What 98 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek

While driving at normal operating speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power with no prior warning. There were no dashboard alerts, warning lights, or check engine indicators before the failure occurred. The vehicle became immediately unsafe to operate and had to be pulled over in a main highway center lane divide. After inspection by a licensed mechanic, it was determined that the engine suffered catastrophic internal failure due to oil and engine coolant mixing. This resulted in complete engine failure and rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle has been properly maintained with all routine oil changes and inspections completed on schedule. There was no indication of overheating or mechanical issues prior to the failure. The condition that caused the failure was not detectable through normal maintenance. The sudden loss of power without warning created a significant safety risk to the driver and surrounding traffic. Due to the nature of the failure, the engine requires full replacement, and both 12v and hybrid batteries were also damaged and require replacement. This incident raises concern regarding a potential latent defect related to the engine or cooling system, particularly given reports of similar issues in this model year.

NHTSA ODI 11706903

Oil leaking into coolant system. Car has been through several repairs but the problem continues even after multiple repairs of possible source of leakage. Potential hazard or car catching on fire with leaking oil fluid.

NHTSA ODI 11589391

On Sunday, 11 June I was driving from Brigatine, NJ back to Alexandria, VA. Just east of Baltimore around 11:45am, after about 2.5 hours of driving, I tried to accelerate on I-95. The car did not respond and after several seconds I realized I was slowing. I pulled off to the shoulder and once stopped the engine shut down before putting into park. I only received a check engine light, battery light, and fluid light after the car shut down. I tried to restart, but it would not catch or just sputtered. I waited a minute, tried again and it started but then went out about 20 seconds later. At that point I called AAA for a tow. After the tow was arranged, I started the car for a short time and pulled farther off the highway, then shut it down again. About 45 minutes or so later, I started the car and ran it for several minutes at idle while waiting for the tow truck. The AAA truck showed up, and I took the tow because I did not want to break down in one of the Baltimore tunnels. On 12 June, the Subaru dealership could not confirm any faults and could not replicate. I have no idea what the issue was. I did stop twice during that 2.5 hours for about 5 minutes each time (bathroom breaks). At the time I had about an 1/8th of a tank of gas in the car with 110 miles in range showing on the computer (figured I would make it home and refill then). Temperatures were warm. The Subaru dealership did not charge me for anything and told me they often get cases they cannot replicate.

NHTSA ODI 11526870

The Engine of the car stopped while on the road. The car is available for inspection upon request. Due to the engine while driving in the middle of the road. The safety of others was at risk The problem was not reproduced by the dealer or by a service center. Yes the manufacturer inspected and failed to reproduce the failure Yes, The error message was “Check Hybrid System, Stop in a safe place, turn engine off, Switch Off, and Restart. Check Owners Manual”

NHTSA ODI 11509919

The car has the temp light come on intermittently and then it never came on again. I opened the hood and a hose from the radiator to the overflow tank was not connected. I brought the car to a Subaru dealer. The technician found oil in the radiator of the car. I was told this could be a head gasket and the engine may need to be replaced. The car has around 75,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11465361

HEAD GASKET FAILURE, RESULTING IN WATER AND OIL CONTAMINATION. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICING ON FEBRUARY 12, 2021, AND STILL NOT FIXED AS OF APRIL 21, 2021.

NHTSA ODI 11413261

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS 2015 CROSSTREK IN 2015 THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE I HAVE PULLED OUT AND THE VEHICLE PAUSES. LIKE THERE IS NO POWER OR IT IS TAKING A BREATH. NO MATTER THE PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR IT DOES NOT GO. THEN LIKE A GASP IT STARTS TO PICK UP SPEED. DOES NOT SHUT OFF BUT ZERO POWER. IT HAPPENS REGARDLESS THE WEATHER, LENGTH OF TIME CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING. IT HAS CAUSED ME A NARROW MISS BEFORE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET INTO MY LANE. I WAS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A SLOW SPEED MOST TIMES. ONCE IT HAPPENED WHILE IN TRAFFIC DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11413092

