2021 SUBARU CROSSTREK Complaints

Both front lower control arms have damaged bushing discovered at 48,840 miles by my mechanic. Took to local dealership on 8/16/25 and they claimed per TSB from Subaru for cracks that although it had cracks, it was not necessary to be replaced due to it not being cracked enough. Brought back to my mechanic on 9/26/25 and cracking is worse, odometer is at 56,763 miles now. This part is supposed to last around 100,000 miles. Premature cracking puts me at risk of losing control of my car should the parts fail.

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unidentified recall; however, the recall repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that upon further inspection, the vehicle occasionally experienced an abnormal battery energy consumption, although the battery was previously recharged. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the battery. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with head gasket failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.

P26A5 code came on after driving a little over 200 miles. It went off at one point but came back on and has not gone off.

We were rear ended on the interstate. Cars in front of us stopped and we also came to a complete stop and a few moments later we were hit. During the collision, none of the airbags were deployed. Both our front seats fully reclined backwards. None of our seatbelts locked. Only the two seats that no one was in locked. Also, my headrest completely broke off. Our car was later determined by the insurance to be totaled.

I just recently had my car come out of park while running at the top of a steep hill. I had stepped out of my car to deliver paperwork to my client. I walked to and from my car approximately 75-80 ft. As I was approaching my car I heard a clicking or a release sound then it began to roll. I wasn’t close enough to stop it and it rolled down a neighbor of my clients driveway and eventually rolled over landing against a tree. When I arrived at my car it was still running. I have awd and I noticed the tires in the air were not turning as they should have if it was in drive. My car was obviously totaled. How do I have someone check my car to see if there was defect that caused it to come out of park? I must say I forgot to set my handbrake. But I feel the car should not have come out of park regardless. Could it have been the front axle shaft or anything else?

Driver seat began rocking. The dealer indicated it’s a problem they saw with other cars as well. The attachment to the rail you move your seat forward and backwards with, brakes. The dealer wants to sell you new brackets to make your car safe again.

I was experiencing a weird binding or lurching in my drive train which made my Subaru feel unstable. I am a mechanic so I investigated these symptoms online and found that a large number of Subaru owners with manual transmissions were experiencing the same issue......a failing viscous coupler was the issue. There were no warning lights or indications prior to failure A failing viscous coupler will not properly engage the front wheels when needed, causing reduced traction in slippery situations, increasing the risk of sliding or spinning out. Uneven power distribution: When a viscous coupler fails, it can lead to uneven power distribution between the front and rear wheels, potentially causing the vehicle to pull or jerk, especially during turns. Sudden engagement: In some cases, a failing viscous coupler might engage too aggressively, causing a sudden jolt or shudder, potentially leading to loss of control. I purchased and replaced this component at my own expense not knowing the magnitude of the issue. This is a definite safety issue that could lead to serious injury or even death. I have the old part in my possession, it failed around 85,000 miles. One of the mechanics in the Subaru forum said he had submitted a report to NHTSA but I didn't see anything on your sight. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The USB A outlets under the head unit that allow connection to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Yes it is available for inspection upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The connection when hooked up to a phone is intermittent. This results in driver distraction whenever it disconnects due to trying to get it to reconnect. Especially when using gps apps this means the driver may be "lost" until it can be reconnected, which means they will try to get it reconnected while driving which is dangerous. Sometimes it goes in and out every 60-90 seconds. Sometimes it won't connect at all until the vehicle is power cycled or the head unit is reset but neither of these guarantees a stable connection. The issue is not fixed by replacing the USB cable or the phone with a brand new phone. The cables and phone do not have this issue with any other USB port that they have been used on (in other vehicles). Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Not on my vehicle but there are hundreds of reports online for years with multiple Subaru models where it has been. I could get it reproduced easily, just haven't had the time. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No This happens every day, at any speed, and has been happening since I got the vehicle at 20000 miles and there are 35000 miles on it now (approximately).

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off unintendedly and failed to restart. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.