2020 SUBARU Crosstrek Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

VISIBILITY/WIPER

29 complaints

6-8in windshield crack on passenger side, near the bottom just above defrost vents. No apparent trauma to the windshield in that area. No indication that there was a crack forming otherwise; appeared seemingly overnight. Have not yet reported to insurance, dealer, or mfg. I have seen that there was a class action settled recently regarding some Subaru windshields cracking without warning so this may be a known issue. Car is available for inspection upon request.

Jan 10, 2025

The windshield has formed a crack in the top middle around the area of the rear view mirror with no incident to cause it. The problem is easily identifiable and may cause safety issues if the crack spreads. At this time insurance representatives and the manufacturer have not inspected the windshield. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior. It just cracked out of nowhere.

May 20, 2023

I noticed my windshield spontaneously cracked, without any trauma. This was noticed in the morning after my car had been sitting in the garage overnight. There were no rocks or other debris that hit the car, and there does not appear to be a point of impact. The crack seems to have occurred spontaneously, with no precipitating event or warning. This is dangerous because it could impair visibility, the functioning of eye sight camera/safety system, and could easily expand and cause shattering of glass. It makes me concerned about the integrity of the windshield. Several other subaru owners have reported this problem of spontaneous windshield cracking online. This occurred on my car on 4/3/2023. I have photo evidence of the faulty windshield, it has not yet been inspected by a dealer.

Apr 05, 2023

The windshield has cracked twice and had to be replaced. The first time was December 2021 and the second time was November 2022. Each time, we did not even see impact with a pebble. We just assume that was what caused the crack. My wife and I have been driving for fifty years and this is the first time we have had to replace a windshield. Subaru needs to fix this problem.

Nov 27, 2022

My car was parked outside when one morning I noticed a 2-inch crack started from the edge of the windshield on the passenger side of my vehicle which grew to 19 inches in the following days. The crack feels smooth from the outside and to my knowledge didn't happen due to any impact. My vehicle is available for any inspection. I have not taken my car to the manufacturer regarding this issue yet.

Oct 23, 2022

+ 24 more complaints for this component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

6 complaints

Driving the vehicle on the I-5 freeway, approximately 65mph, the sunroof glass suddenly shattered. It sounded like an explosion. The sunshade was closed , no glass shards entered the vehicle. There were no other vehicles close to mine, no tractor trailers in front of me.

May 24, 2023

Repeatedly battery drains after a few days of not driving. Won’t start. Requires a jumpstart.

Oct 18, 2022

I was driving on the I-5 north. The car had already been in operation for over 2 hours by this point. While traveling around 70 mpg, the speed limit on that section of the highway, my front driver's side door, which had been locked, became unlocked and unlatched on its own — my car's "open door" warning went off and significant wind noise entered the car's cabin. Additionally, the cabin's interior lights all turned on, a normal feature that occurs when the car is stopped and the door opened, but incredible dangerous when traveling at night and at high speeds. I was in a safety corridor on the highway, so there was no shoulder to pull off to. If I tried pulling the door closer to the frame of the vehicle, I was able to get the "door open" indicator to turn off and the lights to dim, but the door would not latch. When I released my grip, however, the door returned to its unlatched/open state. Unable to tell how long the safety corridor would last, I was forced to open and close the door manually while still in motion to correct the problem. Had this been a one-lane section of the highway or had traffic been coming in the lane to my immediate left, it's possible this procedure would have caused an accident. I am unable to attach dashcam footage of this incident to this report, but have uploaded it here for you (and Subaru) to review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5vn_YOnpgI Please note that the time on the dash cam is incorrect - this occurred around 5 am.

Aug 30, 2022

My front windshield cracked one day on its own sitting in my driveway.

Jan 31, 2022

2020 Crosstrek windshield cracked. The windshield easily chips. crack started in lower windshield. car was parked in carport when crack started. Subaru does not fix windshield and told us to call glass company. car taken to glass replacement center for replacement of windshield. Subaru dealer told us over the phone that the pictures show there is chip in windseild and Subaru will not cover repair.

Oct 12, 2021

+ 1 more complaint for this component

POWER TRAIN

5 complaints

The rear differential on my Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid has failed twice. The first failure occurred around 12,000 miles and the second around 50,000 miles, both while maneuvering slowly in a parking lot. There were no warning lights or messages beforehand. The failure caused grinding and drivetrain resistance while turning. During the second incident, a certified Subaru dealer confirmed the rear differential had failed again. They also discovered that Subaru had issued a revised version of the differential that is no longer compatible with the original axles, requiring additional parts to complete the repair. I was informed the original design has been discontinued, suggesting Subaru was aware of an issue. This kind of drivetrain failure is a significant safety risk, especially if it were to occur at higher speeds or in traffic. The issue has now occurred twice on my vehicle under normal driving conditions, and was verified both times by a 2 Subaru dealerships in Southern California. When I returned to pick up my vehicle, I was told by the service technician that another hybrid Crosstrek had just come in for the exact same failure. Additionally, a local independent Subaru performance shop mentioned they have performed three similar rear differential replacements this year. This clearly appears to be a recurring problem, potentially linked to a design flaw, and I believe it warrants further investigation.

