Your vehicle report
2016 Subaru Crosstrek
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 132
- Received Apr 2016 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ignition key sticks or will not turn29 complaints · 22% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Glass shatters or cracks without impact8 complaints · 6.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Gear shifter fails to register Park7 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #19V149000Subaru 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 4 crashes, 3 fires, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Gear shifter fails to register Park
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
1 more problem
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Ignition key sticks or will not turn
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
- Battery drains and dies when parked
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 32 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 132 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 29 | 22% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 8 | 6.1% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 7 | 5.3% | – | NHTSA recall #19V149000 |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 5 | 3.8% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 4 | 3.0% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| CVT transmission fails or loses power | 3 | 2.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #19V149000February 28, 20191,303,530 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN