SUBARU CROSSTREK · model year

2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK

73 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020SUBARUCROSSTREK carries 73 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 CROSSTREK is visibility/wiper with 30 filings, followed by unknown or other (9) and electrical system (7). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2020 CROSSTREK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

73
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

73 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY/WIPER30
UNKNOWN OR OTHER9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
POWER TRAIN6
ENGINE3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD3
STRUCTURE:BODY2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SEAT BELTS2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING2
VISIBILITY1
SERVICE BRAKES1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP1
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING1

Recent Complaints

20251015CrashSEAT BELTS

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.

20250602SEATS

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

20250516POWER TRAIN

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. W

20250326FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 involv

20250326FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

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 involv

20250326BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

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 involv

20250219CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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

Mileage: 42,000

20250121POWER TRAIN

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

20250110VISIBILITY/WIPER

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.

20240620ENGINE

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.

Mileage: 51,000

20240620ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

Mileage: 51,000

20240620FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

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.

Mileage: 51,000

20240315ENGINE

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.

20240315FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

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.

20240305CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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 fin

20240305CrashPOWER TRAIN

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 fin

20231210CrashSERVICE BRAKES

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.

20231210CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

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.

20231129CrashSEAT BELTS

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 deeme

20230524POWER TRAIN

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.

Compare 2020SUBARUCROSSTREK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK have?
The 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK has 73 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK?
The 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK?
The most-complained component for the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK is VISIBILITY/WIPER with 30 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 SUBARU CROSSTREK has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.