What 280 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness

I own a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid with recurring fuel-system and EVAP failures that I believe present a serious safety risk. On 12/9/2025, the vehicle experienced a total loss of motive power while I was driving in dense traffic on a busy expressway. The vehicle suddenly lost propulsion in the middle lane and slowed down to a near crawl, creating an immediate risk of being struck. The event was captured on dashcam. The dealer inspected the vehicle but found no cause. On 1/5/2026, the vehicle again lost motive power. It remained at the dealership for approximately two months. Some roughness was noted, but no cause was identified, and I was told to return if the problem became more prominent. I am concerned that an intermittent defect capable of causing sudden loss of propulsion remains unresolved. The vehicle has also had recurring difficulty accepting fuel since it was new, along with check-engine lights and DTC P0452. The refueling problem progressively worsened. On 6/20/2026, the vehicle would not accept fuel normally at all. The pump repeatedly shut off while the tank was still empty or nearly empty, and fuel backed up, spilled, and overflowed from the filler neck. This creates a fire hazard and exposes occupants and bystanders to gasoline. Subaru previously performed TSB 09-82-23 but did not replace the fuel tank. The TSB allows tank replacement when resin residue is found in affected fuel-system components. Fuel was analyzed and found clean, yet multiple downstream EVAP components became clogged or restricted. The dealer later replaced the charcoal canister and EVAP filter but found no cause. I am concerned that the recurring fuel/EVAP restriction, gasoline spill during refueling, and two unexplained losses of motive power may share an unresolved root cause. Subaru has advised me only to return if symptoms recur. I do not believe it is safe to wait for another highway loss-of-power event or another gasoline overflow.

NHTSA ODI 11750700

Per NHTSA Product Campaign Bulletin WRE-21, all ignition coils on my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Premium were replace on August 9th, 2021. On November 26th 2024, the same vehicle experienced a total loss of motive power on a 50 mph, 2-lane road, resulting in emergency action to move the car off of the right-of-way. All occupants of the car were not injured. After the vehicle was towed to a Subaru Dealership, the service notes stated “DIAGNOSED NO START SCANNED AND FOUND P1604 STARTABILITY MALFUNCTION, AND P0304 CYLINDER 4 MISFIRE, CHECKED FUEL PRESSURE AND FOUND IT WAS WITHIN SPEC, FOUND THE IGNITION COIL FUSE WAS BLOWN AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE CYL 4 COIL PACK SHORTED INTERNALLY AND THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CIRCUITS CONNECTED BLOWING THE FUSE, COIL PACK AND FUSE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.” The wording of the technician’s notes mirror the wording of the WRE-21. The dealership offered a one-time free “goodwill replacement” of the part in question, but only for 1 cylinder. I believe further corrective action needs to be taken by the NHTSA to prevent total loss of motive power in affected Subaru crosstreks.

NHTSA ODI 11627701

Car was at a stop light, went to accelerate and car would not accelerate- all the lights came on. I had to put it in park and turn it off and back on, then it accelerated and there were no other issues.

NHTSA ODI 11547198

The car's hybrid system failed. The problem was a poorly protected electrical cable and connector that is exposed under the car. It corroded and failed. The dealer cleaned it and it works again, but they think the issue will be ongoing. May be related to Manufacturer Recall Number: WRD23 / NHTSA Recall Number:23V080000

NHTSA ODI 11511935

CAR HESITATES ON ACCELERATION PERSISTS AFTER RECALL (REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION COILS). CONDITION PERSISTS SINCE PURCHASE (NOV, 2019). NUMEROUS REPAIR ORDERS DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11425427

MY WIFES CAR STARTED SMELLING LIKE GASOLINE INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. WE TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALER AND A RODENT HAD CHEWED THE HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINE. IT THEN SPRAYED GASOLINE RIGHT INTO HER BACK SEAT FOAM AND CUSHION. IF WE TAKE THE RODENT OUT OF THE EQUATION, THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE AND WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK IN FULL. THE MATERIAL FOR WIRING AND FUEL LINES ARE MADE FROM A SOY BASED PRODUCT ATTRACTING RODENTS. THE SEAL THEY USE FOR THE GAS TANK ACCESS UNDER THE REAR SEAT IS A CHEAP FOAM NOT A NEOPRENE RUBBER OR O-RING. IF THE GAS WOULD OF LEAKED ONTO JUST THE GROUND I WOULDN'T EVEN BE TYPING THIS LETTER. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT HIGH PRESSURE GAS GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I WANT TO CONTACT A LAWYER ABOUT THIS AND MAKE SUBARU ACCOUNTABLE. THE DEALER EVEN TOLD ME IT WAS THE SECOND ONE IN 2 WEEKS. THEY MUST USE A SOY BASED FUEL LINE TO ATTRACT TO RODENT, AND THEN THE FOAM SEAL IN NO WAY IS SAFE TO PREVENT A PRESSURE OF GASOLINE FROM REACHING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. MY WIFES CAR IS 13 MO OLD AND ONLY HAS 7400 MILES ON IT. SHE IS DEVASTATED AS THIS WAS HER FIRST BRAND NEW CAR EVER. NO WE HAVE A CAR WITH GAS SMELL INSIDE FOREVER. PLEASE HELP US!

NHTSA ODI 11375225

CAR HAS HESITATED AND STUMBLED SINCE NEW. VERY LOW POWER. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TO CORRECT PROBLEM. RECALL FOR IGNITION DOWN. PROBLEM PERSISTS

NHTSA ODI 11351520

SOME TIME THIS CAR ACELERACIN MORE LIKE PUT MORE FULL, I START TO NOTICE WHEN I WAS DRIVEN IN THE SPECIFIC SPEED AND THE CAR START TO PUT MORE FULL AND SPEED MORE THAN I WAS

NHTSA ODI 11343416

MY FIRST SUBARU. ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, A ROCK CRACKED THE WINDSHEILD. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES, ANOTHER ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED A MAJOR CRACK/ LONG LINE ACROSS ON ANOTHER PART OF THE WINDOW. SO UNEXPECTED, UNUSUAL AND I HOPE NOT PREDICTIVE OF CONSISTENT GLASS ISSUES. THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT UPON ACCELERATION, THE ACCELERATION OFTEN, BRIEFLY, LOSES POWER. LIKE SOMETHING IS IMPEDING THE FUEL MOMENTARILY. I'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO IT BUT IT TOOK SOME GETTING USED TO. I WORRY THAT IT IS THE SIGN OF A MAJOR DEFECT/ISSUE. THE CAR IS THE CURRENT MODEL YEAR, THOUGH, I DID PURCHASE IT WITH 6,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE WONDERED IF THESE ISSUES ARE WHAT CAUSED THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO TRADE IT IN WITHIN MONTHS OF BUYING IT NEW.

NHTSA ODI 11291767

CUTS OUT MOMENTARILY WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED AND DEALER SAYS THATS NORMAL. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI 11289927

CUTS OUT ON ACCELERATING

NHTSA ODI 11289282

AT AROUND THE 2000 MILE MARK I NOTICED A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN FUEL ECONEMY. I ALSO STARTED NOTICING METAL PARTICLES IN THE ENGINE OIL. I ALSO NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN ENGINE POWER AS WELL. THIS IS A SIGN OF DEBRIS GETTING IN THE ENGINE AND CAUSING METAL PARTICLES TO BECOME BROKEN OFF. MY MILEAGE WENT FROM 460-480 MPT TO 360-380 MPT. (MPT=MILES PER TANK) I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOTHING WAS FOUND FROM THRM TESTING THE FUEL SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTING THIS THRU PHOTOGRAPS ON MY TRIPOMETER. I TOOK DEALERSHIPS ADVICE AND TRIED A DIFFERENT GAS STATION WITH THE SAME RESULTS. FUEL ECONEMY IS AVERAGING 22-33 MPG CITY/HIGHWAY. I DRIVE 20 OF 25 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DISPLAY THAT READS GAS MILEAGE BASED ON HOW I DRIVE IN THE CAR SAYS I SHOULD BE GETTING BETWEEN 27-28 MPG BASED ON HOW I DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11271271

CAR HESITATES AND STALLS OUT AT SLOW SPEEDS AND HAS STALLED WHILE PULLING OUT INTO A INTERSECTION. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND AT FIRST WE'RE TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG THEN THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR SEVEN DAYS AND FOUND AN ISSUE WITH A SENSOR ONCE REPLACED THE CAR WAS RUNNING OKAY FOR A WEEK THEN THE HESITATION AND SLUGGISHNESS IS BACK AND WE ARE AGAIN TOLD NO CODES ARE SHOWING THAT THE CAR IS FINE. I WAS DRIVING AND IT ALMOST STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION AGAIN AND WAS BOGGING OUT FOR A FULL MINUTE BEFORE REGAINING POWER. THE CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER AGAIN!

NHTSA ODI 11234224