2013 Subaru CROSSTREK

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Subaru CROSSTREK has 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2013 subaru crosstrek. the contact stated that oil needed to be added to the vehicle every 1,200 miles and the low oil warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to lithia subaru of fresno (5499 n blackstone ave, fresno, ca 93710, (559) 540-7189) where the contact wa. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 1 crash report

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

11 complaints

31%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE EVERY 1,200 MILES AND THE LOW OIL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LITHIA SUBARU OF FRESNO (5499 N BLACKSTONE AVE, FRESNO, CA 93710, (559) 540-7189) WHERE THE CONTACT WA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE RPMS WERE REGISTERING HIGH, THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING WITH THE INDICATOR FLASH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. OCEAN SUB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE EVERY 1,200 MILES AND THE LOW OIL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LITHIA SUBARU OF FRESNO (5499 N BLACKSTONE AVE, FRESNO, CA 93710, (559) 540-7189) WHERE THE CONTACT WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

5 complaints

14%

• ECO-WIRING MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ATTRACT ANIMALS. A RODENT CHEWED THROUGH MY WIRING HARNESS. $800 WORTH OF DAMAGE THAT COULD BE PREVENTED. CAR IS INOPERABLE.
• 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK(70K MILES) PASSENGER DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. WITHIN 3 MINUTES OF SMELLING SMOKE INSIDE DOOR PANEL WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WENT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY, TURNED ENGINE OFF, PUT OUT THE FLAMES, WAITED FOR THE SMOKE TO CLEAR AND THE PLASTIC TO COOL OFF. UPON RESTARTING VEHICLE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“ECO-WIRING MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ATTRACT ANIMALS. A RODENT CHEWED THROUGH MY WIRING HARNESS. $800 WORTH OF DAMAGE THAT COULD BE PREVENTED. CAR IS INOPERABLE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

3 complaints

• 4TH SEAT OF REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT BULBS SO FAR (LOW BEAMS) SINCE NEW. ORIGINAL OWNERS, NO ACCIDENTS, NO AFTERMARKET ITEMS. THEY BOTH BURN AT THE SAME TIME. YOU ONLY NOTICE IT ONCE ITS DARK OUTSIDE AT YOU TRY TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AND NO LOW BEAMS.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 19V149000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECALL REPAIRS. DUFF SUBARU (1028 S RO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“4TH SEAT OF REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT BULBS SO FAR (LOW BEAMS) SINCE NEW. ORIGINAL OWNERS, NO ACCIDENTS, NO AFTERMARKET ITEMS. THEY BOTH BURN AT THE SAME TIME. YOU ONLY NOTICE IT ONCE ITS DARK OUTSIDE AT YOU TRY TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AND NO LOW BEAMS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

3 complaints

• THE CAR WOULD LOSE A QUART OF ANTI FREEZE EVERY 7500 MILES.I BROUGHT IT IN AT LEAST 8 TIMES TELLING THEM THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY PRESSURE TESTED THE VEHICLE AT LEAST 8 TIMES AND 2 SERVICE MANAGERS SAID I WAS NUTS THEY ARE BOTH FIRED. MY 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVES FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA. I ASKED
• WHEN TURNING RIGHT HEARD CLICKING SE FROM RIGHT FRONT; GARAGE REPLACED AXLE 74,141 MILES. WAS TOLD BY 1ST GARAGE THAT THIS WAS THEIR 3RD 2013 CROSSTREK IN THE LAST MONTH THAT WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. SUBARU DEALER TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF A PROBLEM.
• SOLENOID VALVE IN CVT CRACKED AFTER 6.5 YEARS OF USE (ROUGHLY 140K - 160K MILES). GOT IT FIXED, THEN 1 YEAR LATER (ANOTHER 40K - 20K MILES), IT WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BOTH TIMES I WAS ACCELERATING. THE FIRST TIME FROM A STOP, AND SECOND TIME I WAS ON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE CAR WOULD LOSE A QUART OF ANTI FREEZE EVERY 7500 MILES.I BROUGHT IT IN AT LEAST 8 TIMES TELLING THEM THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY PRESSURE TESTED THE VEHICLE AT LEAST 8 TIMES AND 2 SERVICE MANAGERS SAID I WAS NUTS THEY ARE BOTH FIRED. MY 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVES FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA. I ASKED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

2 complaints

• AFTER 73,000 MILES OF MOSTLY NON-PEAK HIGHWAY MILES THE BREAK LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. THIS CAUSED MY BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK UNTIL AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE. THE DASH HILL ASSIST, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY DURING DRIVING
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AFTER 73,000 MILES OF MOSTLY NON-PEAK HIGHWAY MILES THE BREAK LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. THIS CAUSED MY BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK UNTIL AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE. THE DASH HILL ASSIST, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY DURING DRIVING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 35 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE EVERY 1,200 MILES AND THE LOW OIL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LITHIA SUBARU OF FRESNO (5499 N BLACKSTONE AVE, FRESNO, CA 93710, (559) 540-7189) WHERE THE CONTACT WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ECO-WIRING MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ATTRACT ANIMALS. A RODENT CHEWED THROUGH MY WIRING HARNESS. $800 WORTH OF DAMAGE THAT COULD BE PREVENTED. CAR IS INOPERABLE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: 4TH SEAT OF REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT BULBS SO FAR (LOW BEAMS) SINCE NEW. ORIGINAL OWNERS, NO ACCIDENTS, NO AFTERMARKET ITEMS. THEY BOTH BURN AT THE SAME TIME. YOU ONLY NOTICE IT ONCE ITS DARK OUTSIDE AT YOU TRY TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK AND NO LOW BEAMS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: THE CAR WOULD LOSE A QUART OF ANTI FREEZE EVERY 7500 MILES.I BROUGHT IT IN AT LEAST 8 TIMES TELLING THEM THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY PRESSURE TESTED THE VEHICLE AT LEAST 8 TIMES AND 2 SERVICE MANAGERS SAID I WAS NUTS THEY ARE BOTH FIRED. MY 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVES FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA. I ASKED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)