2026 Subaru Crosstrek Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance538.5%
- Electrical215.4%
- Engine17.7%
- Exterior lighting17.7%
- Seat belts17.7%
- Body & structure17.7%
- Steering17.7%
- Brakes17.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Multiple times the vehicle has allowed lane crossing with no warning neither actual assist or beep into oncoming traffic. A vehicle abruptly stopped approximately 75 feet ahead of me the vehicle did not respond and I did have to slam my brakes. I was able to stop with only 3 feet between me and the stopped vehicle. Automatic collision avoidance neither attempted to stop nor gave any warning. Blind spot monitor allows lane change with turn signal on and a vehicle in blind spot again with no warning. I was on the freeway and the center lane when this happened, I was merging into right lane. Starlink 11.6" media center freezes and lags. Dealership service department claims everything is working fine. Service department claims nothing wrong even this was witnessed by a dealership employee and the dealer manager took my car to the service department after the employee explained these problems were seen with her in the vehicle.
On XXX while driving my brand-new 2026 Subaru Crosstrek with approximately 63 miles on the odometer, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration. The AT Oil Temp warning flashed, followed by the Check Engine Light and multiple EyeSight and driver assistance warning lights. I immediately pulled off the road because I did not feel it was safe to continue driving. My [XXX] grandson was in the vehicle at the time. The vehicle was towed to the selling Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed transmission trouble codes P0700 and P0752 and determined that an internal valve body solenoid had failed. Because the solenoid is not serviceable separately, the entire valve body assembly was replaced under the manufacturer’s warranty. My concern is that a brand-new vehicle experienced a sudden loss of acceleration at only 63 miles, creating a potential safety hazard for my family and other motorists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Multiple times the vehicle has allowed lane crossing with no warning neither actual assist or beep into oncoming traffic. A vehicle abruptly stopped approximately 75 feet ahead of me the vehicle did not respond and I did have to slam my brakes. I was able to stop with only 3 feet between me and the stopped vehicle. Automatic collision avoidance neither attempted to stop nor gave any warning. Blind spot monitor allows lane change with turn signal on and a vehicle in blind spot again with no warning. I was on the freeway and the center lane when this happened, I was merging into right lane. Starlink 11.6" media center freezes and lags. Dealership service department claims everything is working fine. Service department claims nothing wrong even this was witnessed by a dealership employee and the dealer manager took my car to the service department after the employee explained these problems were seen with her in the vehicle.
The 2026 Subaru crosstrek was sitting in the garage since 07/17/2026. I went out on 07/19/2026 to go to church. I tried to start it and it clicked rapidly like the battery didn't have enough juice to actually start it.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
On XXX while driving my brand-new 2026 Subaru Crosstrek with approximately 63 miles on the odometer, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration. The AT Oil Temp warning flashed, followed by the Check Engine Light and multiple EyeSight and driver assistance warning lights. I immediately pulled off the road because I did not feel it was safe to continue driving. My [XXX] grandson was in the vehicle at the time. The vehicle was towed to the selling Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed transmission trouble codes P0700 and P0752 and determined that an internal valve body solenoid had failed. Because the solenoid is not serviceable separately, the entire valve body assembly was replaced under the manufacturer’s warranty. My concern is that a brand-new vehicle experienced a sudden loss of acceleration at only 63 miles, creating a potential safety hazard for my family and other motorists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
On XXX while driving my brand-new 2026 Subaru Crosstrek with approximately 63 miles on the odometer, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration. The AT Oil Temp warning flashed, followed by the Check Engine Light and multiple EyeSight and driver assistance warning lights. I immediately pulled off the road because I did not feel it was safe to continue driving. My [XXX] grandson was in the vehicle at the time. The vehicle was towed to the selling Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed transmission trouble codes P0700 and P0752 and determined that an internal valve body solenoid had failed. Because the solenoid is not serviceable separately, the entire valve body assembly was replaced under the manufacturer’s warranty. My concern is that a brand-new vehicle experienced a sudden loss of acceleration at only 63 miles, creating a potential safety hazard for my family and other motorists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
Not an 'incident' but seat belt does not adjust low enough for an average short woman (5'1") without draping across lower neck. I have adjusted the slide on side panel to lowest point but seat belt still cuts across neck (not collar bone area). This is standard for all similar cars and I feel a seatbelt across one's neck is a safety concern that needs to be addressed. Adjustments of seat and/or steering wheel make little to no difference on seatbelt across lower neck area. Raising seat makes it difficult to get into vehicle, as it also moves the seat forward when it is raised (and seat position is manual adjustment, not electric anyway - and doesn't make seatbelt much lower - still neck area)....
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The front door check strap / door detent mechanism (both front doors). The vehicle is in my possession and available for inspection upon request. VIN and service records available. The front doors do not hold reliably in their intermediate detent positions. The door swings closed unintentionally, with no input from the occupant, on a near-daily basis. On one occasion the driver’s door closed on my leg as I was exiting, narrowly avoiding injury. My household includes a [XXX] child and a [XXX] family member, both of whom regularly enter and exit this vehicle. A door that closes without warning presents a crush and pinch hazard to the extremities and head, and the risk is greatest for a small child or an older adult who cannot react quickly. The condition occurs on level ground and is not attributable to wind or grade. YES. Circle Subaru, [XXX]. XXX. The dealer examined the vehicle and did not dispute the door behavior. They stated the doors are designed this way, that no defect exists, and that no repair is available. Their recommendation was that I exercise additional caution when entering and exiting. No repair was performed. NO manufacturer-level inspection to date. I have directly compared this vehicle against a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek owned by a family member. The 2024 door check strap engages positively at each detent and holds the door in position; the 2026 does not. Combined with the dealer’s statement that this behavior is intended, this suggests a design change between model years rather than a fault specific to my vehicle. NO warning lamps or messages — this is a mechanical condition with no electronic indication. The symptom was present from delivery and became apparent within the first weeks of ownership. Frequency has not changed; it occurs nearly every day. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The AED, Braking, Cameras and lane centering systems failed and caused a crash into the highway barrier suddenly due to defects in the driver assist systems defect in the electronic safety systems causing the steering wheel to turn forcefully to the barrier striking it. This happened without any warning despite driver input to stop the sudden steering inputs and braking.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The AED, Braking, Cameras and lane centering systems failed and caused a crash into the highway barrier suddenly due to defects in the driver assist systems defect in the electronic safety systems causing the steering wheel to turn forcefully to the barrier striking it. This happened without any warning despite driver input to stop the sudden steering inputs and braking.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .