What 106 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

I was driving to a job sight from Houston to Corpus Christi. About 10 min from the job sight I here a loud pop on top of my roof. I opened up my sunroof viser to see what had happened. The glass broke. Nothing hit the glass. It just broke! Luckly I had the roof viser closed when it happened.There are thousands of forums stating the same exact thing. For reference, https://www.subaruxvforum.com/

NHTSA ODI 11505157

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU XV CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE HEATING SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING SYSTEM CONTROL UNIT WERE MELTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,001.

NHTSA ODI 11063084

THE ISSUE: RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY AND ICES UP SO BADLY THAT IT AFFECTS THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER AND VISIBILITY TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND MANUALLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND WIPERS BY HAND AND WITH A SCRAPPER, HENCE A SAFETY ISSUE. STEPS TAKEN PER SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT. 1.) REPLACE WIPERS, NOT RESOLVED. 2.) REPLACED WIPER ARMS, NOT RESOLVED. 3.) SUBARU SAID IT MAY BE THE WINDSHIELD IS OUT OF SHAPE, FLAT SPOT. I ASKED IF THAT'S WARRANTY SINCE IT CAME ON THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, NO, I HAD TO PAY FOR IT; NOT RESOLVED. 4.) REPLACED WIPERS 3 MORE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT BRANDS; ISSUE NOT RESOLVED. 5.) CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH A COPY OF ALL WARRANTY AND SERVICE WORK TO DATE. AFTER A MONTH THEY REFERRED MY BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE WIPERS REPLACED. IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE WIPERS. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD FROM FREEZING TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING SAFE TO DRIVE IN MILD SNOW WEATHER IS TO RUN THE DEFROST AT 100% FAN SPEED AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATE CONTINUALLY AND TO TURN ON THE WIPER HEAT ELEMENT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE ICE UP SO EASILY. THIS HAPPENS ON AT ANY SPEED. THE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR OR MAKE CONTACT ENOUGH TO CLEAR WATER AND LEAVES A THIN LAYER THAT INSTANTLY FREEZES THUS PROMOTING THE FREEZING FEEDBACK LOOP. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HARD FOR SUBARU TO REPLICATE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE COLD AND SNOWING AND I HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF COLD AND SNOWY WEATHER. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MULTIPLE SUBARU EMPLOYEES THAT "IT MAY BE A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO". I FIND THAT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT SINCE THE CROSSTREK IS MARKETED TO OUTDOORS LIFESTYLES. I HAVE HAD 6 OTHER VEHICLES IN MY LIFETIME, NON HAVE HAD THIS FREEZING ISSUE. I WILL NOT TAKE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WHEN IT SNOWS BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S UNSAFE. KINDLY CT OWNER

NHTSA ODI 10935485

THIS HAPPENED ON 2/26/2014: I WAS DRIVING MY HYBRID CROSSTREK THIS MORNING ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND HAD GLASS ALL OVER ME. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY. THANKFULLY MY GRANDSON OR ANOTHER PASSENGER WERE NOT WITH ME AS THEY WOULD HAVE HAD GLASS ALL OVER THEM TOO.

NHTSA ODI 10884852

THE REVERSE CAMERA INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT WORK WHEN IT SHOULD. THE SUBARU SERVICE CENTER REPLACED THE AUDIO UNIT 6 MONTHS AGO WHEN THIS CONCERN FIRST STARTED TO HAPPEN BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT WORK SINCE IT STILL HAPPENS. THE DEALER & SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT WERE NOT ABLE TO COME TO A RESOLUTION THE 2ND TIME AROUND FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ELECTED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEALER FOR THEM TO TRY AND VERIFY & DIAGNOSE BUT THEY REFUSE TO KEEP IT LONGER THAN ONE WEEK. IT IS GETTING FRUSTRATING AS WHEN THE CAMERA IS MOST NEEDED, IT DOES NOT WORK. THANKFULLY THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES OR COLLISIONS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM & I AM 100 PERCENT AWARE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS JUST AN "AID" & NOT TO BE RELIED ON 100 PERCENT WHEN BACKING THE VEHICLE UP.

NHTSA ODI 10716362

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 70MPH. HEARD A LOUD POP (SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT). MOONROOF GLASS HAD EXPLODED OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE GLASS. EDGE OF GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT LIKE IT HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE INSIDE. SUNSHADE WAS OPEN. NO TRAFFIC AND NOTHING HIT THE ROOF BEFORE THE GLASS EXPLODED. TEMP INSIDE THE CAR WAS AROUND 65 DEGREES. TEMP OUTSIDE WAS IN THE MID TO HIGH 40'S. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10702055