May 16, 2025

What component of system failed: transmission At low speeds, my car makes a low moaning sound. I took it to the subaru dealership and after 2.5 hours, they said it's an issue with the transmission and needs a full replacement. Safety: According to a local subaru dealer's website, "While it might be tempting to keep driving despite a known transmission fault, especially if the car seems to be running ‘fine’, there are inherent risks. Firstly, there’s the potential for the fault to escalate, causing more significant damage to the transmission system. This could, in turn, result in costlier repairs down the line. Secondly, and more crucially, a transmission fault could lead to unpredictable vehicle behavior, especially when changing gears. This unpredictability can be hazardous, not just for the driver but for others on the road as well." Problem reproduced: YES on 1/20/25 at Dewey Griffin Subaru in Bellingham, WA Inspected: YES on 1/20/25 at Dewey Griffin Subaru in Bellingham, WA. Warning lamps: NO

Jan 21, 2025

Transmission began making a whining noise at low speeds accelerating/ and backing up. Slight hesitation when accelerating. Transmission failed at 6k miles- confirmed by dealer and replaced. Now again at 34k miles same issue- transmission confirmed to be issue again by dealer. Subaru is in the process of sending a technician to dealer to inspect. No warning or messages displayed. Unacceptable quality/safety for a vehicle purchased new and all of the maintenance schedule followed.

May 24, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while shifting the vehicle into reverse, the vehicle launched forward without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 12,000.

Apr 25, 2023

The vehicle has experience numerous times now, and has been to the dealer for repairs regarding an unanticipated loss of all ability to accelerate or maintain speed until the vehicle is shutdown and restarted. This has caused significant stress when traveling on a fast moving freeway in the fast lane and then having to quickly get to the shoulder to "power-cycle" the vehicle. The dealer has seen the vehicle 5 times for this issue in the 10 months we have owned it, starting at 6k miles and we just got it back from 2 weeks with the dealer; today it has 9k miles. The dealer has told is that the vehicle losing all power and ability to accelerate or maintain speed is a safety feature. I feel having my wife and three children in a vehicle the significantly increases the chances for collision as very much the opposite of a safety feature. We have tried working with the dealer over the past 6 months and 3k miles, but need the help of an advocate who can influence the dealer to correct the issue before someone gets hurt or worse. The date shown below is only the first instance of many instances of power loss.

Mar 07, 2022

VISIBILITY

4 complaints

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated after entering the vehicle it was discovered that the front windshield had developed a crack extending approximately four inches from the top of the windshield to the rearview mirror attachment. The contact indicated that no object or rocks had made contact with the windshield to cause the crack. The cause of the failure was not determined. The windshield was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 13,000.

Aug 16, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while entering the vehicle she noticed that the front windshield had a 10-inch crack on the driver’s side. The contact stated that an object had not struck the windshield to cause the crack. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

Jun 25, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CRACK FORMED VERTICALLY ON THE TOP EDGE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD AT A LENGTH OF APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING. FLEMINGTON SUBARU (167 NJ-31, FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822) WAS CONTACTED INFORMED HER TO CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. PATRIOT SUBARU (769 PORTLAND RD, SACO, ME 04072) WAS THEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THEY DO NOT REPAIR WINDSHIELDS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000.

Mar 04, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHE BECAME AWARE OF A CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE CRACK WAS FORMED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED A LOCAL DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

Mar 01, 2021

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 complaints

Car is a Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Car was connected to its electrical charge cable The connector is a type SAE J1772 When the connector is connected to the car, the ignition is supposed to be disabled, and the car is not supposed to be able to be removed from Park. Neither safety system was operable. When the car was moved, it broke the connector, exposing the bare pins. Hazard - potential exposure to electrocution or fire There is a small orange indicator on the display when the cable is connected. It should be RED, and it should inhibit the operation of the car.

Jun 06, 2022

Battery drains quickly.

