Home · 2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek · Complaints

What 106 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

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 (106)Crash / fire / injury (16)Electrical system (22)Transmission & drivetrain (20)Brakes (14)Engine (13)Airbags (9)Speed control (7)Steering (7)Visibility & wipers (7)Body & structure (6)Lights (5)

5 of 106 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Jun 17, 2021Electrical systemLightsBrakes

Break lights are on, but do not light up when breaking. Changed break lights with many different bulbs, but same problem occurs. Not lighting up when breaking.

NHTSA ODI 11421255

May 2, 2019Transmission & drivetrainLightsBrakesCrash

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

Nov 5, 2018Electrical systemLightsVisibility & wipers

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

Oct 13, 2018Lights

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

Sep 23, 2014LightsBody & structure1 injury

WHILE WASHING MY CAR, MY FINGER SLIPPED INTO A HOLE SURROUNDED BY METAL AND SLICED MY FINGER. THE HOLES SHOULD EITHER BE CAPPED OR FILED DOWN SINCE THIS IS AN AREA RIGHT NEAR THE REAR HATCH RELEASE AND LICENSE PLATE BULB. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10638458

Working with the data? Download all 106 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 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 2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek verdict →