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2018 Subaru Crosstrek Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 5 NHTSA recalls and 195 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

D
42/100

High Reported Activity — 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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5
NHTSA Recalls
5 recalls on record
195
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
10
Crash Reports
1 fire report
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Subaru Crosstrek (5)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Subaru dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Exhaust System: Emission Control: Crankcase (pcv)
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found,…
NHTSA #19V744000
🔧 Suspension: Rear
Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service…
NHTSA #21V263000
🔧 Electrical System: Software
A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed…
NHTSA #21V264000
🔧 Electrical System: Software
If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition…
NHTSA #19V743000
🔧 Service Brakes
If the floor mat moves out of position and interferes with the accelerator or brake pedal operation, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the floor mat retention bracket and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2017. Owners may contact…
NHTSA #17V701000
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

Based on 195 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Visibility/wiper
57
Unknown Or Other
32
Electrical System
29
Engine
15
Power Train
13
Vehicle Speed Control
9
Structure
8
Visibility
8
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Subaru Crosstrek — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

2012 2 complaints 2013 124 complaints 2014 107 complaints 2015 100 complaints 2016 135 complaints 2017 97 complaints 2018 195 complaints 2019 285 complaints 2020 69 complaints 2021 116 complaints 2022 31 complaints

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2022 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Subaru Crosstrek

Is the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek has 5 recall campaigns and 195 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek have?
The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek has 5 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek are: Visibility/wiper, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Engine. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek safe to buy?
The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 5 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Subaru Crosstrek should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Subaru Crosstrek are: 2022. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2019.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.