2017 Subaru Crosstrek Problems

Out of no where the window chipped and then cracked later that day

Windshield cracked out of nowhere resulting in an ~8" damage

My husband has trouble getting the key out when in park and turn off. Have to use the E-break every time we park because even in park the vehicle seems to get a mind of its own and start to roll. IT ROLLED ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR!! NOW my driver side window seems to roll all the way up but right back down with out me touching it. I have to fight the thing for 5mins to get it up! Windshield is cracked. We got it parked it no crack, went out in it and Crack, now I have to pay to get a new Windshield put in because every day just sitting there the Crack gets bigger. Why is there only 1 recall on this thing!? 🤔

The key gets stuck in the ignition. We have to turn the ignition to ACC or start the car then switch it back to OFF multiple times for it to release. We have not had the issue looked at yet. It's easily reproduceable. No other symptoms are present. Subaru issued a recall for this issue for vehicles with a CVT transmission but there are countless complaints of this happening to non-CVT transmission Subaru vehicles.

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.

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.

There is a battery draining problem. I have had to replace the battery 3 times in a two-year period.

- 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.

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.

Both of the front inner brake pads separated from the backing plate presenting a safety concern since the brake performance was compromised. The front outer brake pads did not separate from the backing plates. All four brake pads were installed by myself along with new rotors in November 2021 and have experienced about 30,000 miles of use. There is plenty of brake pad material remaining. I have experience installing brakes on multiple vehicles and the pads were functional until the pad/backing plate separation. I discovered the issue after hearing a grinding noise from the wheel well while driving. No warning lights were present and other symptoms were not immediately noticeable. The part is available for inspection upon request; however, I was planning on sending both of the defective brake pads to the manufacturer for a warranty claim. I can save one of the two pads for NHTSA inspection, if desired. Please let me know as soon as possible.

The harness on my child's Nuna RAVA loosened during a 30 minute drive home (highway and downtown driving) in May of 2025. I learned later that month that there is a recall on Nuna Ravas for that exact reason. It is available for inspection. My child was not properly secured, and I did not know it until we got home; he could have been killed or seriously injured had we gotten into a collision on that drive. The car seat has not been inspected by anyone. Nuna offered me a “remedy kit” with a screwdriver, a brush, and a mismatched fabric cover, but I am not a safety technician and do not have the time or expertise to take the seat apart myself and still trust it to secure my child. The problem with the harness straps we have is intermittent, and does not replicate when the car is parked and I simply “tug” on the straps. I do not feel that this is an adequate safety test anyway, as it doesn’t replicate the forces or conditions in an accident. I requested a replacement seat, but Nuna denied my request on 7/21 and again on 7/28. Nuna has not supplied crash test results on layperson “repaired” car seats. This defect is the subject of NHTSA actions DP24003 and PE24026. Other RAVA owners have complained that their repaired RAVA still malfunctioned even after using Nuna's "remedy kit." I would like a replacement car seat to ensure my child's safety.

Wheel bearing go out after 40K plus miles. After doing research on my own wheels bearings it appears that this is a very common issue for this vehicle. This is not a lot of miles to have on a car before wheel bearings (rear) go bad. Causing extensive damage if not caught and a safety hazard for those opporating the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling out of her driveway, the steering wheel became stiff, and the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over on the side the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power steering module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to diagnose by a dealer. The failure mileage was 48,300.

CV axles click when turning. CV axles could break at any given point. If not fixed you could lose control of your car causing death to yourself or others while driving or render your car driveless. I've looked online and many other 2017 cross track owners have the same problem. So why is this not a recall.

