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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

What owners actually said

94 reports
48,300 miles · Feb 21, 2023
Steering

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling out of her driveway, the steering wheel became stiff, and the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that…

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The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling out of her driveway, the steering wheel became stiff, and the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to diagnose by a dealer. The failure mileage was 48,300.

NHTSA ODI #11508323

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 · Jul 29, 2022
Unknown Or Other

I drove my car to work one morning (7 min drive through a city; no highways) and there was no crack in the windshield. I came out of work 8 hours later to go home, and there was a crack over 6 inches long in the windshield. There are no markings suggesting anything hit the windshield, only long smooth cracks.

NHTSA ODI #11476595

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2022
Electrical SystemPower Train

My husband has trouble getting the key out when in park and turn off. Have to use the E-break every time we park because even in park the vehicle seems to get a mind of its own and start to roll. IT ROLLED ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR!! NOW my driver side window seems to roll all the way up but right back d…

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My husband has trouble getting the key out when in park and turn off. Have to use the E-break every time we park because even in park the vehicle seems to get a mind of its own and start to roll. IT ROLLED ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR!! NOW my driver side window seems to roll all the way up but right back down with out me touching it. I have to fight the thing for 5mins to get it up! Windshield is cracked. We got it parked it no crack, went out in it and Crack, now I have to pay to get a new Windshield put in because every day just sitting there the Crack gets bigger. Why is there only 1 recall on this thing!? 🤔

NHTSA ODI #11467562

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2022
Exterior Lighting

Dome light goes has gone on automatically several times. Twice drained my battery. Never use dome light because I do not drive at night and have never turned it on myself.

NHTSA ODI #11455981

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2022
Visibility/wiper

Out of no where the window chipped and then cracked later that day

NHTSA ODI #11453326

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2022
Electrical System

The key gets stuck in the ignition. We have to turn the ignition to ACC or start the car then switch it back to OFF multiple times for it to release. We have not had the issue looked at yet. It's easily reproduceable. No other symptoms are present. Subaru issued a recall for this issue for vehicles with a CVT transmission but th…

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The key gets stuck in the ignition. We have to turn the ignition to ACC or start the car then switch it back to OFF multiple times for it to release. We have not had the issue looked at yet. It's easily reproduceable. No other symptoms are present. Subaru issued a recall for this issue for vehicles with a CVT transmission but there are countless complaints of this happening to non-CVT transmission Subaru vehicles.

NHTSA ODI #11452593

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2022
Visibility/wiper

Windshield cracked out of nowhere resulting in an ~8" damage

NHTSA ODI #11449085

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 2021
Unknown Or Other

Ignition/starting I have issues w starting car on more than one occasion and I have also had problems with removing the key. It almost is in a key lock mode. I will then turn off and on until it will allow me to remove but sometimes it hasn’t started. Stabilizer light came on a few times then shut off on own.

NHTSA ODI #11438977

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

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.