Your vehicle report
2018 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
- 195
- Received Sep 2017 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact72 complaints · 37% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Battery drains and dies when parked8 complaints · 4.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking7 complaints · 3.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V263000Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
- Recall #21V264000Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
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: 10 crashes, 1 fire, 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 11 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
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
- Battery drains and dies when parked
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own
- Headlights dim or fail at night
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 29 |
| 2020 | 44 |
| 2021 | 34 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 9 |
| Total | 195 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 72 | 37% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 8 | 4.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 3.6% | – | NHTSA recall #17V701000 |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 6 | 3.1% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 3.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 2.6% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.5% | – | NHTSA recall #19V743000, #21V264000 |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 3 | 1.5% | – |
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 #21V263000April 15, 2021408,271 vehicles affected
suspension: rear
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.
NHTSA recall #21V264000April 15, 2021466,205 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition; electrical system: software; engine and engine cooling: engine: engine control module (ecu/ecm): software; engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.
NHTSA recall #19V743000October 18, 2019466,205 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition; electrical system: software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.
NHTSA recall #19V744000October 17, 2019205,000 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (pcv)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Impreza and 2018 Crosstrek vehicles equipped with an aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve. The PCV valve may come apart, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, possibly resulting in a loss of power while driving.
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began December 2, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUP-01.
NHTSA recall #17V701000November 7, 20172,367 vehicles affected
service brakes; vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Crosstrek vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect floor mat retention bracket, allowing the floor mat to move out of position and interfere with the accelerator or brake pedal operation.
If the floor mat moves out of position and interferes with the accelerator or brake pedal operation, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the floor mat retention bracket and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTR-77.
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 2018 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