VinSpectorAI Logo
HomeHow It Works Pricing Vehicle StatsBlog Garage VIN Search Inspection Guide
LoginDemo
  1. Vehicle Stats
  2. Subaru
  3. XV Crosstrek Reliability
โšก NHTSA Official DataUpdated: May 2026Methodology

Subaru XV Crosstrek Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls โ€” NHTSA Data

Comparing used Subaru XV Crosstrek options? We analyzed 4 model years (2012โ€“2015) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.

๐Ÿ“‹
298
Total Complaints
NHTSA filed
๐Ÿ””
3
Safety Recalls
federal campaigns
๐Ÿ’ฅ
21
Crash-Related
crash complaints
๐Ÿ”ฅ
5
Fire-Related
fire complaints
๐Ÿฅ
12
Injuries Reported
across all years
๐Ÿ“ˆ
Poor
Reliability Signal
overall trend

Model-year trends show patterns. Run a VIN check for the exact Subaru XV Crosstrek you plan to buy.

Quick Answer

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Subaru XV Crosstrek has 298 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls across model years 2012โ€“2015. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2014 drew the most complaints; 2013 drew the fewest.

Subaru XV Crosstrek โ€” key reliability facts
Make
Subaru
Model
XV Crosstrek
Model years analyzed
2012โ€“2015 (4 years)
Total NHTSA complaints
298
Safety recall campaigns
3
Crash-related complaints
21
Fire-related complaints
5
Worst model year (by complaints)
2014 (104 complaints)
Best model year (fewest complaints)
2013 (96 complaints)
Top reported issue area
ENGINE
Reliability signal
Poor
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) ยท Data last refreshed May 24, 2026
This XV Crosstrek has 3 open recall campaigns on record. Check whether yours is affected.Check my VIN free โ†’

Subaru XV Crosstrek: Which Years to Avoid & Which to Buy

Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used โ€” lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.

โš  Years to Avoid
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek104 complaints2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek98 complaints2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek96 complaints

These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.

โœ“ Best Years to Buy
2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek96 complaints2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek98 complaints2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek104 complaints

These years have the fewest owner complaints on record โ€” lower risk starting points.

โญ NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings

New Car Assessment Program

NCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.

2015
2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek SUV AWD
Overall Safety
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…5/5
Frontal Crash
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…4/5
Side Crash
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…5/5
Rollover Risk
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…4/5
2014
2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek SUV AWD
Overall Safety
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…5/5
Frontal Crash
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…4/5
Side Crash
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…5/5
Rollover Risk
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…4/5
How to Read NCAP Stars
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…5 stars - Excellent
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…4 stars - Good
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…3 stars - Average
โ˜…โ˜…2 stars - Below average
โ˜…1 star - Poor
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings

What the Complaint Data Suggests

Poor
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology

The SUBARU XV CROSSTREK has 298 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. 21 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Key Findings
  • 298 total complaints filed with NHTSA
  • 3 federal recall campaigns
  • 21 crash-related complaints on record
Top Concerns
  • Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
  • Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
  • Verify service records for frequently complained components
โš ๏ธ Worst Years

Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.

โœ… Best Years

Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.

What to Check Before Buying Used
  • Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
  • Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
  • Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
  • Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Data note: NHTSA complaints are consumer-submitted and do not confirm a manufacturing defect Complaint volume is influenced by sales volume โ€” popular models naturally accumulate more complaints

๐Ÿ“… Problems by Model Year (Best vs. Worst Years)

2013
96
2014
104
2015
98
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: May 2026

๐Ÿ”” NHTSA Safety Recalls

3 recalls found

Safety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.

Campaign #18V772000January 11, 2018

Safety Recall

Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Campaign #15V366000December 6, 2015

Safety Recall

Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING
Campaign #13V061000

Safety Recall

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2012โ€“2015. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.

๐Ÿ”ง Most-Reported Problem Areas

Based on component keywords extracted from all 298 NHTSA complaints.

1
ENGINE
66 complaints
2
POWER TRAIN
65 complaints
3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
62 complaints
4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
53 complaints
5
SERVICE BRAKES
28 complaints
6
STEERING
20 complaints
7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
19 complaints
8
AIR BAGS
18 complaints

๐Ÿ“‹ NHTSA Complaint Reports

298 total

These are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.

๐Ÿฅ 1 InjuryAIR BAGSMar 2026

The car had a front collision and the air bags did not deploy.

AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKESSep 2025

Some times the passenger airbag light comes on and off. This is a reoccurring problem and I donโ€™t see any recalls on this

ENGINEJul 2025

I am reporting a complete engine failure on my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek at 140,000 miles due to a valve spring issue that appears to match Subaruโ€™s Recall WTY-84 (NHTSA Campaign 18V772000). I checked my VIN and it currently shows no open recalls, but Iโ€™ve reviewed Subaruโ€™s own documentation that lists 2013โ€“2016 Crosstreks as affected by this defect. My vehicle clearly falls within that production range and has now suffered the exact failure described in that recall โ€” a fractured valve spring causing a complete engine malfunction. I never received a recall notice, and when I contacted Subaru, they acknowledged the VIN wasnโ€™t included in the recall despite the year, make, model, and symptoms matching exactly. This raises concern that the recall scope is too narrow and is excluding other affected vehicles. This failure created a safety issue due to sudden engine loss while driving and has led to significant repair costs that I believe should have been prevented. I am asking NHTSA to investigate whether additional VINs โ€” including mine โ€” should be added to the recall to prevent further safety risks for other Subaru owners in the same situation.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHERMay 2025

When attempting to put the car in park, the key will not release and is stuck. Incident happens often in recent past days. Key will not release from ignition.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINEFeb 2025

I have been getting my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek serviced at Continental Subaru in Anchorage, Alaska for the last 4.5 years. I initially thought that they were an honest dealer/mechanic. I originally bought my Subaru in California and drove it up to Anchorage and it has been here ever since. My car burns oil very quickly. I mentioned this several times and the dealer always said it wasn't that big of an issue. Between oil changes I frequently had to add a couple of quarts of oil in addition to what they added during the oil changes because the car was burning so much oil. Recently in the last year, Continental Subaru told me my spark plugs were bad. I brought the car in because my cylinders were misfiring. They replaced the spark plugs. However a month later the issue still persisted. I called Subaru and had them replace the spark plugs again. At this point they said it was just the spark plugs. The issue persisted. I took my Subaru to a local mechanic this time since I felt like Continental was not being honest in their inspection of my car. Turns out the problem is much worse than Subaru was letting on for so many years. My car burns a lot of oil. which is a manufacturing issue. They continually told me it wasn't an issue. Probably because my car was still under warranty. Now that my car is not under warranty they finally admit that there are a lot of underlying issues. Except now I have to pay out of pocket because the car is now out of warranty. Since the car burns oil at such a fast rate, the head gaskets have warped. The valve cover gaskets need to be replaced and are leaking oil into my spark plugs and my coils. So now that my car is out of warranty suddenly I have to pay out of pocket almost $9000 to get the valve cover gaskets, head gaskets, spark plugs, coils, engine harness, all replaced. The variable valve timing is leaking. And there is internal mixing of oil and coolant in the motor. They have been extremely dishonest with me for years. I want a recall.

UNKNOWN OR OTHERDec 2024

Key was stuck in the ignition and left me stranded unable to leave my car. I took the car to the Subaru dealership for them to assess and repair the issue. During this time the service desk confirmed it was a known issue with the CVT park range switch. They advised me that Subaru of America had done a warranty extension but that I was now outside of the time window for it to be covered. Upon further research this was an issue that was all over the Subaru forum boards with similar issues. I contacted Subaru of America in order to be reimbursed and was offer a $100 as a goodwill gesture and they kept referring to the warranty being extended to cover the issue. Subaru of America failed to issue a recall and instead did the "secret warranty extension" to avoid having to inform their customers and impact their reliability numbers. This is extremely concerning that a brand that is known for reliability would knowingly behave in this way and has me questioning what other items have they done this "secret warranty extension" on instead of following the recall process.

UNKNOWN OR OTHEROct 2024

Horn does not work. No warning indicating malfunctioned horn. Unable to signal other vehicles to prevent car crash. The broken horn has been inspected by mechanic.

SEAT BELTSSep 2024

Passenger side seatbelt stopped locked up and stopped retracting from the device that rolls up the strap into the box.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINEMay 2024

The electrical system and engine flickers on and off or sometimes dies entirely. The trigger is unknown and the underlying cause is unknown. It is unsafe because this has occurred while the vehicle is moving. The problem was confirmed and reproduced by a Subaru service center. They were unable to diagnose the issue. There is no warning when it will happen.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMApr 2024

Ignition key keeps intermittently locking into ignition when trying to retrieve key. Putting vehicle in park, key will turn engine off, but then will not turn all the way to release the key. Key has a key fob, vehicle is placed on parking gear. Sometimes restarting vehicle can help, sometimes shifting gears and driving vehicle again can help. Sometimes turning steering wheel helps. Sometimes all you can do is wait a few to five minutes to be able to turn off vehicle and retrieve car. No warning lights. After my warranty expired was when I noticed the problem. Bought vehicle used less than a year ago. It can be a safety risk if I cannot retrieve my key and then anyone could jump in and steal it as their is no other way to lock the vehicle unless I automatically locky myself out.

