UsedScore

2017 Subaru Crosstrek: Solid

Owners filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek in its first five years on the road, about 73 for every 100,000 sold: 1.0× the rate of a typical Crosstrek year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the engine (12% of complaints, median 17,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.0×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Crosstrek year
Rank
5th of 10
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
78
first five years; 73 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
1
campaign
1st generation, 2013–2017 · Updated November 9, 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. Engine12% · 9 complaints · median 17,000 miles
  2. Visibility31% · 24 complaints · median 26,000 miles
  3. Electrical21% · 16 complaints · median 36,000 miles
  4. Powertrain9% · 7 complaints · median 41,000 miles
  5. Brakes6% · 5 complaints
  6. Fuel and propulsion3% · 2 complaints
  7. Speed control4% · 3 complaints
  8. Air bags4% · 3 complaints
  9. Body and structure1% · 1 complaints
  10. Seats and belts1% · 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

Electrical

Many 2017 Crosstrek owners describe the ignition key sticking after shifting into park, forcing them to cycle the shifter or restart the car to free it. A few also mention unrelated electrical issues like battery drain, throttle loss, or infotainment freezes, with dealers giving mixed responses.

Warning signs:
Owners report needing to shift repeatedly between park, drive, or neutral, or restart the car, before the key will release.
What shops did:
Some dealers replaced the shifter or said they couldn't duplicate the issue; others told owners repairs would be out of pocket.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 45,000 miles, among 15 complaints that give it

“The key cannot be removed from the ignition when the car is tuned off and in park. Constantly need to restart the car and play around with the shifter.”

“The service provider reported 'erratic operation of park switch on shifter' and the shifter was replaced and problem is resolved.”

Engine

Owners describe their Crosstrek unexpectedly stalling or losing power while driving, sometimes at highway speeds or during acceleration from a stop. Several say dealers could not find a cause, leaving the issue unresolved and causing concern about sudden loss of control.

Warning signs:
Some report the car losing power or stalling without warning lights, while others describe a lag before acceleration or dashboard warning lights illuminating.
What shops did:
Owners report dealers were often unable to replicate or identify the cause, and in some cases no repair was made.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 20,000 miles, among 8 complaints that give it

“Car stalls randomly upon acceleration from a stoplight or stop sign.”

“Vehicle loses power at highway speeds and throttle is completely unresponsive/non-functional.”

Visibility

Owners of this Crosstrek report windshields that crack seemingly on their own, frequently while the car is parked and not struck by anything. Repairs usually mean a full windshield replacement, often at the owner's own expense.

Warning signs:
Some owners first noticed a small chip or hairline mark near the wiper area or edge of the glass before the crack spread; a few note fogging that defoggers didn't clear.
What shops did:
Many owners had the windshield replaced by a dealer or glass shop, often paying out of pocket since it was not covered under warranty.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, among 19 complaints that give it

“Windshield glass spontaneously broke with no damage. Had to get service to repair and replace.”

“Crack originated under the windshield wiper blades and spread when I turned the heat on to the middle of the windshield.”

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

Recalls (1)

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.

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 352 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2017 Crosstrek. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • SubaruNet Announcement (T · October 2026This is an update announcement regarding the TechShare & NorthStar Integration - CVT Diag.
  • SubaruNet Announcement (S · October 2026This announcement provides information on the connected services platform for Subaru EVs.
  • 15-344-26 · October 2026This bulletin provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles.
  • 15-304-22R · October 2026This Service Information Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
  • SubaruNet Announcement (Q · October 2026This announcement provides information on DCM replacememts due to a parasitic draw.
  • SubaruNet Announcement (M · October 2026This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
  • 15-308-23R · August 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
  • Article Locator · August 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.

All 2017 Crosstrek bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?
Owners filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek in its first five years on the road, about 73 for every 100,000 sold: 1.0× 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 2017 Crosstrek problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the engine (12%), visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (31%) and the electrical system (21%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 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 November 9, 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 2017 Subaru Crosstrek on NHTSA.gov · How we rate