2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Electrical Problems

Pressing the horn button on the steering wheel does not sound the horn. However, pushing the “lock” or “panic” button on the key fob still makes the horn beep. So the horn itself works, but pressing on the steering wheel does absolutely nothing. Other buttons on the steering column still work (cruise control, radio controls, etc). Only pressing the horn button doesn’t work thus making me unable to alert other drivers of my presence if they are drifting toward me. This has not been evaluated by a mechanic or dealer yet as I do not have the money to do so. However, a simple search on Reddit will show you that many others are experiencing this with their Subaru Crosstreks. There were no symptoms or issues that led to this. It simply stopped working one day. And I am not someone who hits their horn very often so this is not an overuse issue. Once the horn button stopped working on the steering wheel, it has not worked since. I have not had the ability to alert drivers with my horn for over a month.

NHTSA ID

11653762

Incident

Mar 5, 2025

During a near collision, attempted to warn other driver of the situation, but the Crosstrek horn did not work. This appears to be a common problem with these vehicles, that the horn does not work reliably in all normal steering wheel positions. Given the horn is an essential piece of safety equipment, this is a significant problem.

NHTSA ID

11565651

Incident

Jan 15, 2024

Several components' issues and scheduled to take back to Subaru dealer on 12/16/2022. Several times after parking car and getting back in, when shifting to 1st gear to take off, the car goes in reverse instead of forward. Rear backup camera sporadically works. Tire pressure light came on and won't turn off. Front end shakes when braking dealer said it was new brakes, but still happening. Front passenger seat belt locked and will not release, no one can sit in front seat. After purchasing the car, and having so many issues, checked the fluid and there was not a drop of oil on the dipstick. Nothing but problems with car from the date of purchase.

NHTSA ID

11497332

Incident

Aug 30, 2022

My vehicle had the recall for Brake Lamp Light Switch in Feb 2019. I went to the Carr Subaru dealership in Portland Oregon to get my recall fixed. They assured me that the work was done and the Brake Lamp Light Switch was replaced. Fast forward to last week when my car suddenly stopped working. The engine would not start and even while driving the brake lights were not showing. I almost had a collision because the car behind me did not see my brake lights when I was braking!! I now live in Memphis TN and we took the car to the Subaru dealership in town on Hacks Cross Road. They told us that even though my car records show that my Brake Lamp Light Switch was fixed in 2019 it was never actually changed. I was appalled to hear this, shocked that I could have been seriously hurt due to this negligence.

NHTSA ID

11433369

Incident

Sep 14, 2021

After parking car, it takes several attempts of putting the transmission in park to get the key out of the ignition. Going back and forth between reverse and park. This happens at least 70% of the time. Not a safety problem, but can’t secure the vehicle if I can’t get the key out. Haven’t had the dealer look at it because the car is no longer under warranty, and this seems to be a common problem with Subarus. No warning or symptoms that it’s going to happen.

NHTSA ID

11426355

Incident

Jul 25, 2021

WHEN I GO TO PARK AND TURN OFF THE KEY IT LOCKS HALF WAY AND WON'T COME OUT. HAVE TO REVERSE AND PULL FORWARD SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF. SUBARU HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE DATE: 03/15/18 16-112-18R REVISED BULLETIN ABOUT AN ISSUE WITH THE "SHIFT SELECTER MECHANISM." SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE PERSISTENT PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11362891

Incident

Oct 3, 2020

Mileage

88,598 mi

KEY KEPT GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED (AND THE SHIFTER IN THE PARK POSITION). THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM SUBARU FOR FIVE OF THEIR MODELS. APPARENTLY THE CAUSE IS CONTAMINATION OF THE PARK-RANGE SWITCH INTERNAL COMPONENTS. THEY DID THE REPAIR WORK AND IT WORKS FINE NOW. I SENSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11362038

Incident

Sep 14, 2020

Mileage

20,000 mi

REVERSE LIGHTS AND REAR VIEW CAMERA WILL NOT TURN OFF. THEY STAY ON IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL, PARK AND THE MANUAL MODE. I'VE BEEN TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THEY CANNOT RESOLVE WITHOUT MAJOR LABOR HOURS TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CARS BEHIND ME WILL BELIEVE I AM REVERSING INTO THEM SINCE THE LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON (THEY MAY DECIDE TO TAKE UNNECESSARY EVASIVE ACTION). THIS IS ALSO BLINDS DRIVERS WHO ARE BEHIND ME AS THE BRIGHT REVERSE LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS IS NOT SAFE. THIS HAPPENS IN MOTION, IN PARK, ETC. I'VE DONE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THIS CAR AND THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN JUMP STARTED. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO UPLOAD VIDEOS OF THIS INCIDENT OCCURRING AS I HAVE MANY. WITH THE REVERSE CAMERA STAYING ON THE CAR'S INFOTAINMENT CENTER IS RENDERED USELESS. THIS IS ALSO EXTREMELY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING AS YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH A CONSTANT VIDEO FEED OF WHAT'S BEHIND YOU.

