2015 Subaru Xv Crosstrek problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (12) · Engine (10) · Electrical System (9)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Subaru Xv Crosstrek model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
45 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (1)
Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking 2015-06-12 · campaign 15V366000 · 71,710 vehicles
Defect: 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,
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. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
Service bulletins (238)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-05 · SubaruNet Announcement (M · Other
this announcement provides information on a new software update for the midtronics dss and dca machines.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-18 · 13-109-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other
this announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-14 · 15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Electrical System 2026-09-14 · 15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of infotainment concerns. this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Electrical System 2026-08-20 · 15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this 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 no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.this is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 238 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-02 · Service Brakes · 💥 crash“i started the car up in a parking spot located in [xxx]. when i shifted it into drive, it immediately took off, and when i repeatedly hit the brake, it wouldn't stop. it hit a parked car about a car and a half length in front of me, which hit another parked car in front of it; both were damaged. the front of my car was severely damaged, and the eng…”
2026-09-02 · Power Train · 59,900 mi“the contact owns a 2015 subaru xv crosstrek. the contact stated that while driving 72 mph, the vehicle stalled and bucked, with a grinding sound coming from the vehicle. there was no warning light illuminated. the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. additionally, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle, and there was fluid lea…”
2026-05-14 · Power Train“i am filing a complaint regarding a major cvt transmission failure in my 2015 subaru crosstrek at approximately 117,318 miles. prior to failure, there were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or significant indications of impending transmission failure. the only noticeable symptom was a slight whistling noise coming from the vehicle shortly befo…”
2025-12-23 · Engine“while driving at normal operating speed, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power with no prior warning. there were no dashboard alerts, warning lights, or check engine indicators before the failure occurred. the vehicle became immediately unsafe to operate and had to be pulled over in a main highway center lane divide. a…”
2025-11-10 · Suspension“unknown exact cause. rear end of vehicle suddenly appears lower than normal. suspension seems to be issue. feels as though vehicle lost suspension in rear with no obvious outward cause. awaiting inspection at dealership. does not seem safe to drive in current condition with unknown cause of issue at this time. having vehicle towed to dealership fo…”
2025-08-09 · Unknown Or Other“sunroof exploded for no reason comments: my son was driving on freeway in durham north carolina last night, our 2015 subaru crosstrek xv touring’s sunroof just exploded for no reason at [xxx] in [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)…”
2025-04-09 · Unknown Or Other“pressing the horn button on the steering wheel does not sound the horn. however, pushing the “lock” or “panic” button on the key fob still makes the horn beep. so the horn itself works, but pressing on the steering wheel does absolutely nothing. other buttons on the steering column still work (cruise control, radio controls, etc). only pressing the…”
2024-05-17 · Engine“oil leaking into coolant system. car has been through several repairs but the problem continues even after multiple repairs of possible source of leakage. potential hazard or car catching on fire with leaking oil fluid. …”
2024-05-06 · Structure:body“while driving on the freeway (no overpasses) my sunroof suddenly exploded. when i was able to stop and look at the damage, the remaining part of the sunroof was arched upward. there was no evidence of an object having hit the glass.…”
2024-01-15 · Electrical System“during a near collision, attempted to warn other driver of the situation, but the crosstrek horn did not work. this appears to be a common problem with these vehicles, that the horn does not work reliably in all normal steering wheel positions. given the horn is an essential piece of safety equipment, this is a significant problem.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.