Home · 2016 Subaru Xv Crosstrek · Complaints

What 3 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (3)Electrical system (1)Engine (1)Steering (1)Suspension (1)Transmission & drivetrain (1)

Newest first · 3 complaints

Dec 4, 2018SuspensionTransmission & drivetrainEngine

SINCE I GOT THIS CAR , THE ENGINE OVER HEATED FREQUENTLY. ENGINE OIL MIXED IN THE COOLANT. AT 20 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED MAKE THE VIBRANT NOISE. THE POWER TRAIN IS NOT GOOD FOR THIS VEHICULE. I WENT TO SUBARU ,3340 OAKTON ST SKOKIE,IL FOR INSPECTION, IT IS LIKE OTHERS PEOPLES HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS LIKE ME. ALSO NOTHING IS GUARANTEED IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO FIXED OR REPLACED THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE OVER HEATED FREQUENTLY WAS THE MAIN PROBLEMS AND ISSUES FOR THIS VEHICULE.

NHTSA ODI 11155840

Nov 8, 2017Steering

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30MPH FOOT ON THE BREAK I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE STEERING STOPPED WORKING. CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT STEERING WAS DEAD NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT ON THE DASH AFTER ABOUT 4 SECONDS THE STEERING CAME BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I PURCHASED THE SUBARU NEW IT HAS 7,220 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED SAME SCENARIO CAR HAD ABOUT 5K MILES ON IT. THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE DIDN'T THINK NOTHING OF IT UNTIL TODAY IT HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL. TALKED TO DEALER THEY NEED THE ISSUE TO BE CONSTANT TO DO ANYTHING. TRIED TO DUPLICATE ISSUE AND IT WILL NOT IT HAPPENS WHEN IT WANTS TO BUT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11044628

Aug 11, 2017Electrical system

REAR VIEW CAMERA IS MALFUNCTIONING. RANDOMLY WILL COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THIS PREVENTS YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THE HANDS FREE PHONE SYSTEM. UNABLE TO MAKE IT DUPLICATE IT WHEN TAKE IT TO DEALER. HOWEVER, I DID GET IT ON VIDEO. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS AN UPDATE AND THAT THEY LOADED THE UPDATE TO THE COMPUTER. HOWEVER, IT CONTINUES TO DO IT. JUST STARTED THIS A COUPLE DAYS AGO. THE VEHICLE IS OVER ONE YEAR OLD. IT HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY AND/OR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11014547

Working with the data? Download all 3 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 2016 Subaru Xv Crosstrek verdict →