Electrical System. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

131 reports

38,000 miles · Nov 21, 2020

SteeringUnknown Or OtherWheels

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

NHTSA ODI #11375714

26,000 miles · Oct 28, 2020

Unknown Or Other

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.

NHTSA ODI #11366823

90,000 miles · Oct 20, 2020

Unknown Or Other

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.

NHTSA ODI #11365447

52,000 miles · Oct 4, 2020

Electrical System

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.

NHTSA ODI #11362675

37,240 miles · Sep 29, 2020

Engine

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.

NHTSA ODI #11361897

55,000 miles · Sep 21, 2020

Electrical System

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.

NHTSA ODI #11360348

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2020

Electrical System

MY IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK SOMETIMES. I BELIEVE IT IS THIS ISSUE: HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2018/MC-10153178-9999.PDF

NHTSA ODI #11360049

60,000 miles · Sep 11, 2020

Power Train

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.

NHTSA ODI #11354440

933,480 miles · Sep 6, 2020

Electrical System

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #11353390

3,000 miles · Sep 4, 2020

Steering

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #11353189

Official recalls

19V149000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Feb 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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.