NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 195 owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek.
Recalled components: suspension, electrical system, engine and cooling, and brakes. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (63 complaints, 32%). Most-reported area: visibility/wiper (64 complaints, 33%; median mileage when it happened: 20,000).
One of the Crosstrek years to avoid
The 2018 drew 98 owner complaints in its first three years, against 39 for a typical Crosstrek year: 2.5 times as many.
Years to avoid: 2018 and 2019; best years: 2016, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
Risk: Missing bolts may allow the rear stabilizer bracket to shift, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will retorque and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 17, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-21.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causing a short circuit.
Risk: A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software, replace the ignition coils and, if necessary, the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 1, 2021. Owners can contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-21. Note: This recall includes all vehicles previously repaired under Recall 19V743.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles.
NHTSA listing: CROSSTREK. Components: Electrical system: ignition; Electrical system: software; Engine and cooling: engine, engine control module (ecu/ecm), software; Engine and cooling: exhaust system, manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe. Subaru campaign WRE-21.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, which could result in a short circuit and blown fuse.
Risk: If a short circuit occurs while driving, the vehicle may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will update the ECM software and inspect and replace the ignition coil, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, on vehicles with confirmed ignition coil damage and a certain stored diagnostic trouble code (DTC), Subaru will replace the front exhaust pipe, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUQ-02.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles.
The PCV valve may come apart, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, possibly resulting in a loss of power while driving.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began December 2, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUP-01.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Impreza and 2018 Crosstrek vehicles equipped with an aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
These vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect floor mat retention bracket, allowing the floor mat to move out of position and interfere with the accelerator or brake pedal operation.
Risk: If the floor mat moves out of position and interferes with the accelerator or brake pedal operation, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the floor mat retention bracket and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTR-77.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Crosstrek vehicles.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek.
What owners report
Owners have filed 195 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Crosstrek. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Cracked or shattered windshield63 · 32%
Median 19,200 miles at failure, from 50 reports with mileage
Median 20,000 miles at failure, from 51 reports with mileage
Electrical system32 · 16%
Median 9,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Engine32 · 16%
Median 5,700 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Powertrain14 · 7%
Speed control13 · 7%
Body structure10 · 5%
Most named: body (9)
Visibility9 · 5%
Most named: windshield (7)
Unknown or other41 · 21%
Median 18,000 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Subaru Crosstrek recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Crosstrek drew the most (200) and the 2018 drew 98.
Owner complaints
2018: 195 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Complaints
2013
124
2014
107
2015
100
2016
136
2017
99
2018
195
2019
288
2020
71
2021
116
2022
32
2023
36
2024
121
2025
48
2026
11
Safety recalls
2018: 5 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Recalls
2013
3
2014
1
2015
2
2016
1
2017
1
2018
5
2019
8
2020
1
2021
2
2022
1
2023
0
2024
2
2025
0
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 195 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, the problems described most are a cracked or shattered windshield (63), stalling or shutting off (17), and hesitation or slow acceleration (8). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Subaru Crosstrek.
How do I check if my Crosstrek has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: CROSSTREK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.