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What 111 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 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 (111)Crash / fire / injury (10)Visibility & wipers (33)Engine (16)Electrical system (14)Driver assistance (13)Transmission & drivetrain (13)Lane Departure (5)Fuel system (4)Backup camera & sensors (3)Body & structure (3)Brakes (3)

3 of 111 complaints match · Driver assistance · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Nov 6, 2025Driver assistanceCrash

Traveling at speed of 30MPH. A tocoma truck in front of me suddenly stopped in road lane. Driver said that his vehicle made an auto assist stop were the brakes lock. My 2021 Crosstrek eyesight/braking system failed. I saw the truck stop but the system failed and I went into the back of a large truck. There is a witness who is happy to talk with you. He saw the truck's sudden stop and my crosstrek failure to stop. My car is totaled. I have the police report and have reported this to my insurance company.

NHTSA ODI 11697827

Aug 16, 2023Driver assistanceCrash2 injuries

While driving on the highway in the slow lane (furthest to the right), traveling at approximately 50 mph, I came to be behind a tractor trailer. Before I had a chance to pass the tractor trailer, it switched lanes abruptly. My vision past/beyond (in front of) the tractor trailer was heavily obstructed by the massive vehicle itself, so I could not see that in front of the 18-wheeler there was a mid-size sedan traveling at approximately 5-10 mph in the same active highway lane I was in. I had almost no time to react, and neither the Automatic Emergency Braking system nor the Forward Collision Warning system engaged. Both of these systems should have activated to prevent the collision and/or minimize injuries and damage. I subsequently collided (harshly) with the aforementioned sedan.

NHTSA ODI 11538947

Nov 7, 2022EngineFuel systemDriver assistanceFire

My brand new Subaru ignited in the engine compartment, burst into flames and exploded while I was driving it.

NHTSA ODI 11492551

Working with the data? Download all 111 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 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness verdict →