In August of 2024, I got into my car in a parking lot and turned the key in the ignition. The car started revving really high. I waited for it to slow down, and then I put it into reverse. The car shot back and would have hit the building if I hadn't slammed on the brakes. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone behind the car at the time, but the woman who had just walked in back of my car to enter the building stood there looking at me. I slowly put my foot on the gas pedal and drove home. The following day, I had a tow truck come and take the car to the dealer. They did a scheduled maintenance service and replace the throttle body. Everything was fine until 9/28/25. I was driving out of a parking lot and entering the street going very slowly, suddenly the car lurched forward very fast, and I had to slam on my brakes to stop it. I drove it home. I notified a friend who knew a mechanic that he said was familiar with this type of issue. He got in touch with the dealership where the car had been serviced, and I got a call from the Service Department manager. He asked me to bring the car in so they could try to find out what the problem was. He said that if they couldn't find out what it was, an engineer might be called in to inspect the car. I am planning on having the car towed to the dealership this week. On neither occasion did any warning lights come on in the car. It was very fortunate that no one was hurt during either incident, but it could have been tragic. I was only about 15 feet away from a crosswalk when the second incident occurred. I read online that the manufacturer is involved in a lawsuit where several other people have had the same experience, although not the same model as my car. I have driven the same brand of car for about fifteen years and have never had a problem before.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE BLIND SPOT DETECTOR WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS BLIND SPOT FUNCTION WAS INOPERABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BLIND SPOT BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, FAILED TO RESPOND. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,322.

SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW (CURRENTLY 55,000 MILES ON IT) THE AIR BAG RED MALFUNCTION LIGHT HAS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ALSO, AT TIMES, THE DASHBOARD WILL REGISTER THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER. I MENTIONED THIS TO DEALER EARLY ON, BUT WAS TOLD BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IT HAS CONTINUED, AND I NOTICED THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AFTER OR DURING HEAVY RAINS. MOST RECENTLY I TOOK A VIDEO OF THE LIGHT ON AND PANNED TO THE PASSENGER TO SHOW THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THIS WEEK (OF COURSE THE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF) AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MOISTURE IN THE AIR THAT THEY ARE SEEING WITH OTHER CARS AS WELL. BUT, WAS AGAIN TOLD SINCE THERE WAS NO LIGHT, THEY COULD NOT CHECK TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT SUBARU HEADQUARTERS, DAVID AT 856 356-1190. HE SPOKE WITH DEALER AND WAS GOING TO SUGGEST AN ENGINEER LOOK AT VEHICLE, BUT JUST GOT BACK TO ME AND SINCE THERE IS NO HISTORY OF FAILED ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS, AND THE LIGHT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON, WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING, AND THAT I SHOULD BRING THE CAR BACK IN WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. I AM FURIOUS. I AM DRIVING AROUND WITH A PASSENGER WHO IS OCCASIONALLY NOT PROTECTED BY AN AIRBAG. THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND EVEN HAVE A PROCEDURE ON WHAT TO DO TO RESET THE LIGHT. BUT, I WORK DURING THE DAY, AND WHEN I HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, IT IS IN THE EVENING OR ON THE WEEKEND. SO, EVEN IF A LIGHT COMES ON, THE DEALER IS NOT OPEN AT THOSE TIMES, AND BY THE TIME I GET THERE WHEN THEY ARE OPEN, THE LIGHT IS OFF. THERE WILL NEVER BE A HISTORY OF FAILED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR AS THEY NEVER SEE THE LIGHT ON, DESPITE ME SHOWING THEM THE VIDEO I TOOK. MY PASSENGERS ARE IN DANGER, AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

MY AIRBAG SENSOR WENT OUT ON MY PASSENGER SEAT AND IT WAS ON BACKORDER FOR OVER A MONTH AND A HALF. THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER SUBARU CARS (FORESTER) AND IT ALSO OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE.

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.

Upon accelerating, the engine seems to bog down and I lose speed. It has happened under many conditions—after turning a corner, going down a straightaway, and when accelerating to merge on a highway. This puts people in the car at risk and others traveling behind me. I took it to the dealer and they said that since they could not replicate it, there was nothing they could do. No warning lights seem to be involved. On the internet, posters refer to this as a "known problem" but no one has come up with a solution, nor have their dealers. It's troublesome. I know the 2018s have had a related problem. It's happened on many dates.

Dome light goes has gone on automatically several times. Twice drained my battery. Never use dome light because I do not drive at night and have never turned it on myself.