Nov 20, 2021

If car sits unused for 2 or 3 days, the battery will have slowly drained down to the point where the car won't start. It seems that the car's internal electronics drains the battery down, even if the car isn't being operated. Even if the car is being operated, the battery is only charged up to about half of a full charge which contributes to the battery drain problem. The dealer says that the car should be started up every day to keep this problem from occurring, but that doesn't seem reasonable, and is practical if the car needs to be parked a few days at the airport.

Jun 21, 2021

MY CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER STOPPING TO VISIT A FRIEND. THE FRIEND WATCHED UNDER THE HOOD WHEN I PRESSED THE START BUTTON. HE SAW SPARKS FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD DRIVEN OVER 27 MILES THAT DAY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE I MADE TOO MANY SHORT TRIPS. THEY OFFERED TO INSTALL A BATTERY CHARGER WHICH I DON'T FEEL SHOULD BE NECESSARY ON A BRAND NEW CAR.

May 03, 2021

SEAT BELTS

2 complaints

At Miami Airport, with ample space behind the vehicle in front, a pickup truck with a very long sloping ramp trailer to carry several cars pulled into the stated space. The lefthand side rear of the trailer being well below my line of vision hit my bumper on the passenger side. My insurance provided GPS confirmed I was driving at 16 mph at the time. We both stopped. We looked at no damage to the trailer and seemingly minor damage to the car. We both drove off. I was about 500 yards from where I parked at the airport. After my return from the UK 5 days later I drove home and used the car for several days. At the time of the collision, my diagonal part of the seatbelt failed to restrain me. My chest hit the steering wheel and I have since experienced continuous pain. (No broken bones). The incident was a sort of sideswipe. Despite its roadworthiness, the car became a write-off as a support for the engine was found to be unexpectedly bent as well. Driving conditions were ideal. I was also looking for airport signage at the time. The incident was late April 2025. There is not much more I can add. There was no time to call the police nor was there any need,

Oct 15, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while she was sitting in the parked vehicle on the side of the road, another vehicle driving at approximately 60-65 MPH rear-ended her vehicle. The contact's vehicle was pushed into the highway's first lane. The front driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the contact in her seat, causing her forehead to hit the steering wheel and the back of her head to roll between the A-Pillar of the front windshield and the front driver's side door. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal when the front of her ankles hit the bottom of the dashboard. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was transported by ambulance to the hospital and received medical attention for a brain injury, lower back pain, and broken blood vessels on her ankles. The contact was later diagnosed with craniocervical instability (CCI). The vehicle was towed to a body shop, where it was repaired. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Nov 29, 2023

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while pulling into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal a second time, the vehicle jerked, unintendedly accelerated, drove up the curb, and crashed into the metal plastic pole of Wawa. The pole was fractured. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. There was no warning light illuminated. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could only diagnose the vehicle after it had been repaired by an auto body repair shop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that she would be contacted later and would be informed of the location she would need to take the vehicle for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

Feb 19, 2025

Crash: 1

The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that as attempted to park her vehicle at 5 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning and drove onto a boulder. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. Three of the contact’s front teeth were knocked out as a result of the failure. The police were called to her property; however, a police report was not filed since the failure happened on private property. The contact was able to make an appointment with a dentist where she was treated for a fractured jaw; in addition, two front teeth were extracted from her jaw. Once her jaw had healed, dental implants were used to replace her missing teeth. The vehicle was towed to an independent auto body mechanic and later sold the vehicle since she no longer felt safe driving it. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, they claimed to have never heard of such a failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The whereabouts of the vehicle are unknown. The failure mileage was 5,104.

May 19, 2022

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

SEATS

1 complaint

The bolt attaching the front left corner of the seat to the rails came loose and allows the seat to wobble and bounce.

Jun 02, 2025

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

The 2019-2021 Crosstrek Hybrid has an issue with the fuel tank design. Subaru has finally released a TSB (Reference: 09-82-23R) that explains the issue in more detail and how the defective parts need to be replaced. In short, the fuel tank has a design flaw such that regular fuel corrodes the fuel tank and causes clogging in the vapor vent tubes. Subaru says it's related to fuel with high ethanol content, however I have been filling up with regular fuel and have still experienced the issue. I have personally owned two of these vehicles and experienced the occasional P0452 check engine light which when diagnosed by a licensed shop pointed to this fuel evap system issue. Subaru has finally acknowledged that this is a known issue and issued the TSB, however they have not yet issued a recall. The repairs for this issue are expensive and the symptoms are an occasional check engine light. I am concerned because this issue is not easily detectable and is expensive to repair. Since this involves the fuel tank and fuel vapors tubes I am concerned there might be a fire risk or health risk, but since there is no recall issued I don't know if it can be ignored or needs immediate attention. Subaru does cover this repair under 3 yr / 30k mile warranty but with the irregular symptoms it is hard to detect and diagnose it and Subaru only issued the TSB in Jan 2024 when the 2021 model became 3 years old and out of warranty. It seems like Subaru knew about the issue but didn't want to address it under warranty so they issued the TSB only after all the cars were out of warranty and only now when the consumers have to pay out of pocket are they diagnosing it correctly. Also, this issue triggers the check-engine light only occasionally and at random, and when the light goes on all the vehicle safety aids like pre-collision braking and rear cross traffic warnings are disabled. I think this is dangerous because drivers tend to get used to having those features.

