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What 25 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (25)Crash / fire / injury (3)Engine (11)Electrical system (5)Lights (3)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Brakes (2)Airbags (1)Body & structure (1)Fuel system (1)Seat belts (1)Seats (1)

3 of 25 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 26, 2019Electrical systemFire

CAR PARKED AND SOME ELECTRICAL WIRE? CAUSED CAR TO CATCH FIRE? THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE OF THE HATCHBACK/TRUNK AREA WAS BURNT/ MELTED THROUGH TO THE METAL AND THE WIRES AROUND THE BACK WINDOW ON INSIDE WERE HANGING DOWN AND HOT PLASTIC DRIPPED DOWN ONTO A BOX OF PAPERS THAT WERE IN THE HATCHBACK. THE PAPERS HAD BLACK BURNT SPOT ON THEM BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT ALL BURN. THERE WAS A DARK BLACK BROWN SPOT ON THE BACK WINDOW DRIVERS SIDE ON THE INSIDE AND THERE WAS SOOT ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE AND INSIDES OF THE WINDOWS. IT GOT SO HOT THAT THE TRUNK COULD NOT BE OPENED. NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED IT. I WAS PARKED IN MY WORK PARKING LOT. I GOT TO WORK AT 7 PM AND GOT OUT OF WORK AROUND 938 AM. THE WINDOWS WERE CLOSED THANKFULLY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. ALL THE DAMAGE WAS ON THE INSIDE. MY HUSBAND IS CAR OWNER.

NHTSA ODI 11235188

Jul 14, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureSeatsFire

2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK(70K MILES) PASSENGER DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF SMELLING SMOKE INSIDE DOOR PANEL WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WENT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY, TURNED ENGINE OFF, PUT OUT THE FLAMES, WAITED FOR THE SMOKE TO CLEAR AND THE PLASTIC TO COOL OFF. UPON RESTARTING VEHICLE SPARKS AND SMOKE VISIBLE SO TURNED VEHICLE OFF. CUT THE RED(+) WIRES, RESTARTED VEHICLE(NO SMOKE), DROVE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. OBVIOUSLY A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, NONE OF THE FUSES POPPED. HAD A PASSENGER BEEN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT I'M SURE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. PICKED UP THE VEHICLE YESTERDAY AND PAID 2K OVER INSURANCE ESTIMATE. NOW HAVING TO SQUEEZE THE INSURANCE FOR THE DIFFERENCE SINCE I DIDN'T TAKE IT TO THEIR SUGGESTED REPAIR SHOP AND SUBARU OF AMERICA WOULD NOT PAY FOR DAMAGE DUE TO POOR WORKMANSHIP/FAULTY PARTS. ANYONE ELSE HAVE PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS?

NHTSA ODI 11111350

Feb 23, 2018Speed controlCrash

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE AT WORK, GOING NO MORE THAN 5 MPH. VEHICLES LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT TREE. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN REVVED SUDDENLY. ALTHOUGH I HIT THE BRAKES, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP.

NHTSA ODI 11074526

Working with the data? Download all 25 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness verdict →