Home · 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness · Complaints

What 194 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness

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 (194)Crash / fire / injury (11)Visibility & wipers (72)Electrical system (32)Engine (32)Transmission & drivetrain (14)Speed control (13)Body & structure (10)Steering (6)Lights (5)Seats (4)Wheels (4)

5 of 194 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Mar 4, 2026Lights

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlight warning light illuminated, and the contact noticed that the passenger's side LED headlight had become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a headlight assembly replacement was recommended. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11722003

Nov 26, 2022Lights

The passenger side headlight stopped working 2 months ago. I have the OEM LED system that tracks through turns. I finally got in for service and mentioned it. Also mentioned I had something similar in 2019 after a service at the dealer and they said it was “fixed”. Only had one or two moments where is didn’t work and just turned off car and back on and seemed to resolve. This recent service they looked into fixing it and found out it’s an entire sealed assembly and quoting the part us $1900(CAD) plus labour. Their mechanic drove it around anfter replacing fog lights and it worked for a moment then when I started and drove away it stopped. I have one working headlight but I live where winters are dark so I’m nervous.

NHTSA ODI 11494947

May 6, 2021Lights

MY DRIVER'S HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHICH IS LED WITH ONLY 40,600 MILES. I DISCOVERED THAT IF THE SWIVELING TEST FEATURE FAILS WHEN I FIRST START THE VEHICLE, IT WILL TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHT. THAT IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE LED LIGHT WILL STILL WORK IF THE SWIVELING FEATURE WASN'T MALFUNCTIONING. I FOUND OUT SEVERAL PEOPLE ONLINE HAS THE SAME ISSUE, AND SUBARU WON'T RECALL THIS PROBLEM. MY HEADLIGHT DID TURN BACK ON FOR 1-2 WEEKS BEFORE GOING OUT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE SWIVELING TEST FEATURE FAIL. MY DEALER TOLD ME THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1437.00 BEFORE TAX. I REFUSED BECAUSE IT'S AN LED THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER GONE OUT WITH ONLY 40,600 MILES ON IT, AND I BOUGHT IT NEW. ALSO, I TOLD THEM IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IF THE SWIVELING FEATURE FAILED, THE LIGHT SHOULD STAY STRAIGHT AND BE KEPT ON, BUT SUBARU'S DESIGN IS TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHT. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF SO LITTLE MILES, AND I DON'T HAVE THE VEHICLE PAID OFF YET SO GETTING RID OF IT ISN'T AN EASY OPTION FOR ME REGARDING MONEY. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11415369

Aug 1, 2019Electrical systemLightsVisibility & wipers

1) VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED NEW WITH REAR POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING. 2) LED BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING AT 15000 MILES , NOTICED WHEN I WAS BACKING UP IN FRONT OF GLASS DOORS. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER WIRE WAS SHORTING OUT AND ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER DID NOT STOCK PART SO I WAS SENT OFF WITH NON WORKING BRAKE LIGHT UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL THEY COULD GET PART.

NHTSA ODI 11241027

Aug 17, 2018Lights

THE INTERIOR LIGHTING IS A RED ORANGE COLOR. FOR SOMEONE LIKE MY WIFE AND I, IN THEIR SIXTIES, IT IS TERRIBLE AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO SEE, ESPECIALLY THE ODOMETER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE WOULD NOT KNOW THIS , THE DEALER DOES NOT GIVE A [XXX] AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE AT SUBARU.COM WHO WE COMPLAINED TO AND ASKED IF THE BULBS IN AT LEAST THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COULD BE CHANGED BUT IT IS A SEALED UNIT. ALSO, THE THUMBWHEEL ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT GIVE ENOUGH ILLUMINATION EVEN AT THE HIGHEST SETTING. WE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE DURING THE SUNNY DAYLIGHT HOURS SO OF COURSE ONE WOULD NOT REALIZE THIS AS A POSSIBLE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PISSED OFF AND DISAPPOINTED WITH A VEHICLE, IF I HAD ONLY KNOWN. IT UPSET MY WIFE AND I SO MUCH THAT WE TURNED IT IN TO OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED VEHICLES IN THE PAST WITH EVEN THOUGH THIS MEANT A LARGE HIT IN OUR POCKETBOOK. THE SUBARU DEALER CAN GO TO [XXX]. MY BIGGEST REASON TO TELL THIS STORY IS THE HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE SO OTHERS WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. SINCERELY INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11120747

Working with the data? Download all 194 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 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 2018 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness verdict →