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2013 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2013 Subaru Xv Crosstrek do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 78.

About this comparison →

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

52 reports with mileage · 44 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.

  • Engine. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 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

96 reports
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2021
Electrical SystemPower Train

I PURCHASED 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK I AM 2ND OWNER, I NEVER SEE ANY PROBLEM FOR ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND END UP CONTROL CURISE BLINKING AND SUBARU WILL NOT PROVIDED ANY RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUE IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVING THEY SAID ONLY WILL WARRANTY UNDER 100K THAT UNFAIR THIS NOT SAFE CAR AND SO MANY COMMON ISSUE TRANSMISSION ON…

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I PURCHASED 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK I AM 2ND OWNER, I NEVER SEE ANY PROBLEM FOR ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND END UP CONTROL CURISE BLINKING AND SUBARU WILL NOT PROVIDED ANY RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUE IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVING THEY SAID ONLY WILL WARRANTY UNDER 100K THAT UNFAIR THIS NOT SAFE CAR AND SO MANY COMMON ISSUE TRANSMISSION ON SUBARU. IT'S FIRST MAKE 2013 ON CROSSTREK HOW IT'S EXPECT UNDER 100K MILES... SHOULD RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION FIX

NHTSA ODI #11415955

79,000 miles · May 2, 2021
Unknown Or Other

I CAN"T REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN PARK. THIS ISSUE WARRANTS A RECALL. THIS IS CAUSED BY PROBLEMS WITH THE PARK-RANGE SWITCH ACROSS SEVERAL SUBARU MODELS FROM 2012-2018. SUBARU ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN 16-112-18R REGARDING THIS ON 3/15/18. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE BY OWNERS, DEALERSHIPS AND SUB…

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I CAN"T REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN PARK. THIS ISSUE WARRANTS A RECALL. THIS IS CAUSED BY PROBLEMS WITH THE PARK-RANGE SWITCH ACROSS SEVERAL SUBARU MODELS FROM 2012-2018. SUBARU ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN 16-112-18R REGARDING THIS ON 3/15/18. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE BY OWNERS, DEALERSHIPS AND SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA). NUMEROUS CAR FORUMS AND BLOGS ADDRESS OWNERS' STEPS TO GET THIS REPAIRED. THE SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY THE DEALERS RANGE FROM ' YOUR CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WILL RUN HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX' TO ' YES THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BRING IT IN AND WE WILL REPLACE IT NO CHARGE'. SOA'S RESPONSE TO OWNERS VARIED FROM 'WE WILL TAKE CARE IT TO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF WE CAN HELP YOU OUT'. MY DEALER'S RESPONSE WAS '$700 TO REPAIR ' YOU MIGHT CALL SOA TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP OUT.' I DID CALL SOA AND THEY TOLD ME TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND LET THEM KNOW WHEN IT WAS ' BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP ON THE COST AT THAT POINT. IT DOES APPEAR THAT SOA WILL COVER THE COST BUT YOU MAY NOT BE TOLD THAT INITIALLY. FORTUNATELY/UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A QUICK FIX EASILY FOUND ONLINE THAT YOU CAN DO IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES BY DISCONNECTING THE SWITCH TO THE IGNITION. THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF THE STUCK KEY BUT ALSO DISABLES THE CHIME IF YOU LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION AND ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IF THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK. SO NOW, IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, YOU CAN LOCK YOUR KEYS IN THE CAR AND IF THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK OR THE HAND BREAK IS NOT ENGAGED YOUR CAR WILL ROLL AWAY. I HAVE DONE THE QUICK FIX ' BUT EVEN WITH ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO HELP ME REMEMBER I AM NOT COMFORTABLE.. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE. WHEN I MENTIONED THE FIX TO SOA AS CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE THEY SAID THAT WAS MY PROBLEM NOT THEIRS. REALLY? MY CAR IS S 2013 AND I WILL NOT COMMIT TO $700 AT THE DEALER WITHOUT KNOWING IF SOA WILL PAY.

NHTSA ODI #11414795

90,000 miles · Apr 8, 2021
Power Train

HILL DESCENT, SWAY CONTROL, ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME ON THE WAY TO WORK, I WAS COMING OF AN EXIT. I HAD THE CODES CHECKED AND NOTHING WAS SHOWING. OVER A MONTH LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TEMP LIGHTS CAME ON MY TO WORK. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND PARKED MY CAR. TRANS TEMP LIGHT WAS BLINKING. A FEW DA…

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HILL DESCENT, SWAY CONTROL, ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME ON THE WAY TO WORK, I WAS COMING OF AN EXIT. I HAD THE CODES CHECKED AND NOTHING WAS SHOWING. OVER A MONTH LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TEMP LIGHTS CAME ON MY TO WORK. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND PARKED MY CAR. TRANS TEMP LIGHT WAS BLINKING. A FEW DAYS LATER I HAD IT TAKEN TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. I PAID FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE RESULT WAS A $1600 BILL FOR A VALVE BODY KIT, TRANS COVER GASKET, O-RING, TRANS BODY WIRING HARNESS.

