What 106 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

THE HORN HAS STOPPED WORKING ON THE VEHICLE. DOES NOT MATTER WHAT POSITION THE STEERING WHEEL IS IN OR IF I AM DRIVING OR STATIONARY. I AM AT 72,000 MILES. I HAD THE ISSUE CHECKED BY A MECHANIC - FUSES WERE CHANGED AND CHECKED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH WHICH REVEALED OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I SAW A RECALL IN AUSTRALIA WHICH: VIBRATION OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD COULD RESULT IN A METAL PLATE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WEARING AWAY THE WIRING INSULATION. THE SHORT CIRCUIT COULD DISABLE CONTROL OF THE WIPERS, HEADLIGHTS, HORN, DRIVER'S AIRBAG AND FEATURES ACTUATED THROUGH THE MULTI-FUNCTION STEERING WHEEL, SUCH AS CRUISE CONTROL, AUDIO SYSTEM AND MOBILE PHONE CONNECTIVITY. THE ISSUE COULD ALSO SHORT OUT THE FUSE FOR THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM'S ECU SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11245986

SUBARU XV CROSSTREK AXLE FAILURE I BOUGHT MY 2014 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK IN JAN 2014. AT 50K HEARD A CLICKING SOUND IN THE FRONTEND. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED A BROKEN DRIVER SIDE AXLE. IN JULY 2019 (AT APPROXIMATELY 80K ON THE ODOMETER) I HEARD A SIMILAR CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN TURNING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THIS TIME IT WAS MY RIGHT AXLE THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER CROSSTREK OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR AXLE FAILURES AND REPLACEMENTS. SOUNDS LIKE THE AXLES ARE DEFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11234139

2014 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 19V-149. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11231295

THE HORN ONLY WORKS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. IF YOU ARE DRIVING STRAIGHT, THE HORN DOES NOT WORK. A WORKING HORN IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT PEOPLE CRASHING INTO YOU. IF YOU TURN RIGHT ON A STRAIGHT ROAD TO SOUND THE HORN, IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD OR INTO ANOTHER LANE TO SOUND A HORN. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. LOOKING ONLINE, IT LOOKS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11230240

THIS LETTER IS TO DOCUMENT AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 6/27/19 AT APPROX. 2 PM EST IN DANBURY, CT ON I84. I WAS PROCEEDING WEST ON I84 IN MY 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK WHEN THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) ASSEMBLY, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF WHEEL ROTATION (WHEELS LOCKING UP) WHICH LASTED FOR ALMOST 2 SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND, WHILE ALMOST STRUCK BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER THAT WAS FOLLOWING ME IN THE CENTER LANE, WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COLONIAL SUBARU IN DANBURY, CT WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A COMPLETE INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, THE SUBJECT OF A WARRANTY EXTENSION BY SUBARU OF AMERICA (HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/Y9BOZWGD) AND THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. MY CONCERN IS THAT GIVEN THE SEVERE CONSEQUENCE WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, THIS SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A FACTORY RECALL, TO PREVENT A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF WHEEL ROTATION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THIS IS WHAT OCCURRED IN MY EXPERIENCE. IF I WERE A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER IT A HIGH PROBABLE THAT A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. TRAVELING DOWN A MAJOR, CROWDED INTERSTATE WITH A CAR THAT SUFFERED A SEVERE ENGINEERING FAILURE COULD HAVE LED TO ROADWAY FATALITIES. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO SUBARU OF AMERICA'S HANDLING OF THIS MATTER AND CONSIDER MANDATING THAT SOA REPLACE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED WAS 114,000 WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 100,000 MILES IS INSUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SINCE THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR BEYOND THE 100,000 THRESHOLD. I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCE OF A CVT FAILURE WARRANTS A RECALL NOTICE.

NHTSA ODI 11229075

ON SNOW COVERED, ICE COVERED OR VARIABLE SNOW, ICE, WET PAVEMENT SURFACES THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS SIGNIFICANT REAR END SWAY. IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR IS STARTING TO OVERSTEER WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT. THIS IS GENERALLY GOING STRAIGHT WITH STEADY OR NO THROTTLE INPUT ABOVE 30 MPH ON HIGHWAY/FREEWAY ROADS.