NHTSA ID

11287655

Incident

Dec 2, 2019

Mileage

63,802 mi

VARIOUS WARNING SYMBOLS ON THE DASH WILL ILLUMINATE FOR NO REASON WHEN THE CAR IS OPERATING AND IS IN MOTION ON EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY STREET. DIFFERENT SYMBOLS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. INCLUDED ARE LOW TIRE PRESSURE, DYNAMIC CONTROL, HILL START ASSIST, ABS. THESE WARNING LIGHTS WILL JUST COME ON EITHER BY THEMSELVES OR SEVERAL AT A TIME. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL ALSO BECOME NON-RESPONSIVE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR WILL ACTUALLY START TO DECELERATE. PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAS BROUGHT RESPONSIVENESS BACK. BRAKE LIGHTS WILL ALSO COME ON ON THEIR OWN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, ENGINE OFF, NOT OPERATING AND WILL COMPLETELY DRAIN THE BATTERY. CANNOT EVEN UNLOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEY FOB. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST MONTH.

NHTSA ID

11267588

Incident

Oct 9, 2019

Mileage

31,000 mi

WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, WITH HAND BRAKE APPLIED AND SHIFTER IN PARK POSITION THE KEY DOES NOT ALWAYS RELEASE. HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND MORE SO WITH THE WHEELS TURNED. UNABLE TO PARK UP HEEL OR PULL THE KEY OUT.

NHTSA ID

11258603

Incident

Sep 18, 2019

Mileage

31,000 mi

2015 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK LIMITED WITH AUTO CLIMATE CONTROLS AFTER SITTING FOR 3 DAYS I STARTED VEHICLE AND HAD NO HVAC CONTROL, VEHICLES HAS 80,000 MILES. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AFTER DRIVING 80 MILES HOPING THE COMPUTER GLITCHED AND WOULD RESET THE CONTROLS, STILL NO CONTROL OF HVAC SYSTEM

NHTSA ID

11174355

Incident

Feb 4, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE KEY GET REMAIN STUCK IN THE IGNITION AFTER DRIVING. FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT ABOUT OF TIME. BASED FEEDBACK FROM THE DEALER THIS IS BEING REPORTED IN MANY SUBARU VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM IS SUGGESTED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND NOTHING SPECIFIC WITH THE KEY.

NHTSA ID

11098112

Incident

May 26, 2018

Mileage

56,000 mi

EVER SINCE THE FIRST BATTERY DIED AFTER A COLD WINTER, THE CAR HAS BEEN DRAINING THE BATTERY ON IT'S OWN MANNER. CURRENTLY, ONCE AWHILE, I WILL NOTICE IT DRAINS MUCH MORE OVERNIGHT THAN NORMAL, AND IF LEFT UNUSED 3-5 DAYS, THE CAR BATTERY WILL BE COMPLETELY DRAINED. COMMUNICATED WITH THE DEALER AND SUBARU, BUT CONSIDER THE CAR HAS NO ISSUE AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS MY FAULT THAT I MUST BE NOT DRIVING ENOUGH. THE FIRST BATTERY LASTED FROM 9/2015 TO 2/2017, BEEN DRIVING UNDER SAME METHOD, BEHAVIOR, AND CONDITION BEFORE THE DEATH OF FIRST BATTERY AND AFTER. HOWEVER, EVEN SINCE THE CHANGE OF THE BATTERY, THE ISSUE EXIST AND NEVER FIXED BY DEALER. A GOOD NOTE IS THAT A TOWING COMPANY PERSON HAD A SAME CAR WITH SAME ISSUE, IT WAS FIXED BY REPLACING THE BATTERY CONTROL BOARD OR SUCH. HOWEVER, SUBARU AND DEALER DIDN'T THINK THAT MAY BE THE POSSIBLE CAUSE. IN THIS MANNER OF THE CAR, I CAN NOT TRUST THE CAR TO KEEP DRIVING SAFELY, OR MAYBE IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON AFTER A TRIP INTO MOUNTAIN ROAD AND STOPPED FOR A BREAK TIME. BATTERY IS THE KEY PART TO KEEP THE ENGINE FIRING AND RUNNING. IF IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING, THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE DEATH. THE CAR HAD DIED IN VARIES LOCATION. SUCH AS HOME DRIVEWAY, HOME GARAGE, AIRPORT PARKING LOT, AND PUBLIC LOCATIONS. YESTERDAY, THE CAR JUST DIED AGAIN INSIDE THE HOUSE GARAGE. IF NEEDED, I CAN BE REACH ANY TIME WITH MY PHONE. I JUST WANT MY CAR ISSUE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, AND SUBARU TO SEE THE ISSUE BEFORE ANYONE GET KILLED.

NHTSA ID

11058432

Incident

Feb 10, 2017

AT 37,801 MILES, THE BRAKE SWITCH COMPONENT FAILED ON MY 2015 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK. THE HILL ASSIST, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT IT OFF, IT REFUSED TO COME OUT OF PARK, LEAVING THE VEHICLE STRANDED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS PART, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID

11025480

Incident

Sep 22, 2017

Mileage

37,801 mi

BATTERY FAILURE AT 4000 MILES

NHTSA ID

10818413

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

Mileage

4,500 mi