2017 Subaru Crosstrek Powertrain (other) Problems

Premature shift fork failure in 2017 Subaru Crosstrek manual transmission at 62,521 miles requiring complete transmission replacement ($10,000 repair, vehicle worth $11,000). EVIDENCE OF DESIGN DEFECT: - Subaru issued TSB 03-83-20R acknowledging shift fork design flaws in 2018-2020 Crosstreks with identical transmission - TSB states original forks required "thicker nylon inserts" proving inadequate design - My VIN (HG269902) is before production change (LG225906), confirming defective pre-improvement design - Shift fork failure can cause sudden inability to shift gears while driving - significant safety hazard MAINTENANCE: Single owner, meticulously maintained with documented service at 20k, 39k, 52k, 58k miles. Never in accident. No abuse. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE: Subaru offered only $1,800 (18% coverage) and blamed my "driving habits" despite TSB proving design defect. REQUEST: NHTSA investigate shift fork failures in 2015-2017 Crosstreks and evaluate if TSB 03-83-20R should extend to these model years. See attached: Complete complaint documentation and TSB 03-83-20R.

NHTSA ID

11694927

Incident

Sep 24, 2025

On January 19, 2024 I was slowly pulling in to a parking spot at my doctors office. I did not pull up far enough, as there was a concrete retaining wall at the head of the spot and no tire block for safety. I was maybe 5 feet from the wall when I lightly tapped the gas pedal to inch up (as the back end of the car was sticking out into the passing lane). When I did so, the car slipped into rapid acceleration causing a full head on crash with the retaining wall. I had pressed the break pedal but the brakes did not have enough time to engage before the wall stopped my car. As a result, I had bumper damage, a crooked hood (due to bent hinge on the right side) and a cracked bracket above the light assembly. Thankfully I was not injured, but the repair was costly. I leased this car new in 2017, and am paying off end of lease buyout. I have been the only driver, and I bring my car for regular servicing. At this point I am afraid to drive it because I don't know when or where the next rapid acceleration will occur.

NHTSA ID

11575912

Incident

Jan 19, 2024

Greetings: As outlined in Service Bulletin 05-70-19, Rear Wheel Backing Plate Design change, I am having an almost overwhelming “whining or humming” sound coming from the rear portion of my vehicle. Given the significance of this WHEEL BEARING & BACKING PLATE issue, I respectfully request an RECALL & subsequent repair be initiated. Coupled with a VERY large number of related customer issues - globally - this issue should have already met-the-bar for a RECALL vs. Safety Bulletin. It’s obvious there are safety-related design flaws - again, given the overall number of required repairs - and this should be addressed accordingly. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11539275

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

- cam carrier leak, resulting in oil leaking from engine. oil is leaking onto catalytic converter sensor causing it to malfunction. - oil leaking from cars poses a safety and environmental hazard. - michael's subaru of bellevue (washington state) has confirmed it occurring, and it is a problem across subaru models according to a number of forum posts from subaru owners, which has been shared with subaru of america. - i have not had it inspected by anyone officially besides michael's subaru of bellevue (washington state). - there was a warning lamp for the catalytic converter, but upon physical inspection of the vehicle the technician discovered it was oil leaking from the cam carrier onto the sensor that caused the warning lights to turn on in the vehicle. - i have included emails i exchanged with subaru of america regarding the issue.

NHTSA ID

11511870

Incident

Jan 28, 2023

12042022 - not sure of cause, could be multiple as all systems just shut down for seconds, the car goes dead while driving down I235 at 70mph, first the radio turns off, then the car seemed to go to lower gear rpm to zero and just shut off at a high speed, NO POWER on anything, then about 2.5 seconds later it restated and continued, sputtered off again then powered back off and on again as i got off the highway, many warning lights came on including the lane warning, brake light, it was very scary at such a high speed. this car now seems to have little continued incidents of the same behavior for what has seemed to be spuratic but regular fits now and I have to have dependable transportation. very easily could have caused an accident if the traffic was heavier when the incident occured.

NHTSA ID

11495958

Incident

Dec 4, 2022

When I put the car in park the key would turn off the car but not come out of the ignition. The only way to get the key out was to turn the car back on and try again, sometimes 5+ times. When I took the car in for repair at a Subaru dealership they said this was a constant Subaru problem and that my shifter plate guide would need to be replaced. They charged me $600 but after searching Subaru forums I found that Subaru will sometimes pay for this repair because it is a known issue with a repair bulletin number (16-112-18). I believe this is a widespread defect and Subaru should pay for all repairs, not simply the repairs of consumers who have the resources to know to call the company.