I RECEIVED A SUBARU CRITICAL SAFETY RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE BRAKE LIGHTS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT SCHEDULE WORK FOR OVER 6 WEEKS. BLOOMINGTON, MN SUBARU. SEE COPY OF EMAIL I SENT FOLLOWING: [XXX] 9:46 AM (1 HOUR AGO) TO BLOOMINGTON "I LEFT A MESSAGE THIS MORNING WITH YOUR SERVICE MANAGER, REGISTERING MY EXTREME DISPLEASURE AND OUTRAGE THAT WHEN I CALLED YOUR SERVICE DESK OVER TWO WEEKS AGO TO SCHEDULE SERVICE ON THIS "URGENT CRITICAL SAFETY RECALL", THAT THE EARLIEST DATE I COULD GET WAS JULY 9. WHEN I EXPLAINED MY CONCERN WITH THE DILATORY SCHEDULING TO YOUR SERVICE PERSON, I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW-IP CALL FROM YOU SERVICE MANAGER. I NEVER DID. I'D CALLED WHEN I RECEIVED THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. TODAY I RECEIVED THIS EVEN MORE ALARMING SAFETY RECALL BY EMAIL, IDENTIFYING SEVERAL ALARMING DANGERS LINKED TO THE BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE, INCLUDING RISKS OF A CRASH AND FAILURE OF RELATED SAFETY SYSTEMS. . MY DETAILED VOICE MAIL MESSAGE THAT I LEFT THIS MORNING UNDERSCORED MY CONCERN THAT THIS PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD A CRASH AND OTHER SERIOUS SAFETY OUTCOMES IS BEING HANDLED IN THIS WAY, INTERESTINGLY, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOUR SERVICE PERSON TWO WEEKS AGO AND WAS GIVEN JULY 9 AS THE EARLIEST DATE, HE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE OTHER SAFETY RECALL ISSUES WITH AIRBAGS THAT HAD TAKEN PRECEDENCE. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT SUBARU WOULD PRESENT THIS LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE AT YOUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. I AM FORWARDING THIS SUBARU EMAIL TO YOU WITH MY ACCOMPANYING CONCERN, AND REGISTERING MY CONCERN IN WRITING TO DOCUMENT THE MESSAGE THAT I ALSO LEFT WITH YOUR SERVICE MANAGER'S VOICE MAIL. YOURS TRULY, [XXX]" INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT *TR

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS RESTING HIS RIGHT ARM ON THE LEATHER SHIFTER, HE SUSTAINED BURNS. THE PASSENGER AND HIS WIFE ALSO RECEIVED BURNS ON THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT FOREARMS OF THE LEATHER SEATING SURFACES. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS INJURIES; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CHEMICAL REACTIVE SECOND DEGREE BURNS. THE CAR RENTAL VENDOR WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE LOCAL DEALER (MARK MILLER SUBARU MIDTOWN LOCATED ON 3535 STATE ST, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, 84115) WAS CONTACTED AT 888-859-6198 AND STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE FAILURE AND WOULD "LOOK INTO IT". THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 396.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEELS TO WOBBLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

My husband has trouble getting the key out when in park and turn off. Have to use the E-break every time we park because even in park the vehicle seems to get a mind of its own and start to roll. IT ROLLED ON ME WHILE I WAS GETTING MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR!! NOW my driver side window seems to roll all the way up but right back down with out me touching it. I have to fight the thing for 5mins to get it up! Windshield is cracked. We got it parked it no crack, went out in it and Crack, now I have to pay to get a new Windshield put in because every day just sitting there the Crack gets bigger. Why is there only 1 recall on this thing!? 🤔

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS RESTING HIS RIGHT ARM ON THE LEATHER SHIFTER, HE SUSTAINED BURNS. THE PASSENGER AND HIS WIFE ALSO RECEIVED BURNS ON THE BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT FOREARMS OF THE LEATHER SEATING SURFACES. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS INJURIES; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CHEMICAL REACTIVE SECOND DEGREE BURNS. THE CAR RENTAL VENDOR WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE LOCAL DEALER (MARK MILLER SUBARU MIDTOWN LOCATED ON 3535 STATE ST, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, 84115) WAS CONTACTED AT 888-859-6198 AND STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE FAILURE AND WOULD "LOOK INTO IT". THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 396.