AutoUtility currently tracks 115 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. Visibility, Wipers & Glass issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 33 complaints (28.7% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 8 filings cite a crash, 2 cite a fire, 4 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
33 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
20 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
17 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
15 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
4 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"There have been multiple instances where my car has failed to “restart” if the auto-start-stop feature is on. I immediately turn that setting off every time I get into my car because if I pause for too long at a light/stop sign etc.the engine will stall and turn off (without being in park). I have..."
"We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time. They said that there was a related recall for a similar issue on other CrossTrek's but that ours was not included in the VIN list, so was not a part of the recall...."
"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."
"- 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..."
"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..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Subaru Crosstrek | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Subaru Crosstrek | 131 | 4 | 1 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Subaru Crosstrek | 97 | 6 | 1 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Subaru Crosstrek | 194 | 10 | 5 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Subaru Crosstrek | 284 | 6 | 8 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Subaru Crosstrek | 68 | 6 | 1 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Current Page | 115 | 8 | 2 | Current |
| 2022 Subaru Crosstrek | 30 | 3 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Subaru Crosstrek | 33 | 4 | 0 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Subaru Crosstrek | 111 | 8 | 2 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Subaru Crosstrek | 43 | 2 | 0 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Subaru Crosstrek | 0 | 0 | 2 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 41 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance NHTSA category: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I SUSPECT THE CAR SEAT IS COUNTERFEIT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek is Visibility, Wipers & Glass, appearing in 33 records (28.7% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (20) and Electrical System (17).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 115 consumer defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 8 filings cite a crash, 2 cite smoke or fire, and 4 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek (all closed).
Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.