UNKNOWN OR OTHERJan 2024

I started having issues with my car when I could not turn it off -- the key was stuck in the ignition and I was unable to turn the car fully off. This continued to happen and the only fix I found to get the car off was to turn the car back on, shift the gear into drive, then try to turn it off again. Sometimes it would take repeated tries of turning the car on and trying to turn it off. The problems then got worse when I started to have issues starting the car as well; the car would struggle to start and I lost confidence in the vehicle. Every workday I have to drive my car to a location where I have to turn off my vehicle while a security check is performed -- one day I got stuck at this checkpoint when I could not start my car. I was afraid to drive my car, thinking I could get stuck somewhere with it running or with it unable to start. A certified Subaru repair shop confirmed the issue is a known problem with Subaru parts described in a Technical Service Bulletin [XXX] ). There were no warning lights before these problems began and the Subaru dealer told me when they initially ran a diagnostic on the car it came back as having no issues. Since having the part in the gear shifter replaced at personal expense all problems have been resolved. Since Subaru knew of the faulty part in their vehicles, I think they should have issued a recall or at minimum warned their drivers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AIR BAGSDec 2023

Airbag deployed for no reason, while pulling forward slowly from a parking spot. An airbag that deploys when there is no impact or collision is a clear risk to the safety of the driver, passengers and other drivers on the road.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMApr 2023

While driving on highway the engine died, I was able to pull over and stop safely. The engine turned over when I turned the key but would not start. The fuel gauge showed one full bar of fuel and the fuel mileage reading showed 60 miles till empty. I contacted roadside assistance and after 2 hours was able to put 4 gallons of fuel in the car. The car started normally and I was able to drive to gas station and fill up. The fuel gauge had never failed to accurately show the fuel in my car and the mileage range till empty was always accurate. I do not trust my cars fuel gauge anymore. I was lucky not to be in the city in rush hour and stuck in traffic. I will contact Subaru to report the problem.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKESMar 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, and then decelerated. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while reversing into a parking spot the following day. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 102,600.

STEERINGFeb 2023

Started the car and a warning light came on and the steering froze. I turned it off for the day. The next day I started it and it didnโ€™t freeze again. Iโ€™m concerned that while driving the steering will lock up and cause an accident and possible injury or kill me. My uncle reached out to Subaru of America. They didnโ€™t offer any help. They just said take it in at your own expense. We were quoted over the phone approximately $2000 to repair.My uncle researched this issue. This locking steering problem has been a big problem with the Subaru Crosstrek subjecting it to recalls. I believe Subaru should repair this safety issue.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITYFeb 2023

I was driving to a job sight from Houston to Corpus Christi. About 10 min from the job sight I here a loud pop on top of my roof. I opened up my sunroof viser to see what had happened. The glass broke. Nothing hit the glass. It just broke! Luckly I had the roof viser closed when it happened.There are thousands of forums stating the same exact thing. For reference, https://www.subaruxvforum.com/

SERVICE BRAKESAug 2022

Rear brake rotors and pads are wearing prematurely. Repairs to replace both were done in 2020 with mileage of 50,786. They needed to be done again in 2022 with mileage of only 63,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMMay 2022

Battery drains excessively and frequently. Will not hold a charge. Frequently replacing battery only to have it fail. The personal safety issue here is being stranded with a dead battery in an unsafe environment with no way to escape, or needing the vehicle for an immediate personal health emergency and having the vehicle not start. I don't know if there is a safety related issue with operating the car with this electrical system issue. There are scores of web searches that depict this issue of parasitic draining of the battery by the vehicle's controller area network. Several class action lawsuits are referenced. I don't find any information that the lawsuits have resolved in a recall of any sort. Thank you for your interest in it this issue.

UNKNOWN OR OTHERMar 2022

The problem occurs during a yaw under all the following conditions: * Slippery surface (snow/ice/heavy rain) * highway speeds (>45mph) * CEL lit for P000A and/or P000C (camshaft position sensor slow response) When the car yaws in these conditions, Vehicle Dynamic Control applies the brakes on the inside of the yaw (rightward yaw = brakes on right side, leftward yaw = brakes on left side), worsening the yaw and causing the vehicle to pendulum back and forth. This occurred several times while both my wife and I were driving, and caused lane departures on interstate highways twice while I was driving. The unintended yaws at high speed were slight and very controllable. I had applied a gentle countersteer without changing pedal inputs when the VDC began inside braking. When the yaw swapped sides, VDC braked on the other side. I wound up fighting VDC via steering to keep the nose straight, twice starting at about 55mph and winding up in a different lane at 30. Subaru states that the trouble codes disable traction and stability control, and the traction control disabled light was lit. However, I confirmed that even with the codes and the TC lamp lit, if I induce a large yaw in a snowy parking lot at low speeds (< 30mph) VDC does engage and straightens the car correctly whether I countersteer or not. I have years of FWD rallycross (dirt) experience and I still race on pavement, so I'm pretty familiar VDC trying to straighten a yawing car when I forget to turn it off. As this is my wife's car and not mine, I didn't know how to disable TC and she didn't either. My wife described the problem as heavy swaying back and forth in slippery conditions, but not bad enough to put her out of her lane. She has almost no experience with controlling a sliding vehicle. The problem was likely worse for me because I was already countersteering when VDC engaged. Subaru has inspected the car and found no problems other than the codes. Subaru case 220121-38086.

STEERINGFeb 2022

The vehicle had 51666 miles on it when I last serviced it for an oil change in Oct. of 2021. The owner puts very few miles on the vehicle. The vehicle would be available for inspection by your agency. At this time, no specific component has been identified in the intermittent failure. 2016 and newer Subaru's have recalls on similar symptoms. Owner complaint is that the power steering intermittently stops working and the steering wheel is very hard to turn if it can be turned at all due to the fact the owner is 80+ years old. Subaru vehicles from 2016 and up have had this issue and recalls have been issued on them, but not on this model year. Owner stated today that the problem has only occurred so far on initial start-up, and one time, once the key was cycled start, then off and back to start again then the power steering worked. She said the p/s warning light came on, and then went off, but I cannot verify that at this point. Warning lamps on IP's do come on during the key on to start on the ignition switch start process, so this may be part of normal IP function. I am an auto repair shop owner and have grave concerns that this failure may happen while the customer is driving down the road, and if approaching a turn and the power steering locks up, they could die due to the inability to safely maneuver out of traffic and get off the road or miss a bend in the highway. The customer brought the car in once, and I could not re-create the problem cold or warm. I am currently waiting for the dealer in Green Bay to call me back with more information as the nearest dealer from the customer's residence is a 170 mile round trip. At this point, it has not been back to the dealer for inspection for the p/s system, and I am awaiting call back today from Bergstrom Subaru in Green Bay. Bergstrom did confirm the recall for a brake light switch was completed previously by them, and there were no other campaigns or recalls listed in their computer records.

Showing 20 of 298 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database

Before You Buy, Check the Exact Subaru XV Crosstrek

These pages show model-year patterns across 4years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.

๐Ÿ“– Understanding This Data

๐Ÿ“‹

What is an NHTSA Complaint?

An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is โ€” but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Subaru XV Crosstrek has 298 complaints on record across 4 model years.

๐Ÿ””

What is a Safety Recall?

A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Subaru XV Crosstrek has 3 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.

๐Ÿ’ฅ

What Are Crash Complaints?

Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 21 of the Subaru XV Crosstrek&apos;s 298 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions โ€” a key safety signal beyond general reliability.

๐Ÿงญ

How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?

The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle&apos;s total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.

๐Ÿ“Š

Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?

Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable โ€” simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.

๐Ÿ”

Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN

Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Subaru XV Crosstrek vehicles on the road โ€” not any specific car. Two Subaru XV Crosstrek vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.

๐Ÿ”Ž

What Are NHTSA Investigations?

When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage โ€” NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Subaru XV Crosstrek has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.

Buyers Also Compare

How does the Subaru XV Crosstrek stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.

Toyota Camry reliability โ†’Ford F 150 reliability โ†’Chevrolet Silverado reliability โ†’
Subaru XV Crosstrek vs Toyota CamrySubaru XV Crosstrek vs Ford F 150Subaru XV Crosstrek vs Chevrolet Silverado

Other Subaru Models

Compare vs Honda Accord โ†’
Subaru OutbackSubaru ForesterSubaru ImprezaSubaru LegacySubaru CrosstrekAll Subaru Models โ†’

VinSpectorAI

The world's most advanced AI-powered vehicle history platform. Comprehensive insights, fraud detection, and smart analysis for any vehicle.

5M+
Reports
50+
Brands
AI
Powered
Check Any VIN Free
Product
  • VIN Search
  • VIN Search by State
  • AI Analysis
  • Pricing
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Affiliate Program
Support
  • FAQ
Legal
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

ยฉ 2026 VinSpectorAI. All rights reserved.

contact@vinspectorai.com
Made with for car enthusiasts