NHTSA ODI 11221449

THE HOOD OPENED ON MY 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK WHILE DRIVING CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. CURIOUS ABOUT OTHER REPORTS AND WHO TO CONTACT AT SUBARU?

NHTSA ODI 11219814

ON INTERSTATE I-80 (SPEED LIMIT 75 MPH), I WAS DRIVING THE CAR USING CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CAR SUDDENLY POWERED OFF, WITH MANY DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON (THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT, AND HILL START ASSIST LIGHT). I BARELY MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT WOULDN'T START (THOUGH THE STARTER ITSELF WAS WORKING). FINALLY, THE CAR WAS TOWED. I WAS REALLY LUCKY THAT THE CARS BEHIND ME MANAGED TO AVOID ME. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. IN FEBRUARY 2019, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH THREE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT, HILL START ASSIST LIGHT). THIS WAS ENTIRELY THE SAME BEHAVIOR AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IN THIS CASE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT THE HYBRID ASPECT OF THE CAR DIDN'T WORK (THE BATTERY WAS NOT CHARGED, AND I COULD NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL), BUT I WAS ABLE TO USE THE CAR. IN JANUARY 2019, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AND REPLACED BOTH BATTERIES (THE START BATTERY AND HYBRID BATTERY).

NHTSA ODI 11219641

BATTERY DOES NOT HOLD A CHARGE. MY BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME SINCE 2014. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS ONLY 2 OR SO YEARS OLD (DEALER REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY). I'VE HAD THIS SECOND BATTERY FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME (2 OR SO YEARS). EACH BATTERY JUST SLOWLY LOSES THE ABILITY TO HOLD A CHARGE UNTIL IT DIES. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DRIVE IT... YOU CAN HEAR THE BATTERY GET WEAKER OVER A PERIOD EACH TIME YOU START IT.

NHTSA ODI 11208292

LOSS OF POWER/VEHICLE DIES WHILE IN DRIVING. DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. HILL START ASSIST LIGHT COMES ON. VEHICLE HAS NO POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11207608

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V149000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON MAY 28, 2018 AND HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES, INCLUDING THE CLUTCH FAILING AND THE BUSHING ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS CRACKED AND RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD CERTIFIED BY SUBARU EL CAJON (900 ARNELE AVE, EL CAJON, CA 92020, (619) 440-0404) WHO STATED THAT ANY FAILURE THAT OCCURRED WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11205309

ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AT AROUND 99980 MILEAGE, INCLUDING BLINKING OIL AT TEMPERATURE DASH LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, HILL LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LINE. IT IS ALSO SLUGGISH UPON ACCELERATION WHEN I FIRST START. AT FIRST START ONLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN AFTER SLUGGISH ACCELERATION ALL THE LIGHTS ABOVE COME ON. CRUISE LIGHT FLASHES AND CRUISE DOESNT WORK AND SHIFTING PADDLES DONT WORK. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I TURNED ON CAR TO MOVE IT.

NHTSA ODI 11204483

THE FIRST TIME THE INSTANCE HAPPEN I STARTED THE CAR AND ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE LIT. THE MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND A REASON WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN, SO HE JUST RESET IT AND THE LIGHTS WENT OFF. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HOME FROM WORK AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT A MECHANIC AND HE CAN NOT FIND WHY THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI 11196739

BRAKE LIGHTS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE.

NHTSA ODI 11196430

OVERLY SENSITIVE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR. AFTER WORKING OUT SIDE IN THE SUMMER, THE SWEAT FROM A PASSENGERS BODY WILL TURN OFF THE AIRBAG, EVEN IF IT WASN'T MUCH SWEAT. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NO FIX. MOST SUMMER DAYS IN TEXAS I HAVE NO PASSENGER AIRBAGS DUE TO THE SWEAT FROM WALKING TO MY CAR. ALSO AIRBAG WILL TURN ON WITH AS LITTLE AS 2-5 LBS OF PRESSURE. THESE ERRORS HAPPEN IN ALL PHASES OF DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11185483

