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U.S. public vehicle records

2016 Subaru CROSSTREK problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

131 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

38,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 78 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 36 of 131 complaints (27.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting2015.3%
Electrical and battery issues1612.2%
Steering behavior1511.5%
Braking behavior139.9%
Engine operation75.3%
Fuel system concerns32.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System
36
Unknown Or Other
34
Power Train
18
Engine
13
Steering
13
Fuel/Propulsion System
8
Vehicle Speed Control
6
Service Brakes
5
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System36
Unknown Or Other34
Power Train18
Engine13
Steering13
Fuel/Propulsion System8
Vehicle Speed Control6
Service Brakes5

Electrical System: 36; Unknown Or Other: 34; Power Train: 18; Engine: 13; Steering: 13; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Service Brakes: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
22
25,000 to 49,999
31
50,000 to 74,999
14
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
4
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00022
25,000 to 49,99931
50,000 to 74,99914
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9994
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 31; 50,000 to 74,999: 14; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 2

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 53 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2016
7
2017
4
2018
13
2019
32
2020
25
2021
16
2022
7
2023
12
2024
10
2025
5
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20167
20174
201813
201932
202025
202116
20227
202312
202410
20255

2016: 7; 2017: 4; 2018: 13; 2019: 32; 2020: 25; 2021: 16; 2022: 7; 2023: 12; 2024: 10; 2025: 5

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10861492 · 2016-04-26 (April 26, 2016)

THE LAG TIME ON THE CVT GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IS BEYOND ANNOYING IT IS DANGEROUS. IT TAKES 1-2 SECONDS FOR THE CAR TO MOVE AND BECAUSE OF THIS LAPSE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE CAR WILL LURCH. FOR EXAMPLE, IF BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND TRAFFIC WARRANTS THAT YOU PULL BACK INTO THE SPACE IT CAN LEAD TO A POTENTIAL OUT OF CONTROL SITUATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 384 miles reported. Look up ODI 10861492 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11139699 · 2018-10-11 (October 11, 2018)

KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION. INTERMITTENTLY, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO THE OFF POSITION TO ALLOW REMOVAL. TURNING THE KEY TO THE "ON" POSITION THEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR AND BACK INTO PARK SOMETIMES ALLOWS THE KEY TO THEN TURN OFF AND BE REMOVED. THE CAR IS STATIONARY AND IN PARK. THE CAR DOESN'T SEEM TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS IN PARK.

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11139699 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10967063 · 2017-03-19 (March 19, 2017)

TWICE NOW AFTER LETTING MY CAR SIT PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 3 TO 5 DAYS MY BATTERY HAS DRAINED TO THE POINT THAT MY CAR WILL NOT START AND I WOULD NEED TO JUMP START MY CAR EACH TIME. BOTH TIMES I JUMP STARTED MY CAR I WOULD VERIFY THAT I DIDN'T MAKE AN HONEST MISTAKE OF LEAVING ANYTHING ON LIKE A DOME LIGHT ETC. AND I HAVE NOT LEFT ANYTHING ON. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT I HAVE THE LIMITED VERSION WITH KEYLESS ENTRY/START THE WHOLE EYESIGHT SYSTEM WITH AN ADDED OEM REMOTE START SYSTEM INSTALLED WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10967063 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11054283 · 2017-12-12 (December 12, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11054283 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11101029 · 2018-06-11 (June 11, 2018)

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT 70 MPH ON A FREEWAY IT SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT. QUICK ACTION ON MY PART KEPT THE CAR FROM RUNNING OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER SHOWED AN INDICATION OF A STEERING ANGLE SENSOR FAULT. THEY KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND ROAD TESTED IT BUT BECAUSE THEY COULD TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEY MADE NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. AT A MINIMUM, I FEEL THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE STEERI…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11101029 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11210248 · 2019-05-28 (May 28, 2019)

CAR HAS 67,000 MILES, IS THREE YEARS OLD, THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT AXLES HAD TO BOTH BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A LOUD CLICKING WHEN STEERING THE VEHICLE. ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. ANY TURNS WHETHER WITH SPEED OR SLOW THE AXLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT NOR HITTING POTHOLES ETC. JUST MAKING BASIC TURNS ONTO ROADS AND HIGHWAYS.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11210248 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10894419 · 2016-08-09 (August 9, 2016)

WAS STANDING IN THE LINE OF OTHER CARS ON THE STOP SIGN FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, BRAKE PEDAL LOST IT'S HEIGHT AND DEPRESSED BY ITSELF, CAUSING MY FOOT TO SLIP FROM BRAKE TO DRIVE PEDAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED A DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND A CAR IN FRONT OF MINE. I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS AT THE TIME.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10894419 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11145193 · 2018-11-04 (November 4, 2018)

WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND FOOT REMOVED FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE TRANSMISSION SURGED VIOLENTLY. HAD TO APPLY BRAKES AS CAR WAS TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD INTO A HIGHWAY. MANAGED TO SHIFT IN PARK AND SURGE EVENTUALLY STOPPED.FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER,THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG. IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE TO PARK. THIS TIME I HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. FLAWED DESIGN, FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS CAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 34,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11145193 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11043004 · 2017-11-03 (November 3, 2017)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 110 MILES. I SLOWED DOWN TO PAY A TOLL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED DURING INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME WAS AROUND 17,000 MILES AND THIS TIME 38,000 MILES. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 HOURS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER.

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11043004 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11162235 · 2018-12-18 (December 18, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. COLONIAL SUBARU (761 E CHESTER ST, KINGSTON, NY 12401, [phone removed]) ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GO TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE OIL ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SENT A LETTER TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THE DEALER CHANGED THE OIL AND A 1,000 MILE TEST WAS TO BE PERFORMED TO CHECK THE STATUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, IT FAILED TO START WHILE IT WAS RA…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162235 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11386362 · 2021-01-04 (January 4, 2021)

VEHICLE TURNED OFF/STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON 2 OCCASIONS, 2 MONTHS APART. NEEDED TO BE TOWED. SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. BOTH TIMES, DEALER STATED NO ISSUES WERE FOUND. FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT MAY BE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WHICH WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. SECOND TIME THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP OVERHEATING BUT SAID PUMP LOOKED FINE. I DO NOT TRUST THE CAR AND WILL NOT DRIVE IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386362 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11420810 · 2021-06-14 (June 14, 2021)

While driving on the highway with a quarter tank of gas, without warning, my vehicle's engine turned off. As I was in the left lane at the time, I was forced to pull over onto the small shoulder. There were two other occupants in the car and the nearest roadside assistance was an hour away. There were no warning lights or messages prior, and my gas gauge said I had 80 miles until empty. This is the third time this has occurred. I believe this is related to a faulty fuel pump, because my gas tank was not empty. It has not been inspected by the m…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11420810 at NHTSA ↗