2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Hybrid Owner Complaints

ON INTERSTATE I-80 (SPEED LIMIT 75 MPH), I WAS DRIVING THE CAR USING CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CAR SUDDENLY POWERED OFF, WITH MANY DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON (THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT, AND HILL START ASSIST LIGHT). I BARELY MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT WOULDN'T START (THOUGH THE STARTER ITSELF WAS WORKING). FINALLY, THE CAR WAS TOWED. I WAS REALLY LUCKY THAT THE CARS BEHIND ME MANAGED TO AVOID ME. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. IN FEBRUARY 2019, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH THREE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT, HILL START ASSIST LIGHT). THIS WAS ENTIRELY THE SAME BEHAVIOR AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IN THIS CASE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT THE HYBRID ASPECT OF THE CAR DIDN'T WORK (THE BATTERY WAS NOT CHARGED, AND I COULD NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL), BUT I WAS ABLE TO USE THE CAR. IN JANUARY 2019, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AND REPLACED BOTH BATTERIES (THE START BATTERY AND HYBRID BATTERY).

NHTSA ID

11219641

Incident

Jun 5, 2019

Mileage

40 mi

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 45 DAYS CAR HAS BEEN FOR SERVICE. CAR HAS BEEN SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HYBRID BATTERY. CAR IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, OR DE ACCELERATES. THE CAR HAS A LOSS OF POWER. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE (GIVE IT GAS), THE OPPOSITE OCCURS, IT LOSES POWER TO THE POINT OF SHUTTING DOWN. MY CAR IS GOING TO KILL ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. WHILE ENTERING I-95 IN WPB FL ON 1/18/19 AT I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND HAD TO COAST TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. AFTER WAITING 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. 10 MILES OR SO LATER THE CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE IN THE MIDDLE LANE DUE TO NO POWER.

NHTSA ID

11171522

Incident

Jan 18, 2019

Mileage

47,875 mi

THE ISSUE: RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY AND ICES UP SO BADLY THAT IT AFFECTS THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER AND VISIBILITY TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND MANUALLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND WIPERS BY HAND AND WITH A SCRAPPER, HENCE A SAFETY ISSUE. STEPS TAKEN PER SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT. 1.) REPLACE WIPERS, NOT RESOLVED. 2.) REPLACED WIPER ARMS, NOT RESOLVED. 3.) SUBARU SAID IT MAY BE THE WINDSHIELD IS OUT OF SHAPE, FLAT SPOT. I ASKED IF THAT'S WARRANTY SINCE IT CAME ON THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, NO, I HAD TO PAY FOR IT; NOT RESOLVED. 4.) REPLACED WIPERS 3 MORE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT BRANDS; ISSUE NOT RESOLVED. 5.) CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH A COPY OF ALL WARRANTY AND SERVICE WORK TO DATE. AFTER A MONTH THEY REFERRED MY BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE WIPERS REPLACED. IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE WIPERS. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD FROM FREEZING TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING SAFE TO DRIVE IN MILD SNOW WEATHER IS TO RUN THE DEFROST AT 100% FAN SPEED AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATE CONTINUALLY AND TO TURN ON THE WIPER HEAT ELEMENT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE ICE UP SO EASILY. THIS HAPPENS ON AT ANY SPEED. THE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR OR MAKE CONTACT ENOUGH TO CLEAR WATER AND LEAVES A THIN LAYER THAT INSTANTLY FREEZES THUS PROMOTING THE FREEZING FEEDBACK LOOP. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HARD FOR SUBARU TO REPLICATE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE COLD AND SNOWING AND I HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF COLD AND SNOWY WEATHER. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MULTIPLE SUBARU EMPLOYEES THAT "IT MAY BE A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO". I FIND THAT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT SINCE THE CROSSTREK IS MARKETED TO OUTDOORS LIFESTYLES. I HAVE HAD 6 OTHER VEHICLES IN MY LIFETIME, NON HAVE HAD THIS FREEZING ISSUE. I WILL NOT TAKE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WHEN IT SNOWS BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S UNSAFE. KINDLY CT OWNER

NHTSA ID

10935485

Incident

Feb 11, 2015

Mileage

800 mi

THIS HAPPENED ON 2/26/2014: I WAS DRIVING MY HYBRID CROSSTREK THIS MORNING ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND HAD GLASS ALL OVER ME. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY. THANKFULLY MY GRANDSON OR ANOTHER PASSENGER WERE NOT WITH ME AS THEY WOULD HAVE HAD GLASS ALL OVER THEM TOO.

NHTSA ID

10884852

Incident

Feb 16, 2014

Mileage

1,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. I WAS DRIVING AT 65MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD AN EXPLOSION WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR THE SUNROOF WAS BROKEN AS IF SOMEONE HAD PUNCH IT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. GLASSES WHEN EVERYWHERE CAUSING MINOR SCRATCHES IN MYSELF AND PASSANGER. IT WAS 87 F OUTSIDE AND 68F INSIDE THE CAR. NOW DEALER TELLS ME THIS IS COMMON.

NHTSA ID

10725206

Incident

Jun 13, 2015

Mileage

9,000 mi

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 70MPH. HEARD A LOUD POP (SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT). MOONROOF GLASS HAD EXPLODED OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE GLASS. EDGE OF GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT LIKE IT HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE INSIDE. SUNSHADE WAS OPEN. NO TRAFFIC AND NOTHING HIT THE ROOF BEFORE THE GLASS EXPLODED. TEMP INSIDE THE CAR WAS AROUND 65 DEGREES. TEMP OUTSIDE WAS IN THE MID TO HIGH 40'S. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702055

Incident

Mar 22, 2015

Mileage

920 mi

STRUT MOUNT BOLT SHEARED OFF WHEN USING A TORQUE WRENCH AT THE CORRECT SETTING. WEAK BOLT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638461

Incident

Sep 22, 2014

Mileage

1,000 mi

PAINT IS PEELING FROM NEW CAR BUMPER. SUBARU REFUSES TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638459

Incident

Sep 4, 2014

Mileage

100 mi

WHILE WASHING MY CAR, MY FINGER SLIPPED INTO A HOLE SURROUNDED BY METAL AND SLICED MY FINGER. THE HOLES SHOULD EITHER BE CAPPED OR FILED DOWN SINCE THIS IS AN AREA RIGHT NEAR THE REAR HATCH RELEASE AND LICENSE PLATE BULB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638458

Incident

Sep 20, 2014

Mileage

800 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE MY GARAGE, POWER WAS OFF AND VEHICLE WAS UNMANNED. THE VEHICLE SOME HOW ROLLED OUT OF MY GARAGE DOWN MY SLOPED DRIVEWAY AND HIT A PARKED TRUCK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET. DAMAGES OF ABOUT $12,000 TO BOTH VEHICLES, THIS SUBARU WAS ONLY 30 DAYS OLD! STILL IS BAFFLING HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT WARNING. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO KIDS WERE PLAYING IN MY DRIVEWAY. *JS

NHTSA ID

10592501

Incident

May 14, 2014

Mileage

550 mi