NHTSA ODI #11407085

115,000 miles · Jan 13, 2021
Power Train

I HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE, ALWAYS COMPLETE ROUTINE MAINTNENCE AND AS I WAS ON A TRIP, ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAME ON. I FLUSHED TRANSMISSION AND THEY CAME BACK ON. I HAVE RESEARCHED MY ISSUE AND IT IS COMMON WITH THIS YEAR. SUBARU EVEN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH THESE YEARS, YET HAS RECALLED ANY OF THE PARTS RELATED TO T…

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I HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE, ALWAYS COMPLETE ROUTINE MAINTNENCE AND AS I WAS ON A TRIP, ALL OF MY LIGHTS CAME ON. I FLUSHED TRANSMISSION AND THEY CAME BACK ON. I HAVE RESEARCHED MY ISSUE AND IT IS COMMON WITH THIS YEAR. SUBARU EVEN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH THESE YEARS, YET HAS RECALLED ANY OF THE PARTS RELATED TO THE CVT TRANSMISSION. I HAD NO ISSUES, NO WARNING, WAS JUST DRIVING AND EVERYTHING CAME ON.

NHTSA ODI #11387829

122,821 miles · Dec 15, 2020
Power Train

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED, SOLENOID 2 FAIL, AFFECTS TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL, ABS, AND HILL START CONTROL. CAUSES TRANSMISSION TEMPTS TO OVERHEAT.

NHTSA ODI #11383589

60,000 miles · Dec 10, 2020
Service Brakes

THERE IS A LITTLE SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH AND BRAKE THAT HAS MY BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ON. WHILE I AM DRIVING IF I DON'T KEEP MY LEFT FOOT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PUSHING IT UP THEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL CONSTANTLY BE ON. IF I DON'T KEEP MY FOOT THERE THEN SOMETIMES WHEN I AM GOING UP A HILL OR DRIVING THE CAR WIL…

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THERE IS A LITTLE SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH AND BRAKE THAT HAS MY BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ON. WHILE I AM DRIVING IF I DON'T KEEP MY LEFT FOOT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PUSHING IT UP THEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL CONSTANTLY BE ON. IF I DON'T KEEP MY FOOT THERE THEN SOMETIMES WHEN I AM GOING UP A HILL OR DRIVING THE CAR WILL DROP RPMS AND THEN I HAVE TO PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE BRAKE AND PUSH IT UP AGAIN. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING THE HILL ASSIST LIGHT, ON THE DASHBOARD WILL TURN ON AND THE CAR WILL ROLL DOWN THE HILL ANY DIRECTION WHEN IN REVERSE OR DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE SWITCH. I HAD GONE TO SUBARU TO DO THE RECALL FOR THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH AND THEN A FEW WEEKS AFTER THIS ISSUE BEGAN TO OCCUR.

NHTSA ODI #11382857

10 miles · Nov 12, 2020
Exterior LightingService Brakes

BREAK LIGHTS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WHEN CAR IS OFF. ALSO HAS IT DONE IT TWICE WERE I TOOK A SECOND TO RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL

NHTSA ODI #11374394

121,000 miles · Nov 2, 2020
Electrical System

ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING OVER 70 MPH ON I-26 OUTSIDE OF COLUMBIA, SC THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRIC SYSTEM APPEARED TO MALFUNCTION AND VEHICLE DIED IMMEDIATELY. THE CLOCK, FUEL ECONOMY READINGS, AND RADIO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WITH NO ACCELERATION CAPABILITY OR P…

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ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE TRAVELING OVER 70 MPH ON I-26 OUTSIDE OF COLUMBIA, SC THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRIC SYSTEM APPEARED TO MALFUNCTION AND VEHICLE DIED IMMEDIATELY. THE CLOCK, FUEL ECONOMY READINGS, AND RADIO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WITH NO ACCELERATION CAPABILITY OR POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS CAPABLE OF BEING RESTARTED. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WERE NO FAULTS, ERRORS OR ANYTHING NOTED SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE, ASSUMING IT WAS A ONE TIME EVENT. THE SECOND TIME, THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AND THEN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. FOLLOWING THE SECOND TIME, CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATED, AS WELL AS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL IMAGE WAS BLINKING. PRIOR TO ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, I WAS HAVING MAY ISSUES ENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND TRIED MULTIPLE BUTTON SEQUENCES TO MAKE CRUISE CONTROL WORK. I WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO AUTOPARTS STORE WHERE CODE READ P0021. TO GET SAFELY HOME, THE AUTOPARTS STORE RECOMMENDED THAT I DO A RESET BY DISCONNECTING BATTERY AND TURNING OFF ALL ELECTRONICS. THIS WORKED AND I HAVE DRIVEN SINCE WITHOUT THE SAME EVENT. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN FATAL AND MUST BE INVESTIGATED.

NHTSA ODI #11372655

49,900 miles · Sep 14, 2020
EngineSuspensionUnknown Or Other

TVEHICLE BOUNCES EVEN WHEN GOING OVER SMOOTH ROADS. ENGINE SEEM TRY TO STALL WHILE IDLED IN DRIVE MODE. ROUGH STARTING OF VEHICLE MAKES NOISES UNTIL WARMS. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 55,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI #11354846

100,300 miles · Sep 11, 2020
Visibility/wiperInjury

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A STRAIGHT PORTION OF THE INTERSTATE. SPEED WAS APROX. 70 MPH AND AMBIENT TEMP. APROX. 70 F. FRONT PASSENGER SIDE MAIN WINDOW SHATTERED. NO OBJECT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE HIT WINDOW PRIOR TO IT SHATTERING.

NHTSA ODI #11354510

Official recalls

2

18V772000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Nov 1, 2018

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.

13V061000 · Electrical System; Equipment

Feb 25, 2013

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Electrical System

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

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.