I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 SUBARU CROSSTREK. I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR AN HOUR. I WAS GOING ABOUT 78MPH. THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED GETTING LOUD AND THE TACHOMETER WAS REVVING DOWN. IT WENT QUICKLY FROM 3 TO 0 AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. WHEN I REALIZED IT WAS REVVING DOWN AND GETTING LOUDER I BEGAN TO SHIFT TOWARDS THE LANES ON THE RIGHT TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE. MY CAR DIDN'T MAKE IT. IT WAS ABOUT 3 MIN FROM WHEN I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I GOT STUCK IN THE LANE RIGHT NEXT TO THE PASSING LANE WITH 2 OTHER LANES ON THE RIGHT OF ME TO GET TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. MY CAR HAD POWER, MY HAZARDS WERE ON, MY RADIO WAS ON, MY WINDOWS OPENED AND THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN ON. I GOT MY CAR TOWED TO MY MOMS AND IT TURNED ON AT ARRIVAL ABOUT 14 MIN AFTER IT SHUT DOWN ON ME. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME 14 MIN AWAY AND THEN DRIVE IT 35 MIN TO A SUBARU DEALER. THE DEALER SAYS ITS THE BATTERY BUT IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE TO ME IF THE CAR IGNITION WOULDN'T GO ON BUT LIGHTS RADIO AND WINDOWS WORKED AND 15 MIN LATER THE CAR TURNED ON AND DROVE LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11349054

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING 80-85 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TACHOMETER INCREASED TO HIGH AND THE SPEEDOMETER DECREASED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF KENNESAW (905 ERNEST W BARRETT PKWY NW, KENNESAW, GA 30144, (770) 419-9800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: SR1-46572013025 AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,300. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ODI 11242454

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 75 MPH, PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHEN THE CAR RAPIDLY LOST SPEED AND REVVED TO 5500 RPM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE SPEED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. LUCKILY, THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT HIT US. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LUCKILY THE VEHICLE DID RESTART. MY FUEL LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED ON MINUTES BEFORE THIS BUT I STILL HAD 60 MILES TO GO BEFORE EMPTY. I WAS PLANNING ON EXITING TO REFUEL BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR. I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM AWAITING A RETURN PHONE CALL TO HAVE THE VEHICLE ASSESSED.

NHTSA ODI 11235318

I DECIDED TO DRIVE FROM PHOENIX, AZ TO SAN DIEGO, CA WHEN ABOUT 200 MILES IN, MY ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 85MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE ENTIRE TRIP MY CAR HAD BEEN FINE, THE GAS LIGHT HAD JUST COME ON ABOUT A MINUTE BEFORE, BUT MY CAR TOLD ME I HAD 50 MILES UNTIL I RAN OUT OF GAS. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING OF THE ENGINE ABOUT TO SHUT OFF EXCEPT THAT AROUND THE SAME TIME THE GAS LIGHT CAME ON, MY AC QUIT WORKING. I WAS TRYING TO MESS WITH THE AC WHEN I SUDDENLY WENT FROM 85 TO 30MPH AND HAD TO PULL OFF IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I REALIZED MY ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF. ONCE I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I COULD NOT GET THE CAR RESTARTED SO I CALLED A TOW COMPANY TO TOW ME TO THE NEAREST TOWN. WHILE WAITING ON THE TOW TRUCK, I SAT IN MY CAR USING THE BATTERY TO CHARGE MY PHONE, SO I KNOW THE BATTERY WAS NOT DEAD. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED HE TRIED TO START MY CAR AGAIN, BUT COULD NOT. ABOUT 24 HOURS LATER I HAD A FAMILY FRIEND COME TOW THE CAR BACK TO PHOENIX, AND HE WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE IT ONTO THE TOW RAMP! I WAS STILL AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, AND WE TOWED IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT THE NEXT DAY, DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 50 MILES AND SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I'M SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE SHUT OFF ON A BUSY INTERSTATE I COULD HAVE DIED. I HAD ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR 10 DAYS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, AND I HADN'T EVEN PUT 500 MILES ON IT. CURRENTLY THE DEALERSHIP IN PHOENIX HAS IT AND IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11209685

MY CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR A LONG WHILE NOW. I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN BUT WHEN RECENTLY I SAW SMALL DROPS OF OIL, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID MY CAM BOX SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THEN I WENT INTO MORE RESEARCH. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A COMMON ISSUE FROM MY FELLOW CROSSTREK OWNERS. THIS ISNT ACCEPTABLE AT ALL BECAUSE THIS DOESNT MAKE THESE RELIABLE ANYMORE. IT'S NOW A HEADACHE AND TROUBLE ON THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE THOUGHT OVER IN RESPECT TO US THE CONSUMERS. THE CROSSTREK ARE A VERY POPULAR CAR THAT PEOPLE LOVE INCLUDING ME BUT THIS PROBLEM GIVES EVERYONE OF US TO COMPLAIN TO HAVE IT FIXED.

