Home · 2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek · Complaints

What 98 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (98)Crash / fire / injury (6)Transmission & drivetrain (24)Electrical system (19)Engine (18)Brakes (9)Speed control (7)Airbags (5)Body & structure (5)Steering (4)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (3)Fuel system (3)

6 of 98 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 31, 2023Crash1 injury

Car involved in accident 10/2020( remember this was DURING the COVID “shut down”) Was rear ended … tried to get car fixed. Insurance only wanted to do “cosmetics” nothing underlying ( mechanical… the car started to show signs of the damage …running lights stopped working on rear end ONLY. Breaks started to cease up…. I was afraid to drive this way… The “eyesight” prevented my vehicle from hitting truck in front of me ( during the accident on 10/2020). I have since had breaks worked on, I have replace light bulbs, I have had turn signal arm replaced, according to Subaru can will not start now. They keep coming up with more for me to pay for and my vehicle is still not running?!? It had always started before going into the shop (even after sitting in a personal garage for over a year) Accident deemed American family insurance insured fault. I have been charged with “at fault”. I was not at fault and have proof from AM FAM insurance indicating they accept 100percent fault. Car currently at Ramsey Subaru.according to them will not start

NHTSA ODI 11514775

Feb 2, 2023Speed controlCrash1 injury

The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH and making a left in the roundabout of a residential road, she felt a rear impact and all the air bags deployed. The vehicle then accelerated unintendedly, veered to the right, jumped the curb, and crashed into a tree. The brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stated that she sustained significant Hematomas on her left and right calves from the knee air bags deployment. The contact sought medical assistance, A police report was filed. Bystanders informed the contact that the vehicle was not rear-ended; however, the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was towed to an autobody shop where it was totaled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and sent a field investigator who retrieved the EDR. The manufacturer then informed the contact that the vehicle had experienced a rear impact and responded as needed based on the EDR. However, the contact stated upon inspecting the vehicle after the accident, the rear of the vehicle did not display signs of a rear impact. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

NHTSA ODI 11505163

Oct 14, 2021BrakesFire

caliper seized and caught on fire, front passenger side. Was told by mechanic second Crosstreck this week with same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11436785

Aug 10, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

The contact owned a 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek. The contact stated while driving 15 mph, they pulled up to a red light and stopped, when the light turned green the contact was making a right turn when a 26-foot truck ran thru the light and crashed into the front driver side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no warning lights illuminated on the vehicle. The contact sustained an injured neck, bruises, and a muscle tear in the left side of their chest. There was medical treatment at the scene where the ambulance took the contact to the hospital by ambulance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where the contact insurance company inspected the vehicle and deemed the vehicle as a total loss. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure The failure mileage was approximate 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11428527

Dec 9, 2016AirbagsSpeed controlBrakesCrash

AS DRIVER WAS PARKING IN FRONT OF HER HOME, VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN RESPONSE TO BRAKING AND RAMMED INTO FRONT PORCH, ABOUT 60 FEET AWAY. DESPITE FORCE OF COLLISION, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 10934063

Apr 9, 2016Electronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesCrash

BRAKES HAVING SEVERE PUSH BACK ON BRAKE PEDAL. OR SEVERE OSCILLATION IN BRAKE PEDAL WHEN PRESSED ON ICY ROADS OR SNOWY ROADS VERY HARD TO USE BRAKES BECAUSE OF SEVERE BRAKE OSCILLATION IN PEDAL VERRY UNSAFE ON ICE OR SNOW NEW CAR 10,000 MILES WE NEED A RECALL ASAP .DRIVING COMING TO A STOP

NHTSA ODI 10854520

Working with the data? Download all 98 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 2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek verdict →