2020 Subaru Crosstrek Visibility Problems

6-8in windshield crack on passenger side, near the bottom just above defrost vents. No apparent trauma to the windshield in that area. No indication that there was a crack forming otherwise; appeared seemingly overnight. Have not yet reported to insurance, dealer, or mfg. I have seen that there was a class action settled recently regarding some Subaru windshields cracking without warning so this may be a known issue. Car is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11635355

Incident

Jan 10, 2025

The windshield has formed a crack in the top middle around the area of the rear view mirror with no incident to cause it. The problem is easily identifiable and may cause safety issues if the crack spreads. At this time insurance representatives and the manufacturer have not inspected the windshield. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior. It just cracked out of nowhere.

NHTSA ID

11522977

Incident

Mar 30, 2023

I noticed my windshield spontaneously cracked, without any trauma. This was noticed in the morning after my car had been sitting in the garage overnight. There were no rocks or other debris that hit the car, and there does not appear to be a point of impact. The crack seems to have occurred spontaneously, with no precipitating event or warning. This is dangerous because it could impair visibility, the functioning of eye sight camera/safety system, and could easily expand and cause shattering of glass. It makes me concerned about the integrity of the windshield. Several other subaru owners have reported this problem of spontaneous windshield cracking online. This occurred on my car on 4/3/2023. I have photo evidence of the faulty windshield, it has not yet been inspected by a dealer.

NHTSA ID

11515698

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

The windshield has cracked twice and had to be replaced. The first time was December 2021 and the second time was November 2022. Each time, we did not even see impact with a pebble. We just assume that was what caused the crack. My wife and I have been driving for fifty years and this is the first time we have had to replace a windshield. Subaru needs to fix this problem.

NHTSA ID

11495053

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

My car was parked outside when one morning I noticed a 2-inch crack started from the edge of the windshield on the passenger side of my vehicle which grew to 19 inches in the following days. The crack feels smooth from the outside and to my knowledge didn't happen due to any impact. My vehicle is available for any inspection. I have not taken my car to the manufacturer regarding this issue yet.

NHTSA ID

11490499

Incident

Apr 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated after entering the vehicle it was discovered that the front windshield had developed a crack extending approximately four inches from the top of the windshield to the rearview mirror attachment. The contact indicated that no object or rocks had made contact with the windshield to cause the crack. The cause of the failure was not determined. The windshield was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 13,000.

NHTSA ID

11479495

Incident

May 16, 2022

Mileage

13,000 mi

My 2020 Subaru crosstrek has repeatedly had its windshield crack for little to no reason. I have noticed my windshield crack in a similar spot (near the vin number area) multiple times with no incidents where a rock or other debris struck the windshield. This provides a visual distraction and safety issue while driving.

NHTSA ID

11460328

Incident

Apr 10, 2022

Windshield cracked across bottom portion. Many other Subaru owners have had the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11453095

Incident

Aug 1, 2021

Windshield defective/easily damaged. Minor roadway pebble created a pit. Seems to be an issue with many Subarus.

NHTSA ID

11451908

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

The windshield seemed to just start cracking for no known reason.

NHTSA ID

11443911

Incident

May 12, 2021

Windshield spontaneously cracked

NHTSA ID

11438035

Incident

Oct 21, 2021

Driver side rear door window exploded while driving. Shattering was unexpected. No rocks were heading that way and car is only 1.5 years old.

NHTSA ID

11436521

Incident

Oct 11, 2021

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while entering the vehicle she noticed that the front windshield had a 10-inch crack on the driver’s side. The contact stated that an object had not struck the windshield to cause the crack. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11422370

Incident

May 15, 2021

Mileage

10,000 mi

WINDOWS WILL NOT ALWAYS GO DOWN WHEN TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW 26 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALER ON JANUARY 6, 2021. MADE SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR JANUARY 19,2021. THEY VERIFIED PROBLEM. DEALER ORDERED REPLACEMENT DRIVER'S SIDE RUN CHANNEL, APPOINTMENT MADE FOR INSTALLATION JANUARY 26, 2021. MORNING OF JANUARY 28, 2021, TEMPERATURE 20 DEGREES F, NONE OF THE WINDOWS WOULD GO DOWN. NO FROST/SNOW/ICE ON WINDOWS. SERVICE APPOINTMENT JANUARY 28-29 DIAGNOSED 'POSSIBLE WINDOW FREEZING NEEDING TO DEFROST IN WINTER TIME'. FEBRUARY 17, 2021, TEMPERATURE 10 DEGREES F, WINDOWS DID NOT GO DOWN. DROVE CAR 30 MINUTES TO THE DEALER, DEFROST AND HEAT ON HIGH. SERVICE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED WINDOWS DID NOT GO DOWN, LEFT CAR WITH DEALER. FEBRUARY 19, 2021 ONE WINDOW STILL DID NOT GO DOWN. RECORDED VIDEO OF WINDOWS NOT GOING DOWN ON MARCH 2,2021,CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA, SERVICE RECORD # 1-66493397585. INITIAL PHONE CALL FROM SERVICES DEPARTMENT LEFT VOICEMAIL OFFERING 'COMPENSATION FOR THE PROBLEM'. I REFUSED COMPENSATION. RECEIVED EMAIL RECOMMENDING PURCHASING AN ACCESSORY TO 'ALLEVIATE THIS CONCERN'. PHONED SUBARU OF AMERICA AGAIN, SERVICE RECORD #1-67542809043, AND AGAIN ADVISED PURCHASE OF ACCESSORY TO 'ALLEVIATE THIS CONCERN'. APRIL 2, 2021, WINDOWS NOT GOING DOWN, RECORDED SECOND VIDEO. PHONED DEALER, WHO INITIATED A THIRD SERVICE RECORD #1-67810220574 WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT SUBARU OF AMERICA INFORMING ME THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR WINDOWS. THERE ARE INSTANCES IN KEENE,NY WHEN TEMPERATURE IS BELOW ZERO AT NIGHT NEVER ABOVE 15 DEGREES F DAILY AND WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN FOR DAYS. VEHICLE IS ALWAYS PARKED OUTSIDE.

