack started from the bottom of the windshield and extended toward the driver’s side of the windshield. The crack extended approximately 22 inches. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified but the manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 33,000. The contact stated that they would like to cancel this complaint.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 12, 2022
My 2019 Subaru Crosstrek has a little over 19000 miles on it, and my windshield has cracked for the third time. The first time was after a rock strike at the edge of my windshield; the vehicle did not make it the couple miles home before it had split several inches. The second and third times seem spontaneous. Both cracks originated from the bottom of the glass on the passenger's side, and there were no known rock strikes either instance. Both instances, the windshield cracked several inches while the vehicle was parked. In the third instance, the vehicle had only been sitting an hour between use, and a six inch crack appeared within that time. None of the three windshields have sustained any other damage beyond the cracks. Subaru has recently undergone lawsuits regarding this issue with many of their vehicles over the last several years. This is a known problem. Cracks to the windshield reduce the efficacy of the safety features in the event of an accident and can impair a driver's visibility. With damage this often and the cost of a new windshield and sensor recalibration, I am sure many drivers are waiting until their windshield has completely cracked until replacement.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Dec 9, 2022, crash
The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while her husband was driving at 25-30 MPH downhill, the tractor trailer before him slowed down at a curve. The contact's husband depressed the brake pedal but it failed to respond and the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, causing the vehicle to fall into a ditch where it bounced and hit the rear of a trailer, then bounced back into the embankment. The passenger's side and driver's side roof rail air bags deployed. The frontal air bags failed to deploy. The emergency units transported the contact and her husband to the hospital where it was diagnosed that the contact had sustained a compression fracture in her back. Her husband did not sustain any injuries. The occupant of the trailer did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 31,200.
Other or unspecified, Dec 3, 2022
Back rear window shattered on its own, but it shattered completely instead of like the windshield with it didn’t stay together it was shattered into 1 million pieces. All I did was close my front door.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 22, 2022
A crack on the windshield appeared for no apparent reason . The crack started on the passenger side right below the windshield wiper. At this time, the vehicle has not been inspected by insurance or police. Besides the financial burden this may cause it has not caused any physical harm to myself or others. However, it is a known issue with Subarus in the past and should be addressed.
Electrical system, Nov 20, 2022
Battery Drain problem. Subaru had to replace the battery in January of 2022. That did not resolve the issue. My battery started dying again in June of 2022 & I have to constantly jump start my car. I complained to Subaru & brought my car in for servicing but all they did was test the battery immediately after it was driven on the highway for approximately 20 miles. The issue is not the battery, it is the electrical system that drains the battery.
Tires, Sep 30, 2022
On 09/29/22 while crossing the Richmond Bridge, the drivers rear tire experienced a sudden and complete blowout of the tire. All rubber separated from the rim and landed in the adjacent left traffic lane. I slowly came to a complete stop on the bridge with hazard lights on. A bridge service vehicle arrived within 1-2 minutes and helped change to the spare. My tires had just been serviced at Costco Tire Center in Novato on 09/25/22 and they maintain that the failure is due to manufacturing defect as they tire passed their inspection.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 29, 2022
I have had to have my windshield replaced four times since purchasing the vehicle in June of 2021. Small chips and cracks have formed from the smallest debris on the road, and even a small rock can cause a foot-long crack.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 24, 2022
I am about to get my second windshield on this car due to chips and cracks. I currently have 7 with one large spider crack. I have never owned a car that had a windshield that chipped and cracked so much. Our Dodge Caravan which we have owned twice as long and drive in the same roads, highways and conditions, has never chipped.
Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2022, crash
On July 13,2022, while easing into a parking slot with foot on the pedal brake, with final stop and reaching to shift gear into parking mode, my 2019 Crosstrek engine suddenly accelerated and made the car surge forward. My brake pedal was on the floor with no response and the car continued to shoot pass the curb and sidewalk onto a vegetation embankment, heading towards the building and its glass door. I was terrified as the car did not respond to braking and tried to shift into neutral but the shift gear was struggling, until the car got stopped by the vegetation bank and continued to rev loudly, but then allowed me to shift into neutral. There was no warning of any sort when the phenomenon took place. When the tow truck arrived, tow personnel turned on the engine and tried the brakes pedal which went straight to the floor, with no pressure response. What was terrifying was the car engine suddenly accelerated forward and would not stop until the car was stopped by the dirt and vegetation. Without the vegetation, my car would have plowed into the building and the tall glass windows. The front of my car was damaged. It is now in a body shop. My car was bought brand new, has been serviced regularly by the dealership that I ordered it from. The last maintenance was March 2022, for a 24k service, with all in good operation. It currently has 25K miles. In the aftermath, I researched the web for info, and I found out that there is a current class action suit against Subaru for this type of sudden acceleration on several models of Subaru. This sudden acceleration is when cars are ready to park, with brake pedal applied, yet cars just accelerate. This is a life endangering car malfunction for drivers and other nearby drivers. Please help keep us all safe. Thank you for reviewing my report.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 13, 2022
Windshield cracked randomly while car was parked at my house. The crack isstarting from from bottom corner at seam. And extends almost all the way up in 1 single crack. After showing pictures to a mechanic he confirmed this is not from a rock or dust storm. If the windshield were to crack when driving it could potentially spiderweb, causing little visibility.
