UsedScore

2015 Subaru Crosstrek: Solid

Owners filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Crosstrek in its first five years on the road, about 64 for every 100,000 sold: 0.8× the rate of a typical Crosstrek year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the brakes (17% of complaints, median 41,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.8×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Crosstrek year
Rank
3rd of 9
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
54
first five years; 64 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
2
campaigns
1st generation, 2013–2017 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Photo: 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek · Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Brakes17% · 9 complaints · median 41,000 miles
  2. Powertrain24% · 13 complaints · median 29,000 miles
  3. Engine19% · 10 complaints · median 42,000 miles
  4. Electrical19% · 10 complaints · median 39,000 miles
  5. Speed control9% · 5 complaints · median 19,000 miles
  6. Air bags6% · 3 complaints
  7. Fuel and propulsion6% · 3 complaints
  8. Steering4% · 2 complaints
  9. Lights4% · 2 complaints
  10. Seats and belts2% · 1 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Brakes

Owners describe warning lights coming on and the car getting stuck in park due to a failing brake switch component. Some had repeated repairs without lasting success, and a few mention recalls that didn't apply to their vehicle.

Warning signs:
Owners often notice dashboard warning lights (ABS, hill assist, vehicle dynamics control) illuminating suddenly, sometimes with the brake pedal feeling unresponsive or difficult to depress.
What shops did:
Some owners had the brake light switch replaced, sometimes multiple times, while others report dealers found the issue without a permanent resolution; a few mention a related recall that did not cover their vehicle.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 50,000 miles, among 8 complaints that give it

“The hill assist, ABS, and traction control lights all came on. When I parked the vehicle and shut it off, it refused to come out of park”

“Sometimes when pushing the brake pedal the ABS light comes on and will not allow the car to shift from park”

Engine

Owners describe their Crosstreks suddenly losing power or stalling while driving, sometimes with revving RPMs and no warning lights. Separately, several report oil leaking into the coolant system or head gasket issues that dealers struggled to fully diagnose or repair.

Warning signs:
Many report no warning lights before stalling, though some notice high RPM revving, a loud noise, temporary loss of AC, or an intermittent temperature light beforehand.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the stalling issue, though some found leaking cam box seals, head gasket problems, or transmission valve body issues, with a few repairs unresolved or warranties extended.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 60,000 miles, among 10 complaints that give it

“The car rapidly lost speed and revved to 5500 RPM. The vehicle continued to lose speed and would not respond when I pressed down on the accelerator”

“The technician found oil in the radiator of the car. I was told this could be a head gasket and the engine may need to be replaced.”

Powertrain

Owners describe their Crosstreks stalling, hesitating, or losing power unexpectedly, sometimes on highways at speed, with the CVT transmission frequently blamed. Dealers often can't find a cause, though some replaced transmissions or extended warranties after repeated failures.

Warning signs:
Some report a whistling or grinding noise, revving RPMs, sudden loss of acceleration, or the car slowing despite pressing the gas pedal before the failure.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the issue, though some replaced the transmission, valve body, or extended the warranty.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 75,000 miles, among 18 complaints that give it

“the only noticeable symptom was a slight whistling noise coming from the vehicle shortly before the transmission issue became severe”

“Car stalled and died while driving on freeway traveling 75mph. Felt like the transmission shifted into a low gear and the RPM's revved.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (2)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V149000February 20191,303,530 vehicles

    Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.

    Risk: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V366000June 201571,710 vehicles

    Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking · Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

    Risk: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 424 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2015 Crosstrek. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 16-156-25R · August 2026This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body.
  • SubaruNet Announcement (R · May 2026This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
  • 03-97-26 · April 2026This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
  • 15-300-22R · January 2026This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedure for the STARLINK® Remote Engine Start (RES).
  • 18-226-25R · December 2025This Service Information Bulletin provides the Service Manual Correction to the diagnostic procedure for DTC B2A16 (Immobilizer Key Collation Diagnosis).
  • 16-156-25 · September 2025This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body.
  • 07-235-25 · September 2025In the interest of customer satisfaction Subaru of America, Inc.
  • Subaru Service Technical · August 2025Subaru Service Technical Support Newsletter special edition.

All 2015 Crosstrek bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2015 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?
Owners filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Crosstrek in its first five years on the road, about 64 for every 100,000 sold: 0.8× the rate of a typical Crosstrek year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Crosstrek years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2015 Crosstrek problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the brakes (17%), the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (24%) and the engine (19%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2015 Subaru Crosstrek been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2015 Subaru Crosstrek, the most recent in February 2019 (exterior lighting). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2015 Subaru Crosstrek on NHTSA.gov · How we rate