Total Complaints
3 filings
SUBARU XT · model year
1986 SUBARU XT
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986SUBARUXT carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1986 XT is interior lighting with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:headlights:switch (1) and unknown or other (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1986 XT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990217UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ DURING DAYLIGHT.
19970904EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEALIGHT SWITCH FAILED TWICE. *AK
19970722INTERIOR LIGHTING
THE OWNER HAS REPLACED THE DASHBOARD SWITCH TWICE BECAUSE IT NO LONGER OPERATES. *AK
Compare 1986SUBARUXT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 SUBARU XT have?▼
The 1986 SUBARU XT has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 SUBARU XT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 SUBARU XT is INTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1986 SUBARU XT safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1986 SUBARU XT; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.