2023 Subaru Crosstrek problems, complaints & recalls

Updated from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, most often about visibility & wipers. There are 0 recalls for this model year.

Complaints
34
Recalls
0
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
4
Median mileage
16,500 mi
at time of problem

Key facts

  • Visibility & Wipers is the most-reported problem area, named in 7 of 34 complaints (21%).
  • Electrical System (6) and driver assistance & safety tech (5) follow.
  • Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 16,500 mi.
  • Owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries.
  • It ranks 8th of 12 Subaru Crosstrek model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
  • That is 10% more complaints than the 2022 model year (31).

2023 Subaru Crosstrek problems by category

  • Other / Unknown
    11 complaints
  • Visibility & Wipers
    7 complaints
  • Electrical System · 2 crashes
    6 complaints
  • Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 1 crash
    5 complaints
  • Engine · 1 crash
    5 complaints
  • Brakes · 1 crash
    4 complaints
  • Airbags · 2 crashes
    2 complaints
  • Seats & Seat Belts · 1 crash
    2 complaints
  • Acceleration & Cruise Control · 1 crash
    1 complaints
  • Suspension
    1 complaints
  • Body & Structure
    1 complaints
  • Wheels & Tires
    1 complaints

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)Complaints
Unknown or other11
Electrical system6
Visibility/wiper6
Engine5
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking4
Service brakes4
Forward collision avoidance: warnings2
Air bags2

When problems happen (mileage)

1Under 10k110k–30k30k–60k60k–100k100k–150k150k+
Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2023 Subaru Crosstrek complaints that list mileage.

2023 Subaru Crosstrek recalls (0)

No recalls on file.

Recent 2023 Subaru Crosstrek complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

  1. Filed Sep 1, 2026ILBrakes
    Often the brakes are squishy. They require me to push almost all the way down on the brake pedal to engage. This has happened several times of the last year.
    NHTSA complaint #11761205 · source
  2. Filed Aug 23, 2026FLElectrical System
    The battery and electrical system died while I was at a red light in traffic on my way to work. I was stuck on a major road with trucks and traffic behind me while I was stuck in the middle lane. I had to wait for help to be pushed out of traffic to the sidewalk and wait for a jump. The Subaru dealership confirmed this was an issue with their battery and auto stop/start system and charged me $600 to replace the battery. When it died, every light on my dashboard lit up but…
    NHTSA complaint #11758851 · source
  3. Filed May 14, 2026NCCrash1 injuredTowedDriver Assistance & Safety TechElectrical System
    Purchased vehicle 8/27/2025 within 1 day and 1 month of 2 separate class action lawsuits. Purchased from CarMax Wilmington. Car produced electrical shock to my hand first time I attempted to pair the vehicle. Parkway stated at that time I was under an additional warranty but the vehicle would require constant “updates”. This was an intentional deception to prevent me from pursuing what is required under the law, which is the replacement of head unit and subsequent by back of…
    NHTSA complaint #11737874 · source
  4. Filed May 7, 2026GAElectrical SystemOther / Unknown
    Replaced battery 3 times. Believe this car has the parasitic battery issue. Attached on of the bills. Looking for the other 2.
    NHTSA complaint #11736353 · source
  5. Filed May 4, 2026TXBrakes
    the rear brakes keep engaging while the car is driving. we purchased the car in November 2022. this happened in December 2024 & at the time a dealership in [XXX] area (where my son attended college), said it was an issue and replaced parts in the brake system. yesterday while we were driving back from [XXX] to Houston - the brakes started to make loud squeaking noise as if they were engaged and the brake light keep going on and off. fortunately, this happened very near to…
    NHTSA complaint #11735448 · source
  6. Filed Jan 31, 2026NDDriver Assistance & Safety Tech
    I was driving today January 30th 2026 on the road going 35 mph into the sunlight and all of the sudden my vehicle acted like I slammed on my brakes and I jerked forward almost hitting my chin in the steering wheel. Luckily no one was close behind me or I could have easily been hit. There was nothing in front of me so emergency brakes should not have deployed.
    NHTSA complaint #11714624 · source
  7. Filed Dec 11, 2025CASuspension
    I've never taken my 23 crosstrek off the pavement I'm driving down hyw and my rear struts break my crosstrek has 38 thousand miles on it and it's only 3 and 1/2 years old I've owned many cars were if drove hundreds of thousands mile and none of them broke there struts going down the hyw
    NHTSA complaint #11704596 · source
  8. Filed Nov 6, 202529,000 miNJVisibility & Wipers
    The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side windshield cracked unexpectedly. The windshield had developed a crack without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
    NHTSA complaint #11697914 · source

Compare the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek with another vehicle →

Other 2023 Subaru models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology