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2021 Subaru Crosstrek
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 112 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, most frequently naming the visibility, driver assistance and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 317 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | 2 | 2 |
| Mar 2021 | 2 | 4 |
| Apr 2021 | 2 | 6 |
| May 2021 | 3 | 9 |
| Jun 2021 | 4 | 13 |
| Jul 2021 | 1 | 14 |
| Aug 2021 | 3 | 17 |
| Sep 2021 | 5 | 22 |
| Oct 2021 | 1 | 23 |
| Nov 2021 | 2 | 25 |
| Dec 2021 | 2 | 27 |
| Jan 2022 | 2 | 29 |
| Feb 2022 | 2 | 31 |
| Mar 2022 | 3 | 34 |
| Apr 2022 | 3 | 37 |
| May 2022 | 3 | 40 |
| Jun 2022 | 1 | 41 |
| Jul 2022 | 2 | 43 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 44 |
| Sep 2022 | 2 | 46 |
| Oct 2022 | 3 | 49 |
| Nov 2022 | 3 | 52 |
| Jan 2023 | 2 | 54 |
| Feb 2023 | 1 | 55 |
| Mar 2023 | 2 | 57 |
| Apr 2023 | 2 | 59 |
| May 2023 | 3 | 62 |
| Jun 2023 | 2 | 64 |
| Jul 2023 | 1 | 65 |
| Aug 2023 | 3 | 68 |
| Sep 2023 | 4 | 72 |
| Jan 2024 | 2 | 74 |
| Feb 2024 | 3 | 77 |
| Mar 2024 | 3 | 80 |
| May 2024 | 1 | 81 |
| Jul 2024 | 2 | 83 |
| Aug 2024 | 1 | 84 |
| Oct 2024 | 1 | 85 |
| Nov 2024 | 2 | 87 |
| Feb 2025 | 3 | 90 |
| Jun 2025 | 1 | 91 |
| Jul 2025 | 3 | 94 |
| Oct 2025 | 2 | 96 |
| Nov 2025 | 1 | 97 |
| Feb 2026 | 2 | 99 |
| Mar 2026 | 1 | 100 |
| Apr 2026 | 1 | 101 |
| May 2026 | 5 | 106 |
| Jun 2026 | 1 | 107 |
| Jul 2026 | 5 | 112 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Visibility3326.8%
- Driver assistance2016.3%
- Engine1613.0%
- Electrical1512.2%
- Powertrain (other)129.8%
- Interior & seats43.3%
- Fuel system43.3%
- Body & structure32.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but doesn’t look like it covers anything after 2020.
- NHTSA ID
- 11754078
- Incident
- Jul 31, 2026
- Rod #4 failure of unknown cause, although there is speculation that current failure may be related to a major repair in oil system a year ago. - My safety along with my unborn child’s, husband’s and brother in law’s were all at risk. Another driver had to take evasive action to avoid hitting us in an active fast lane on I-70 going between 65-70 mph. There was no shoulder available to pull off on until a half mile up the road. - Yes the problem has been confirmed from the dealership partially. They did not identify a cause for the sudden failure. However stated it could not be determined if this failure is or is not related to a previous major engine repair made a year ago. - The engine has been inspected by the dealership and warranty company. - There were no warning signals prior to either engine failures. The first one being a year ago for head gasket failure that allowed oil to mix with coolant. With the most recent failure the engine ticked briefly after braking to merge for construction, the oil pressure light followed by engine light turned on 5 seconds before engine completely lost power.
- NHTSA ID
- 11750897
- Incident
- Jun 29, 2026
Viscous Coupling and center differential failing. unable to turn at low speeds. Low mileage vehicle, under 40,000. This is a several 1000$ repair that happens right after warranty
- NHTSA ID
- 11750393
- Incident
- Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and turning to the right or the left, the steering wheel and the vehicle were shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the control arms and struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11750237
- Incident
- Jan 25, 2025
- Mileage
- 85,000 mi
Thermo Control Valve (TCV) causes a check engine light to come on and disables eyesight issue started May 29, 2026. The check engine would go on and off. Now it just stays
- NHTSA ID
- 11748542
- Incident
- May 29, 2026
The DCM on our 2021 Subaru Crosstrek is causing a parasitic drain on the battery. It left us stranded several times. We replaced the battery twice in the past 15 months. There is a class action lawsuit against Subaru for this exact problem, but they won't replace it on our vehicle because it has over 45,000 miles. A defective DCM is a widely known problem with many Subaru models. We never received notice of this problem from Subaru, nor were there any warnings, messages, or indications that this was a problem, until we took it to a mechanic for service, who sent us to a Subaru dealer because it had to be repaired by them.
- NHTSA ID
- 11743228
- Incident
- Apr 30, 2026
On [XXX] ~[XXX] PM, at highway speed on [XXX] eastbound near Frisco, CO (a mountain interstate), returning to Denver from Salt Lake City, my 2021 Subaru Crosstrek suddenly and without warning dropped into reduced-power limp mode and began lurching and shaking while the engine kept running. I lost the ability to accelerate or maintain speed. At the same moment the check engine light came on and multiple active safety systems automatically disabled: EyeSight, pre-collision braking, vehicle dynamics (traction/stability) control, and hill start assist. It took about two minutes to manage the lurching, power-limited vehicle across multiple lanes of traffic to reach the shoulder. My partner was in the vehicle. Had this happened on a bridge, a grade without a shoulder, a tunnel approach, or in heavier traffic, I believe a collision was a realistic outcome. The vehicle was towed to a Subaru dealer and diagnosed with a failed Thermo Control Valve. Sixteen trouble codes were stored, including P26A6, P0606, P060B, P2138, P2135, P2122, P2119, P2004, P2005, and P0191. Mileage was 49,983. There was no prior symptom. The vehicle had a full multi-point inspection at the same dealer only 11 days and ~1,400 miles earlier ([XXX]); nothing was flagged. This failure mode is already known to Subaru, addressed by Technical Service Bulletin 09-119-24 and a warranty extension to 15 years/150,000 miles; the dealer repair order confirms the TSB. I am concerned Subaru handles a safety-relevant failure, one that disables collision-avoidance systems at highway speed, through a quiet warranty extension rather than a recall or owner notification. Owners get no warning and discover it only when it fails dangerously. I request NHTSA open a formal safety defect investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11739117
- Incident
- May 11, 2026
Purchased in August 2024, had to get a new battery 2 days after purchase & then went to the dealership January 2025 because my battery kept dying & I was stranded at the airport late night. They acknowledged is has a parasitic draw but did not notate the source. They claimed I needed a new battery when my previous Subaru branded battery was only 5 months old. The new battery was almost $600 which is double/ triple a store branded equivalent. I purchased yet another battery but non-Subaru branded since theirs did not last even 6 months. Still have been experiencing the same issue. I pulled the dcm fuse and let my car sit for several days as a test. The battery did not die with the dcm fuse removed. The front speakers and Bluetooth are linked to the dcm fuse so they do not work if it is unplugged.
- NHTSA ID
- 11738348
- Incident
- Jan 10, 2025
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector in response to the DTCs listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.
ENGINE
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
ENGINE; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector and fuel pipe in response to the DTCs listed DTC P030* / Engine Knocking / DTC P219C-D-E-F. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.