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2017 Subaru Crosstrek

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 43.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

60 reports with mileage · 34 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.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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.

5 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

10 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2024
Engine

There is a battery draining problem. I have had to replace the battery 3 times in a two-year period.

NHTSA ODI #11570817

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2023
EnginePower Train

- cam carrier leak, resulting in oil leaking from engine. oil is leaking onto catalytic converter sensor causing it to malfunction. - oil leaking from cars poses a safety and environmental hazard. - michael's subaru of bellevue (washington state) has confirmed it occurring, and it is a problem across subaru models according to a…

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- cam carrier leak, resulting in oil leaking from engine. oil is leaking onto catalytic converter sensor causing it to malfunction. - oil leaking from cars poses a safety and environmental hazard. - michael's subaru of bellevue (washington state) has confirmed it occurring, and it is a problem across subaru models according to a number of forum posts from subaru owners, which has been shared with subaru of america. - i have not had it inspected by anyone officially besides michael's subaru of bellevue (washington state). - there was a warning lamp for the catalytic converter, but upon physical inspection of the vehicle the technician discovered it was oil leaking from the cam carrier onto the sensor that caused the warning lights to turn on in the vehicle. - i have included emails i exchanged with subaru of america regarding the issue.

NHTSA ODI #11511870

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2022
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

12042022 - not sure of cause, could be multiple as all systems just shut down for seconds, the car goes dead while driving down I235 at 70mph, first the radio turns off, then the car seemed to go to lower gear rpm to zero and just shut off at a high speed, NO POWER on anything, then about 2.5 seconds later it restated and contin…

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12042022 - not sure of cause, could be multiple as all systems just shut down for seconds, the car goes dead while driving down I235 at 70mph, first the radio turns off, then the car seemed to go to lower gear rpm to zero and just shut off at a high speed, NO POWER on anything, then about 2.5 seconds later it restated and continued, sputtered off again then powered back off and on again as i got off the highway, many warning lights came on including the lane warning, brake light, it was very scary at such a high speed. this car now seems to have little continued incidents of the same behavior for what has seemed to be spuratic but regular fits now and I have to have dependable transportation. very easily could have caused an accident if the traffic was heavier when the incident occured.

NHTSA ODI #11495958

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Upon accelerating, the engine seems to bog down and I lose speed. It has happened under many conditions—after turning a corner, going down a straightaway, and when accelerating to merge on a highway. This puts people in the car at risk and others traveling behind me. I took it to the dealer and they said that since they could…

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Upon accelerating, the engine seems to bog down and I lose speed. It has happened under many conditions—after turning a corner, going down a straightaway, and when accelerating to merge on a highway. This puts people in the car at risk and others traveling behind me. I took it to the dealer and they said that since they could not replicate it, there was nothing they could do. No warning lights seem to be involved. On the internet, posters refer to this as a "known problem" but no one has come up with a solution, nor have their dealers. It's troublesome. I know the 2018s have had a related problem. It's happened on many dates.

NHTSA ODI #11432735

36,300 miles · Jul 15, 2020
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

VEHICLE LOSES POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THROTTLE IS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE/NON-FUNCTIONAL. ENGINE REMAINS ON BUT WILL NOT DELIVER POWER OR ACCELERATE. NO DASH INDICATION LIGHTS ARE DISPLAYED. CAR SLOWS DOWN RAPIDLY UNTIL THROTTLE RE-ENGAGES AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS WHICH CAN BE A FEW SECONDS UP TO THIRTY SECONDS. HAPPENS MOST F…

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VEHICLE LOSES POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THROTTLE IS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE/NON-FUNCTIONAL. ENGINE REMAINS ON BUT WILL NOT DELIVER POWER OR ACCELERATE. NO DASH INDICATION LIGHTS ARE DISPLAYED. CAR SLOWS DOWN RAPIDLY UNTIL THROTTLE RE-ENGAGES AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS WHICH CAN BE A FEW SECONDS UP TO THIRTY SECONDS. HAPPENS MOST FREQUENTLY AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES. HAPPENS REPEATEDLY AFTER IT INITIATES. HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER SEVERAL TIMES TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER MOTORISTS. THIS HAS BEEN VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11339585

15,000 miles · Jun 17, 2020
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower TrainCrashInjury

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 45MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND TURNED OFF. AS A RESULT MY WIFE WAS REAR ENDED BUT SUFFERED NO MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INSPECTED IT. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. A FE…

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 45MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND TURNED OFF. AS A RESULT MY WIFE WAS REAR ENDED BUT SUFFERED NO MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INSPECTED IT. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL FOR SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11329289

12,000 miles · Dec 30, 2019
EngineUnknown Or OtherCrash

WHEN DRIVING INTO MY GARAGE, MY CAR MADE A STRANGE NOISE AND ACCELERATED INTO THE BACK OF MY GARAGE. I DID PUT ON MY BRAKES BUT THE CAR WAS GOING TOO FAST AND DID NOT STOP. I HAD DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY GARAGE, A SHELF AND INSIDE MY LAUNDRY ROOM AND BATHROOM. I DRIVE SLOW INTO MY STREET AND MY GARAGE. I HAVE LIVED HERE…

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WHEN DRIVING INTO MY GARAGE, MY CAR MADE A STRANGE NOISE AND ACCELERATED INTO THE BACK OF MY GARAGE. I DID PUT ON MY BRAKES BUT THE CAR WAS GOING TOO FAST AND DID NOT STOP. I HAD DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY GARAGE, A SHELF AND INSIDE MY LAUNDRY ROOM AND BATHROOM. I DRIVE SLOW INTO MY STREET AND MY GARAGE. I HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 1987 AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. MY CAR IS BEING FIXED BY GALE AUTO, BLAINE, MN.

NHTSA ODI #11291976

7,591 miles · Nov 9, 2019
EngineUnknown Or Other

CAR STALLS RANDOMLY UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TAKES 3 TO 4 SECONDS TIL THE CAR ACCELERATES. DURING ALL THIS TIME THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. AFRAID THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AS YESTERDAY I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET T-BONED. WILL NOT DRIVE MY GRANDSONS IN …

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CAR STALLS RANDOMLY UPON ACCELERATION FROM A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TAKES 3 TO 4 SECONDS TIL THE CAR ACCELERATES. DURING ALL THIS TIME THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. AFRAID THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AS YESTERDAY I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET T-BONED. WILL NOT DRIVE MY GRANDSONS IN THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11279186

20,000 miles · Aug 23, 2018
EngineUnknown Or OtherFire

MY 13 MONTH OLD CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR "NO APPARENT REASON".

NHTSA ODI #11121955

11 miles · Jun 26, 2018
Engine

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 …

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11104004

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.