NHTSA ODI 11175083

TAKATA RECALL FOR THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN CHECKING MY MOTOR OIL AND REFILLING AS NEEDED. LEARNING TO BE A CAR MECHANIC IS ONE OF MY HOBBIES THAT I LIKE TO DO. IN DOING SO, I ALWAYS CHECK MY CAR AND MAKE SURE ITS UP AND RUNNING WITH NO ISSUES. I HAVE CONSTANTLY NOTICE THAT THERE WAS SOME OIL UNDER THE ENGINE WHETHER OLD OR FRESH. THEN JUST RECENTLY I WENT TO MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO FINALLY GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. AS A RESULT I LEARNED THAT THE CAM BOX SEAL IS LEAKING. I THEN DID MY RESEARCH ON IT AND FOUND OUT THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE AMONG OTHER SUBARU OWNERS AND THAT OTHER CAR BRAND USES GASKETS IN WHICH IT LASTS LONGER. IN MY VIEW, OTHER OWNERS MAY NOT KNOW HOW OR WHEN TO CHECK UNDER THEIR CAR FOR THESE KIND OF ISSUES AND THIS CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE NOT HAVING ENOUGH OIL TO BURN AND BREAKING DOWN OR SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IT MAY NOT BE A SHORT TERM EFFECT BUT IF IT CAN BE PREVENTED IT SHOULD BE.

NHTSA ODI 11166795

CAR STALLED AND DIED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY TRAVELING 75MPH. FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO A LOW GEAR AND THE RPM'S REVVED. CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MOVE TO FREEWAY SHOULDER. CAR WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED BUT ALL ELECTRICAL STILL FUNCTIONED. I WAS LOW ON GAS BUT NOT OUT. I WAS ON FREEWAY AT 11:30PM JUST OUTSIDE DETROIT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. RIDICULOUSLY UNSAFE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER AND WILL BE LOOKED AT 8/14/2018. INCIDENT 8/9/2018. EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS HAPPENED TO THE SAME VEHICLE 6 MONTHS AGO. CAR DIED ON FREEWAY TRAVELING 75MPH, RPM'S REVVED, GOT SAFELY TO SHOULDER. VEHICLE TOWED. CAR STARTED NEXT MORNING AND NO ERROR CODES FOUND. EVEN MORE COMPELLING, THE ENGINE DIED 3 OTHER TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT LEAST 45MPH, SAME SENSATION OF ENGINE GOING INTO LOWER GEAR, RPM'S INCREASED TO 5000+, CAR DIES, ELECTRICAL WORKS. CAR WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER 10-15 MINUTES OF REST. THESE 3 INCIDENTS ARE NOT DOCUMENTED BECAUSE I WAS NOT TOWED AND DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. I WISH I HAD. I AM REPORTING FOR THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT OF 8/9/2018. (I FEEL LIKE I'M SHOUTING WITH ALL CAPS. I AM SHOUTING BECAUSE THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED!)