TROUBLE CODE- P0700 END P0730

NHTSA ODI 11182192

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 45 DAYS CAR HAS BEEN FOR SERVICE. CAR HAS BEEN SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HYBRID BATTERY. CAR IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, OR DE ACCELERATES. THE CAR HAS A LOSS OF POWER. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE (GIVE IT GAS), THE OPPOSITE OCCURS, IT LOSES POWER TO THE POINT OF SHUTTING DOWN. MY CAR IS GOING TO KILL ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. WHILE ENTERING I-95 IN WPB FL ON 1/18/19 AT I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND HAD TO COAST TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. AFTER WAITING 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. 10 MILES OR SO LATER THE CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE IN THE MIDDLE LANE DUE TO NO POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11171522

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS NEED REPLACED AT 104,000 MILES AT 80,000+- MILES MY WIFE NOTICED LOW PITCHED ROARING AT HIGHWAY SPEED BUT DID NOT INFORM ME OR DEALER (HER VEHICLE AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEALER SERVICED) I DROVE THE VEHICLE AFTER 104,000 DEALER LOF SERVICE AND OBSERVED EXTREMELY LOUD ROAR AT ALL SPEEDS, WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD NEW WHEEL BEARINGS ARE REQUIRED, AT OUR EXPENSE. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD OR ROUGH HOUSED IT IS ABSURD AT THIS DAY & AGE THAT FACTORY WHEEL BEARINGS LAST LESS THAN 100K

NHTSA ODI 11169837

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE DEALER (DELLA SUBARU, 5105 U.S. AVE, PLATTSBURGH, NY 12901, (518) 324-8400) DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11161315

HOOD LATCH DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSED SEVERE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD DAMAGE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF VISIBILITY. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY ENDED IN FATALITY.

NHTSA ODI 11157229

HORN DOES NOT WORK. MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC ABOUT TO HIT ME BECAUSE MY HORN DOESN'T WORK. A FEW TIMES I HAVE ALMOST RUN INTO OTHERS TRYING TO AVOID A COLLISION THAT WOULD ARGUABLY BE MUCH WORSE THAN LETTING SOMEONE HIT ME. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND WHAT OTHERS HAVE FOUND IS THAT IT'S THE CLOCK SPRING OR WIRING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED/REPAIRED. I'M ASSUMING THE HORN STOPPED WORKING WHEN I TURNED MY WHEEL. OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE TOO, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE FILED ANYTHING FORMALLY.

NHTSA ODI 11155965

MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BY ME AT 24K MILES I HAVE DRIVEN NOW TO 70K MILES AND NEED 2 NEW FRONT AXELS. I HAVE BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 HOURS AND THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT AXELS ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME ISSUES BUT BEING LESS THAN 100K MILES AND NEEDING 2 NEW AXLES?? THAT IS INSANE. THE CAR CLICKS WHEN I TURN AND MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE

NHTSA ODI 11152564

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS OCCASIONALLY FAIL TO WORK AT NIGHT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS, EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IS ON. THE CAR HAS RUNNING LIGHTS THAT FUNCTION AT ALL TIMES. ON THE ONE HAND, THE COMBINATION ALLOWS OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE US. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MAKES IT BARELY POSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE LANE MARKS AND PEDESTRIANS.

NHTSA ODI 11145287

IT IS OCTOBER 2018 AND I HAVE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHTS THREE TIMES SINCE FEBRUARY 2018. THE LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY BURN OUT. I HAVE READ FORUMS ONLINE OF OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS, AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11140179

POWER STEERING ISSUES. LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD AND POWER STEERING PROBLEMS OCCUR. IT'S ONLY 4 YEARS OLD (NEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD) TAKEN WELL CARE OF, AND THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONICAL PART OF THE POWER STEERING SAYING THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WHEN DRIVING IT LOCKS UP MAKING TURNS REALLY HARD WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. THEN OUR CAR SHUT OFF LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD FOR HALF A DAY AND WE TRIED ONE LAST TIME TO START IT BEFORE JUMPING AND IT STARTED UP AND WORKED. SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS WIRED WRONG.

NHTSA ODI 11101135