NHTSA ID

11415051

Incident

Jan 6, 2021

Mileage

5,200 mi

I WOKE UP WITH A HUGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. NO IDEA HOW IT HAPPENED. THIS IS THE THIRD ONE. I'VE HAD THIS CAR FOR 11 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

11414642

Incident

Apr 30, 2021

Mileage

17,270 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH NO VEHICLES AROUND MY VEHICLE OR PASSING IN THE OPPOSING DIRECTION THE SUNROOF VIOLENTLY SHATTERED ALLOWING GLASS TO RAIN DOWN ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THERE WERE NO CARS NEARBY OR TREES OVERHEAD

NHTSA ID

11414507

Incident

Apr 29, 2021

Mileage

28,631 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK IN MAY OF 2020. THE WINDSHIELD IS UP TO TWO CRACKS. I HAD THE FIRST FILLED THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND I JUST DISCOVERED THE SECOND TODAY. BOTH CRACKS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

11399818

Incident

Mar 8, 2021

Mileage

14,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CRACK FORMED VERTICALLY ON THE TOP EDGE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AT A LENGTH OF APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING. FLEMINGTON SUBARU (167 NJ-31, FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822) WAS CONTACTED INFORMED HER TO CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. PATRIOT SUBARU (769 PORTLAND RD, SACO, ME 04072) WAS THEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THEY DO NOT REPAIR WINDSHIELDS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000.

NHTSA ID

11399194

Incident

Feb 28, 2021

Mileage

4,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHE BECAME AWARE OF A CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE CRACK WAS FORMED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED A LOCAL DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

NHTSA ID

11398468

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

17,000 mi

I GOT HOME FROM WORK, CLEANED THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WAS NO CRACKS...I DIDNT USE THE CAR THE REST OF THE DAY. NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION AND WAS PARKED

NHTSA ID

11396502

Incident

Feb 10, 2021

Mileage

11,800 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN THE MORNING AROUND 7AM WITH ONLY 2 OTHER CARS IN OTHER LANES NOT NEAR ME, I HEARD A SUDDEN CRACK. I LOOKED OVER TO THE RIGHT LOWER SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD AND SAW A DENT AND A CRACK ABOUT 2-3 INCHES. I DON'T THINK IT'S A ROCK BUT THAT WOULDN'T HAVE CAUSED SUCH A LOUD AND BIG CRACK ALL OF A SUDDEN. I HAVE OTHER CARS(NOT SUBARUS) AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CRACK FORM LIKE THAT BEFORE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEWER SUBARUS, THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND I'M ACTUALLY SCARED TO DRIVE MY SUBARU! THIS SCARE IS A SAFE CAR BUT WITH A WINDSHIELD LIKE THAT, ITS WORRYING ME.

NHTSA ID

11387612

Incident

Jul 12, 2020

Mileage

2,000 mi

THERE IS A STRESS CRACK ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT ON WINDSHIELD FROM REARVIEW MIRROR INSIDE THE VEHICLE GOING UPWARD IN AN ARCH AND ENDS AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS IN OUR GARAGE AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE FALLEN ONTO THE CAR FROM THE ROOF OF THE GARAGE. NOTICED CRACK ON 12/13/2020

NHTSA ID

11383337

Incident

Dec 13, 2020

Mileage

7,284 mi

I'VE ONLY HAD MY BRAND NEW 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK FOR 4 1/2 MONTHS AND I JUST GOT A 2ND CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. LAST MONTH A SMALL PEBBLE FLEW OFF OF A CONSTRUCTION TRUCK, HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. TWO DAYS AGO, I HEARD A LIGHT TAP WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A CITY STREET AND NOW I HAVE ANOTHER CRACK. I WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE ROAD AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD. I ASSUME IT WAS A PEBBLE THAT HIT MY WINDSHIELD BUT I'M NOT SURE. I'M NOW AFRAID OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE I DRIVE A LONG DISTANCE TO WORK. MY FEAR IS MY ENTIRE WINDSHIELD SHATTERING IN MY FACE OR MY PASSENGER'S FACE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I WILL BE GOING TO SAFELITE AGAIN TO GET THIS 2ND CRACK REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

11364240

Incident

Oct 12, 2020

Mileage

6,900 mi

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM A TINY ROCK WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY FORTY MILES PER HOUR ON A FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11355204

Incident

Sep 11, 2020

Mileage

2,650 mi

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11349332

Incident

Jul 28, 2020

Mileage

6,400 mi