Mar 26, 2025

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

1 complaint

The contact's significant other owns a 2020 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated while his significant other was driving from a complete stop, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The dealer replaced the battery, the fuel cap, and cleared the warning lights; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

Jun 20, 2024

ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

The auto engine shut off was disengaged by the dealer while doing some repair. When we picked up the car, noticed engine trouble icons signifying this. We called the dealer and advised of this situation. We had asked if it could be disconnected and was told no, it is forbidden and a safety issue. So when I advised it was turned off, the dealer then refused to work on the car any further or to turn it back on. THEY ARE THE ONLY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER IN KNOXVILLE. That certified mechanic is the one who DID NOT reconnect this safety feature and then refused to fix it. What ever measures need to be taken to this dealer (Grayson Subaru - Knoxville) I need to do so. This has created a huge safety issue with the car and driving and a authorized / approved Subaru dealer refuses to follow the law.

Mar 15, 2024

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

This vehicle is a plug-in-hybrid. It should not be able to move while plugged in. Problem is attempting to move the vehicle when the charge cable is still attached and the vehicle is on an incline. Subaru does not display a warning message - instead it displays "check engine" and an ambiguous symbol (a red steering wheel). Subaru disables the power to wheels that would have enabled the driver to close the gap to the charging station. Instead the vehicle rolls away from the charging station, breaking power plug at the vehicle port. Even placing the car in Park does not prevent damage, the car will roll down hill until the Parking gear latches. I have now broken my power plug 3 times. I am a professional electrical engineer. This should not be able to happen Subaru should prevent the car from being able to move if the cable is still attached, and instead display a message that the cable is still attached. With the "check engine" message, I engaged my OBD diagnostics and it could not find a "check engine" flag. At this point, I put the car in gear, and even through Subaru disables power, the car then passively rolls down the driveway, breaking the cable at the power port. Instead of the ambiguous "red steering wheel" icon - Subaru needs to lock the car in Park and display a real message. When you finally turn the ignition off - Subaru displays a huge "Goodbye" message on the auxiliary display. I say finally because if you do restart the ignition with the cable attatched - you will not be able to turn off the ignition - only after exiting the vehicle, disconnecting the plug will you be able to turn off the vehicle. Not being able to turn off the ignition should not be permitted. Numerous errors in the control logic.

Mar 05, 2024

Crash: 1

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

Car was thought to be placed in park, key was easily removed, and then the car became mobile and rolled downhill and could not be shifted back into park.

Dec 10, 2023

Crash: 1

STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

Driver side rear door window exploded while driving. Shattering was unexpected. No rocks were heading that way and car is only 1.5 years old.

Oct 12, 2021

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

Stalls sometimes when in intersection or when making a turn from dead stop ,then goes along fine. Seems like it is fuel or computer problem

Sep 28, 2021

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON. CRACK FORMED UNDERNEATH THE EDGE OF THE RUBBER WINDOW SEAL AND HAS SPREAD A CRACK SIX INCHES IN HEIGHT.

May 11, 2021

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

WE HAD A REMOTE START INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO ACCEPTING DELIVERY OF THE CAR. TWO DAYS LATER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNABLE TO START. THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP (SPORT SUBARU SOUTH IN ORLANDO FL) SENT A TECHNICIAN TO REPAIR THE CAR, RATHER THAN TOWING IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRING IT THERE. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE REMOTE START WAS DEFECTIVE AND REROUTED THE STARTING PROCEDURE. SINCE THEN, THE CAR MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE ON COLD STARTS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE REST OF THE REMOTE START COMPONENTS REMOVED, BUT THEY CLAIMED TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE SOUND. WE FEEL THESE REMOTE STARERS ARE UNSAFE AND LIKELY DAMAGING THE VEHICLE'S STARTER, AND POSSIBLY OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. WE HAVE VIDEO OF THE CAR NOT STARTING AND THE ENGINE NOISE.

Apr 22, 2020

4.2/5.0

29 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek have?

The 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek currently has 62 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek?

The most common problems reported for the 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2020 SUBARU Crosstrek comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.