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2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 78.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Xv 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

45 reports with mileage · 33 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 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.

5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine complaints

13 reports
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1,000 miles · Mar 27, 2017
Engine

EVERY FEW MONTHS THE ENGINE DROPS TO AN IDLE STATE FOR AT LEASE ONE SECOND JUST AFTER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED. SO WHEN EXPECTING POWER FOR URGENT ACCELERATION, THERE IS INITIAL MOMENTARY POWER, PROPELLING THE CAR ONTO A BUSY ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE, THEN ENGINE RPM DROPS TO IDLE AND CAR STOPS ACCELERATING FOR A SECOND OR MORE BE…

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EVERY FEW MONTHS THE ENGINE DROPS TO AN IDLE STATE FOR AT LEASE ONE SECOND JUST AFTER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED. SO WHEN EXPECTING POWER FOR URGENT ACCELERATION, THERE IS INITIAL MOMENTARY POWER, PROPELLING THE CAR ONTO A BUSY ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE, THEN ENGINE RPM DROPS TO IDLE AND CAR STOPS ACCELERATING FOR A SECOND OR MORE BEFORE POWER STARTS TO RETURN. THIS USUALLY WILL OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW DAYS AND THEN CLEARS UP BY ITSELF FOR ANOTHER FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE HAZARD REOCCURS. RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAY IF THE MECHANIC CAN'T REPEAT THE PROBLEM, THERE IS NOTHING SUBARU CAN DO. THE CAR HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM SINCE NEW. AT ONE POINT I FOUND THAT IT SEEMED THAT CELL PHONE EMI COUPLING INTO THE CAR'S WIRING HARNESS HAD MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE. IN THAT CASE THE ENGINE WOULD DROP TO AN IDLE FOR UP TO THREE SECONDS AND WOULD OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY. TO DATE NO COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY SUBARU. AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE SUBARU TO BUY BACK THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS CYCLICAL SAFETY HAZARD, WHERE THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY YET INFREQUENTLY DROPS TO AN IDLE STATE. I'VE GOT ABOUT 21 PAGES OF EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUBARU REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND AND THEY HAVE YET TO OFFER ANY PLAN OF ACTION.

NHTSA ODI #10968781

8,300 miles · Aug 14, 2016
Engine

ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE RUNNING. FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE THEN IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUE. A WEEK LATER (AFTER NUMEROUS PROBLEM FREE TRIPS), THE ENGINE …

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ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE RUNNING. FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE THEN IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUE. A WEEK LATER (AFTER NUMEROUS PROBLEM FREE TRIPS), THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 35 TO 40 MPH DOWN THE ROAD. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE. AGAIN IT RESTARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT SPUTTER OR GIVE ANY OTHER INDICATION IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT OFF. AGAIN, NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH INDICATING A PROBLEM. FOLLOWING BOTH TIMES THE ENGINE CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, THE NEXT TIME THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED, THE KEYLESS IGNITION WOULD NOT WORK BUT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE GREEN LIGHT WOULD APPEAR IN THE PUSH START BUTTON AND THE CAR WOULD START. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR OVER 20 DAYS. THEY HAVE INDICATED THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES TO A MECHANIC BUT THEY CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.

NHTSA ODI #10895816

7,215 miles · Jan 25, 2016
Engine

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON I-405 NORTH BOUNT WHEN THE ENGINE FALTERED . I KEPT ACCELERATEING BUT THE CAR LOST SPEED AND MADE A HI RAVING SOUND . I WAS REALLY SCARED AS THE CARS BEHIND HAD TO REDUCE SPEED FAST TO PREVENT REAR ENDING ME . I EXITED THE 405 FREEWAY ON BURBANK - I CONTUNED HOME TO NORTH HOLLYWOOD AT A VERY SLOW SPEED , …

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON I-405 NORTH BOUNT WHEN THE ENGINE FALTERED . I KEPT ACCELERATEING BUT THE CAR LOST SPEED AND MADE A HI RAVING SOUND . I WAS REALLY SCARED AS THE CARS BEHIND HAD TO REDUCE SPEED FAST TO PREVENT REAR ENDING ME . I EXITED THE 405 FREEWAY ON BURBANK - I CONTUNED HOME TO NORTH HOLLYWOOD AT A VERY SLOW SPEED , UNDER 10MPH . WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON . IT WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE . THE NEXT DAY MY HUSBAND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH THE SAME DIFFICULTIES .

NHTSA ODI #10822192

Official recalls

1

15V366000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Jun 12, 2015

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

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.