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2016 Subaru Crosstrek

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Crosstrek years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek are substantially higher than the model-year median of 43.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Crosstrek years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

78 reports with mileage · 53 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • 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
12,893 miles · Mar 23, 2020
Unknown Or Other

CAR IS PARKED AND KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION TO REMOVE IT.

NHTSA ODI #11319048

43,000 miles · Mar 4, 2020
Power TrainCrash

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 DRIFTI…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11316123

47,500 miles · Feb 10, 2020
Power Train

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11308135

99,000 miles · Jan 12, 2020
Unknown Or Other

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 WITHOU…

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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

NHTSA ODI #11298846

67,000 miles · Jan 6, 2020
Electrical System

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #11297483

65,000 miles · Dec 12, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11288735

73,441 miles · Dec 9, 2019
Fuel/propulsion System

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 R…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11288058

124,677 miles · Nov 28, 2019
Exterior Lighting

EVERY 4 MONTHS I'M CHANGING HEAD LAMP LOWER BEAM,,

NHTSA ODI #11282770

124,627 miles · Nov 28, 2019
Unknown Or Other

THREE YEAR OLD CAR AND HORN DOESN'T WORK ,,,

NHTSA ODI #11282768

4 miles · Nov 12, 2019
Electrical SystemPower TrainSteering

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 REP…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11279518

Official recalls

1

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.