Engine, Jun 1, 2022
2019 SUBARU CROSSTEK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO VEHICLE BEING FLOODED WITH WATER AFTER SAFETY RECALLS BEING REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER STATED THED VEHICLE WAS FLOODED DUE TO THE AIR CONDITIONER BEING CLOGGED. ALSO, AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE RECALL PERFORMED THE TECHNICIAN FAILED TO RECALIBRATE THE COMPUTER AND/OR VALVES PROPERLY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING. DUE TO THE DANGEROUS CONDITION, THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING A RIDE OFF OF THE HIGHWAY.
Visibility/wiper, May 21, 2022
Windshield Replacement due to rock chips: Within 3 months of purchasing my Crosstrek, my windshield received 3 rock chips: I will say, I don't drive OFF ROAD. I drive on the highways or paved city streets. When this first occurred in 2018 (purchased in Oct2018), I was shocked. I've owned cars all my life (I'm over 50y - drove Nissans) & NEVER had a rock chip incident. Anyway, dealer told me I should be more careful and it's my fault - the service guy actually inferred that it must be because I'm a woman and drive badly (I haven't gone back to that dealer). I wasn't happy but had the rock chip repaired but one: It couldn't be repaired because it was on passenger side but down by the black area where the shield connects with the body of the car. Was told to wait and see. That winter the crack spread significantly to a 48+ inch crack that scaled the entire windshield. Because of the pandemic, I recently took it in for replacement (costing $1,076.52). Now, not even a month after replacing the old windshield - yesterday in fact - the windshield developed a new rock chip crack. I'm beyond understanding why this is occurring. It's as though the Crosstrek is a magnet for this type of event. I love my car but I really am not pleased - and feel the design of the windshield makes these vehicles prone to this type of issue. I know the manufacture has to be aware due to the number of complaints they receive but have yet to improve the design to correct for it.
Visibility/wiper, May 17, 2022
Windshield accumulated a small crack in the lower passenger side, about 6in long and a quarter up from the bottom of windshield. It's now continued to grow and is now half of the windshield.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 30, 2022
I own a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Premium. Today, I noticed a crack in my windshield as I got in my car in my garage. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack in the windshield, and the night before there was no crack visible. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired yet, and is pending review from the dealer. The crack began at the bottom right edge, the crack is roughly 2" long.
Electrical system, Apr 26, 2022
Today my vehicle make a single click sound and the car rattle a little while driving on the highway and suddenly everything shut off. All my guages, lights, and I lost power on the vehicle. Within seconds I had power again and my guages came back on and I was able to continue on the highway safely. About 5 minutes later it did the same thing; click, shook and lost all power. Except this time the radio stayed on. Luckily I was driving downhill and was able to coast to the next offramp. I pulled over only being able to use the brakes and hazards. I had no turn signals or power. I was able to stop safety on the offramp and turn the engnition off. I started the car and everything started just fine. I drove on the main streets to my destination. At my destination, I checked the battery terminals and air filter, everything looked fine. Subaru has reported of a recall on my year of vehicle that is a new recall from this month for the Ignition Coil but the recall does not come up using my Vin. The description sounds like these incidents. The vehicle is my family's only vehicle but is available for inspection. I am hoping to get Subaru to check my Ignition Coil as a part of their recall to ensure this issue is fixed. My daughter who is currently learning to drive was driving the vehicle 10 minutes prior. I cannot imagine her driving when it does that again.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 23, 2022
I parked my vehicle in my garage last evening no Crack in my windshield. Today I went to go out to eat and I had a 3" Crack starting at the edge middle of the driver's side. I drove 4 miles to the restaurant and now it's 8" long. No rock impacts I'm aware of and no chips in the Crack area. From what I'm reading subaru seems to have a windshield issue, and I think these should be replaced at no cost to the consumer.
Power train, Apr 17, 2022
This 2019 Crosstrek dangerously malfunctioned. When driving at 75 MPH on the highway it went into in neutral, then it would not go in reverse, and in park it revved to 75 MPH, ultimately it would not start. Based on many codes the car was indicating, the Subaru mechanic tried to replace a cable that communicates the computer to the transmission (turbine?), it did not solve the problem. It has been waiting on a new transmission for four weeks with no ETA. Subaru dealer indicates the new transmission will have a 100,000-mile warranty. It appears that rather than fix this known dangerous defective transmission issue for good, there are many reports when you research online, they simply up the warranty. Someone is going to get hurt if they haven't already. Thank you for your time.
Visibility, Apr 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that there was a crack on the windshield. The contact stated that there was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack in the windshield. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 36,000.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 29, 2022
I purchased my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek in 2019 brand new and as of March 29th, 2022 I have had two windshield replacements due to cracks. I have never had this issue before with my other vehicles and I have also owned a 2016 Subaru Impreza so I am assuming it might have something to do with the year and model of my current Subaru. I recently replaced my cracked windshield last month and today I have discovered another chip in my windshield. This will be the third time that my windshield has cracked. When brought to the attention of my Subaru dealer, they said it was not an issue and I am just unlucky. Upon further research online, I have discovered that I am not the only one who has had windshield cracking issues with a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek.