2023 Subaru Crosstrek — Known Issues & Recalls

When you applied the brakes at a stop sign, your car unexpectedly accelerated instead of slowing down. This is a serious safety concern, especially with a child in the vehicle. The issue may involve the throttle control system, brake system, or engine management and should be inspected by a dealer immediately to determine the cause.

Your engine is leaking oil from the passenger side valve cover gasket and spark plug seals. You may notice oil dripping under the car or a burning oil smell during operation. Left unrepaired, this could eventually lead to low oil levels and engine damage. The fix will involve replacing the faulty gaskets and seals on the passenger side of the engine.

Your engine sometimes surges or accelerates suddenly on its own 4 times when you release the throttle while driving. This unintended acceleration could make the car harder to control. The issue likely involves the fuel injection system or throttle control needing adjustment or cleaning.

Your sunroof suddenly shattered while driving on the highway, making a loud explosion-like sound that caused you to nearly lose control of your vehicle. Glass debris flew onto the roadway, forcing vehicles behind you to swerve to avoid it. The dealership confirmed this has happened to other customers but provided no explanation for the cause. The repair will likely involve complete sunroof glass replacement and investigation into why the glass failed.

Your car's infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay, maps, radio, and hands-free safety features, work intermittently and disconnect unexpectedly. Subaru sent you a software update to install yourself to fix this issue. Additionally, you noticed paint chipping and bubbling on the rear bumper and tailgate at only 800 miles, which Subaru determined was not a defect. A software update or infotainment system reset may resolve the connectivity issues.

Your windshield cracked twice during the first year of ownership after being hit by rocks. You believe the windshield material may be more prone to cracking on impact compared to other vehicles. Windshield replacement can be expensive, and you may want to check with your insurance about glass coverage or consider aftermarket glass options.

A crack suddenly formed on your windshield above the driver-side defroster vent on January 13, 2025, with no visible external damage or impact. The crack expanded over a week to stretch across both the driver and passenger sides, and you've stopped using the defroster to prevent further damage, though this has reduced your visibility due to condensation buildup. Your Subaru dealership confirmed the issue and offered a 35% rebate toward the $1,600 replacement cost, leaving you responsible for the remaining $1,040. The fix will require a complete windshield replacement.

Your windshield cracked in the lower right corner and was replaced over a year ago, but a new crack has recently appeared in the same spot. This recurring issue in the same location suggests there may be an underlying problem with how the windshield is fitted or seated. The fix may involve replacing the windshield again and investigating whether the frame or mounting is causing the repeated cracks.

Your brake pedal occasionally sinks all the way to the floor when you press it. A Subaru dealer diagnosed this as a faulty power brake booster that needs replacement. This is concerning on a 2023 vehicle with only 46,000 miles, as it affects your ability to stop safely. The fix will require replacing the brake booster assembly.

Your car was involved in a serious head-on collision with a guardrail while hydroplaning on a bridge during rainy conditions. During the crash, the driver's seatbelt came unlatched from its locking mechanism, and the airbags failed to deploy despite the severity of the impact. Both of these safety system failures created significant risk of injury in what was a major collision.

While turning into a parking spot at 20 mph, your vehicle continued to accelerate even after you pressed the brake pedal, causing a crash into a concrete wall. The airbags did not deploy during the impact, and you sustained internal injuries that required medical treatment. The issue occurred at 4,000 miles and has not been diagnosed or repaired.

Your 2023 Crosstrek made a loud roaring sound when you started the engine, then suddenly accelerated on its own without you touching the gas pedal. When you tried to brake and steer, neither the brakes nor steering responded, and the car crashed into a tree. The EyeSight safety camera and automatic braking system did not activate before impact. The airbag did deploy, and fortunately no one was seriously injured, but the vehicle was totaled.

Your car's air conditioning drain became clogged, allowing water to seep into the cabin and soak the carpets under the seats. This water damaged electronic components beneath the driver and passenger seats, which caused your EyeSight safety system, other safety features, all-wheel drive, and power steering to stop working—your check engine light also came on. The fix will likely involve clearing the clogged A/C drain, drying out the water-damaged electronics or replacing them, and diagnosing why the safety systems failed.

Your car's advanced safety features—including forward collision warning and lane departure warning—are shutting down unexpectedly, and your emergency brake warning light is also turning on. The problem temporarily clears but returns within a day, making these safety systems unreliable. Subaru service hasn't identified the cause yet. Fixing this will likely require diagnostic scanning to find the electrical or software issue causing the safety system failures.

Your forward collision avoidance system unexpectedly activated while you were driving 35 mph into sunlight, causing your brakes to engage hard even though there was nothing in front of you. This sudden braking caused you to jerk forward toward the steering wheel. The system may have been triggered by glare from the sun affecting the sensors' ability to accurately detect obstacles.

Your rear struts failed while driving on the highway, despite the vehicle only having 38,000 miles and being 3.5 years old. You've owned many other cars that lasted hundreds of thousands of miles without strut problems, suggesting this may be premature wear. The repair will likely involve replacing the rear strut assemblies.

Your tires are losing air pressure rapidly — you need to add air 2-3 times daily, even after adjusting pressure when the tires are cold. The problem persists whether you're driving on the highway or parked, and the dealer has checked the car multiple times without finding the cause. The dealer will need to inspect the tires and wheel seals more thoroughly, possibly replacing tires or checking for slow leaks that aren't immediately visible.

Your car's auto start/stop feature (which shuts off the engine at red lights to save gas) is restarting unexpectedly when you open the door or unbuckle your seatbelt, even though the brakes are still applied. This could be dangerous because you might think the engine is off when it's actually paused and ready to restart, potentially causing the car to move if you open the door. The feature should be disabled until the door is closed, seatbelt is buckled, or the car is in park. A software update or reprogram of the auto start/stop logic may be needed to prevent unwanted engine restarts when doors or seatbelts are engaged.

Your windshield cracked on its own without any impact or accident. The crack appeared on the driver's side of the front windshield while the vehicle was being driven. Your dealer confirmed the windshield needs to be replaced. The fix will involve removing and installing a new front windshield.

Your windshield is chipping easily, even without obvious impacts. You're concerned this is a safety issue since you haven't had it inspected yet. The windshield may need to be replaced or repaired to restore visibility and structural integrity.