NHTSA ODI 11119786

ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY: I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF WHEN MY LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, WHICH MEANT I STILL HAD 70 MILES LEFT UNTIL EMPTY. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE, MY ENGINE MADE A REVVING NOISE AND MY CAR LOST POWER (PRESSED GAS PEDAL, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED). PRIOR TO THAT, THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO EXIT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, AT A SNAIL'S PACE, AND PULL INTO A PARKING LOT AND AS SOON AS I DID, THE CAR DIED AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. RADIO STILL WORKED. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BEFORE THE CAR LOST POWER, EXCEPT FOR THE LOW FUEL LIGHT. I TRIED TO RE-START THE CAR, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT TURN OVER. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AND BY THE TIME THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY. I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE CODE FOR CAR RUNNING TOO LEAN HAD COME ON. AFTER PUTTING THE CAR THROUGH A SERIES OF TESTS, THEY DETERMINED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN BAD GAS PUT INTO THE TANK. AFTER SEEING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2015 FORESTERS AND CROSSTREKS WITH IDENTICAL SITUATIONS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT GAS WAS THE CULPRIT. . I HAVE OWNED VARIOUS CARS OVER THE YEARS AND THE ONLY THING THAT BAD GAS CAUSED WAS SPUTTERING. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR SO THAT I HAVE PEACE OF MIND WHILE DRIVING 80 MILES ON A BUSY HIGHWAY EVERY DAY. I NO LONGER HAVE THAT PEACE OF MIND AND INSTEAD WONDER IF MY TWO YEAR OLD CAR WILL LOSE POWER AGAIN, BUT UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. WILL IT HAPPEN AT NIGHT WITH NOWHERE TO PULL OVER WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER BEARING DOWN ON ME? SINCE THE INCIDENT, CAR NOW HAS ACCELERATION PROBLEMS AT LOW SPEEDS; FEELING LIKE IT WILL STALL WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, BUT IT DOES NOT ACTUALLY STALL. CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY CANNOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11051438

EVERY FEW MONTHS THE ENGINE DROPS TO AN IDLE STATE FOR AT LEASE ONE SECOND JUST AFTER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED. SO WHEN EXPECTING POWER FOR URGENT ACCELERATION, THERE IS INITIAL MOMENTARY POWER, PROPELLING THE CAR ONTO A BUSY ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE, THEN ENGINE RPM DROPS TO IDLE AND CAR STOPS ACCELERATING FOR A SECOND OR MORE BEFORE POWER STARTS TO RETURN. THIS USUALLY WILL OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW DAYS AND THEN CLEARS UP BY ITSELF FOR ANOTHER FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE HAZARD REOCCURS. RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAY IF THE MECHANIC CAN'T REPEAT THE PROBLEM, THERE IS NOTHING SUBARU CAN DO. THE CAR HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM SINCE NEW. AT ONE POINT I FOUND THAT IT SEEMED THAT CELL PHONE EMI COUPLING INTO THE CAR'S WIRING HARNESS HAD MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE. IN THAT CASE THE ENGINE WOULD DROP TO AN IDLE FOR UP TO THREE SECONDS AND WOULD OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY. TO DATE NO COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY SUBARU. AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE SUBARU TO BUY BACK THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS CYCLICAL SAFETY HAZARD, WHERE THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY YET INFREQUENTLY DROPS TO AN IDLE STATE. I'VE GOT ABOUT 21 PAGES OF EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUBARU REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND AND THEY HAVE YET TO OFFER ANY PLAN OF ACTION.

NHTSA ODI 10968781

ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE RUNNING. FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE THEN IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUE. A WEEK LATER (AFTER NUMEROUS PROBLEM FREE TRIPS), THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 35 TO 40 MPH DOWN THE ROAD. WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE. AGAIN IT RESTARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT SPUTTER OR GIVE ANY OTHER INDICATION IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT OFF. AGAIN, NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH INDICATING A PROBLEM. FOLLOWING BOTH TIMES THE ENGINE CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, THE NEXT TIME THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED, THE KEYLESS IGNITION WOULD NOT WORK BUT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE GREEN LIGHT WOULD APPEAR IN THE PUSH START BUTTON AND THE CAR WOULD START. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR OVER 20 DAYS. THEY HAVE INDICATED THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES TO A MECHANIC BUT THEY CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.

NHTSA ODI 10895816

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON I-405 NORTH BOUNT WHEN THE ENGINE FALTERED . I KEPT ACCELERATEING BUT THE CAR LOST SPEED AND MADE A HI RAVING SOUND . I WAS REALLY SCARED AS THE CARS BEHIND HAD TO REDUCE SPEED FAST TO PREVENT REAR ENDING ME . I EXITED THE 405 FREEWAY ON BURBANK - I CONTUNED HOME TO NORTH HOLLYWOOD AT A VERY SLOW SPEED , UNDER 10MPH . WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON . IT WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE . THE NEXT DAY MY HUSBAND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH THE SAME DIFFICULTIES .

NHTSA ODI 10822192