NHTSA has received 116 owner complaints about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, or 20.0 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.50, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #41 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Subaru models its rate is 45% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 12% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-12-08 and 2026-09-05. Median delay from incident to filing: 4 days.
116Complaints
20.0Complaints per year on the road
0.5Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls
8.6%Share involving a crash or fire
22Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 10.2 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 6.5 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 52 complaints, 15% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (30.2% of complaints), followed by Engine (14.7%) and Electrical (12.1%). Body & structure complaints are 3.3 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 10 reports (8.6%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 6 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 27 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the first year (26% of incidents). In the last 12 months 22 new complaints were filed, versus 9 in the 12 months before — up 144%.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.5
vs. other Subaru models0.55
vs. other 2021 models0.52
vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.88
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (52)0.85
Traveling at speed of 30MPH. A tocoma truck in front of me suddenly stopped in road lane. Driver said that his vehicle made an auto assist stop were the brakes lock. My 2021 Crosstrek eyesight/braking system failed.
Driver-assist systems · 2025-11-06 · ODI 11697827 · Crash
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.
Drivers side door, interior automatic door lock switch spins and makes a clicking sound when you just start go forward.
Unspecified or other · 2026-09-05 · ODI 11762313
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…
Electrical · 2026-08-24 · ODI 11758970
We brought the vehicle in for routine maintenance. They reported that all brake hoses were bulging and at risk of failing at any time.
Brakes · 2026-08-21 · ODI 11758570
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH Campaign 23V755000 · 2023-11-09
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Crosstrek Hybrid vehicles. The harness terminal that supplies low-voltage power from the converter to the 12-Volt battery may corrode and break, preventing the 12-Volt battery from charging.
Risk: A 12-Volt battery that is unable to recharge can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the converter terminal mounting bracket. If corrosion is found on the terminals, the 12-Volt output harness and terminals will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 12, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-23.
DP22005 · defect petition · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