NHTSA ID

11430290

Incident

Jul 5, 2021

I WAS OPERATING MY 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK ON UNION ST IN BRAINTREE MA. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I THEN DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I HEARD A BANG AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACK. THE TRANSMISSION HAD CEASED TO OPERATE. I LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE CURB BACKWARDS. THE TRANSMISSION DID GO INTO PARK BUT WOULD NOT OPERATE OTHERWISE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP,CLAY SUBARU, NORWOOD MA. THEY LATER INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAD BLOWN. THAT ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ELECTRICAL WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BUT THEY SAID THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED. IF THIS HAD GONE FIVE MINUTES SOONER I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE CROWDED HIGHWAY GOING 55 TO 60 MPH I FIND OUT THAT SUBARU AND THE NHTSA KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED. I REALLY DON'T WANT MYSELF OR MY WIFE TO BE TEST CASES. I AM NOW INFORMED BY SUBARU THAT IT WILL COST ME OVER 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. SINCE IT IS ELECTRICAL IT COULD BE JUST BE THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

NHTSA ID

11373791

Incident

Oct 30, 2020

Mileage

118,000 mi

VEHICLE LOSES POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THROTTLE IS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE/NON-FUNCTIONAL. ENGINE REMAINS ON BUT WILL NOT DELIVER POWER OR ACCELERATE. NO DASH INDICATION LIGHTS ARE DISPLAYED. CAR SLOWS DOWN RAPIDLY UNTIL THROTTLE RE-ENGAGES AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS WHICH CAN BE A FEW SECONDS UP TO THIRTY SECONDS. HAPPENS MOST FREQUENTLY AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES. HAPPENS REPEATEDLY AFTER IT INITIATES. HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER SEVERAL TIMES TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER MOTORISTS. THIS HAS BEEN VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11339585

Incident

Jun 23, 2020

Mileage

36,300 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING 45MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND TURNED OFF. AS A RESULT MY WIFE WAS REAR ENDED BUT SUFFERED NO MAJOR PHYSICAL INJURY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INSPECTED IT. HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL FOR SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329289

Incident

Aug 17, 2019

Mileage

15,000 mi

KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER VEHICLE PARKED. KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED. SENSOR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK. PROBLEM CORRESPONDS TO SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN 16-112-18R. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325384

Incident

May 4, 2020

Mileage

45,000 mi

I LEASE A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CAR HAS BEEN FAITHFULLY MAINTAINED AS PER MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT/EXPERIENCED ANY BODY DAMAGE. THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES PRIOR TO 48K. THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED TWICE BETWEEN 48K AND 55 K AND THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED AROUND 52K. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT ALL WHEEL BEARINGS ON EVERY SUBARU FAIL PRIOR TO 50K. FOR A RATHER PRICEY CAR, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE WHEEL BEARINGS FAIL, IT COULD LOCK UP ONE WHEEL AND CAUSE THE CAR TO FLIP UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING ADDITIONALLY, YOU WILL DRIVE THE CAR ONE DAY WITHOUT ANY ISSUE AND LITERALLY, THE NEXT DAY, YOU WILL START TO HEAR A LOW GROANING NOISE. I WOULD LIKE THE NHSTA TO OPEN A DEFECTS INVESTIGATION AS THEY CAN FIND THE SAME PROBLEM ACROSS EVERY SUBARU MODEL FROM 2013-FORWARD WHEN THE WHEEL BEARING DESIGN WAS CHANGED. DEALER RECORDS AND WARRANTY REPAIRS CAN INDICATE THIS. THE DESIGN ALLOWS FOR WATER AND ROAD DEBRIS TO GET INSIDE OF THE BEARING, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND FAILURE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE TO REPLACE WHEEL BEARINGS ON CARS EVERY 50K. MY LAST VEHICLE (2007 HYUNDAI SONATA) DROVE FLAWLESSLY UNTIL 277K AND I NEVER HAD TO CHANGE A WHEEL BEARING IN THE 10 YEARS I OWNED THAT VEHICLE. SHAME ON SUBARU!

NHTSA ID

11283140

Incident

May 15, 2019

Mileage

48,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2017 CROSSTREK CHIPS TOO EASY. I HAVE NEVER HAD CHIPS ON ANY OTHER VEHICLES WINDSHIELD. THE GLASS MUST BE TOO SOFT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY CROSSTREK A FEW TIMES WHILE IN MOTION. MY TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT SOMETIMES SLIPS, AND SHUDDERS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11271679

Incident

Oct 11, 2018

Mileage

20,000 mi