BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 Subaru Crosstrek

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
115
Received Dec 2020 to Sep 2026
Official recalls listed
1
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Glass shatters or cracks without impact32 complaints · 28% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Check engine light comes on repeatedly7 complaints · 6.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Automatic emergency braking applies without reason6 complaints · 5.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #23V755000Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 2 fires, 6 people 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.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 8 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

Electrical & lights

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.

Complaints received about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek
5
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
December 20202
January 20210
February 20210
March 20212
April 20212
May 20213
June 20214
July 20211
August 20213
September 20215
October 20211
November 20212
December 20212
January 20222
February 20222
March 20223
April 20223
May 20223
June 20221
July 20222
August 20221
September 20222
October 20223
November 20223
December 20220
January 20232
February 20231
March 20232
April 20232
May 20233
June 20232
July 20231
August 20233
September 20234
October 20230
November 20230
December 20230
January 20242
February 20243
March 20243
April 20240
May 20241
June 20240
July 20242
August 20241
September 20240
October 20241
November 20242
December 20240
January 20250
February 20253
March 20250
April 20250
May 20250
June 20251
July 20253
August 20250
September 20250
October 20252
November 20251
December 20250
January 20260
February 20262
March 20261
April 20261
May 20265
June 20261
July 20265
August 20262
September 20261
October 20260
Total115

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Glass shatters or cracks without impact3228%–
Check engine light comes on repeatedly76.1%5.6×
Automatic emergency braking applies without reason65.2%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking43.5%–
Battery drains and dies when parked43.5%–
Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own32.6%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps32.6%–
Transmission shudders during acceleration at low speeds32.6%–

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 #23V755000November 9, 202395,830 vehicles affected

    power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch

    Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.

    An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.

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 2021 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