2025 Subaru Crosstrek: Recalls, Complaints & California Lemon Law

The Sirius XM advertisement creates an unsafe experience. The only way to safe way close it requires the driver to pull over to touch the “X”, or to risk taking eyes off the road in order to use the interface, including the climate control.

NHTSA #11741717

Sirius XM radio pop up advertisement disables the touch screen and features until the little red x button is hit in the top right corner away from the driver.

NHTSA #11741737

Subaru’s infotainment system and GPS system has advertising pop ups which cover the map while driving. This has happened multiple times and it is incredibly distracting and dangerous. There is no way to opt out.

NHTSA #11739448

When driving under windy conditions and/or at highway speeds (55mph+), the side mirror vibrate excessively. This causes blurring and obscuring of images in the mirror, sometimes to the point where you cannot see anything clearly. This thankfully has not cause any accidents for me, but I have heard many other owners have the same problem. I have heard owners claim Subaru is aware of this problem and their repair is subpar

NHTSA #11738991

Upon driving off the lot at highway speeds I noticed that the driver's side mirror was vibrating more than expected. Over the last few months of ownership and at almost 6,000 miles the vibration has gotten worse.

NHTSA #11696038

I bought my Subaru new from a dealer on Friday. Upon driving it off the lot, the driver side mirror vibrated so much that it made the mirror's image blurry. You can not accurately judge traffic behind you to tell if it is safe to merge. There is a technical service bulletin about this problem and the dealer tried to make that repair today, Monday morning. The repair did not fix the problem and the mirror is still creating an unsafe driving experience. The dealer was able to reproduce the issue and is documented on paper. Subaru has neglected to come up with a solution to properly fix this issue and the part should be recalled.

NHTSA #11681481

The EyeSight system always pulls the car toward highway exits when you’re driving on the right lane of a highway. You have to fight the steering to keep the car centered in the lane.

NHTSA #11741751

Vehicle lane keeping assistance switches itself off and on while driving. After first occurrence, dealer response was that such behavior is not unusual when sun is in front of the vehicle. Second occurred while driving with sun behind the vehicle and on either side of vehicle. This has been reported to dealer but there has been no response.

NHTSA #11719893

Right blind spot detection does not work 96% of the time. Almost caused two collisions. Dealership said it either works or it doesn't, no in between. Since it works 4% of the time, they are not going to replace it or figure out what is wrong.

NHTSA #11705768

I was driving on a Texas highway on May 2 at the speed limit of 75 mph with the car on cruise control. It was a sunny day and traffic was light. Suddenly, without warning, or apparent cause the car went into a hard brake and the collision avoidance signals were beeping and flashing. The car behind me had to hard brake to avoid collision. I pulled over to the shoulder but as soon as I put my foot on the brake the flashing and beeping stopped. I eased back onto the highway but as soon as I got up some speed, the same thing happened again. I thought it might be related to the cruise control so I turned off the cruise control and it stopped. I drove the rest of the way without cruise control and there were no further incidents. I took the car to dealer. The service department ran diagnostics and test drove it but said they could not duplicate the problem. They said the car was operating "normally." I called Customer Advocacy at Subaru and spoke to woman on a recorded line. She clearly stated that sometimes the EyeSight feature can cause the car to "think there's something in front of you" and activate the collision avoidance hard braking. She claimed this was "normal." Still Subaru refused to do anything about it or buy back my car for more than trade-in value. I got the car from the dealer on May 18. On May 21, I discovered a class action lawsuit (Hall et. al. v. Subaru of America, Inc.) had been filed against Subaru on May 11, for the very same problem. The lawsuit covers most recent Subaru models including mine. I also discovered that "phantom braking" is a frequent complaint here and that Subaru settled a previous class action lawsuit for older models in Nov. 2025 . NHTSA needs to force a recall and warn consumers of this very dangerous defect. I would be surprised if it hasn't resulted in serious injury or death.

NHTSA #11739643

On two occasions, the vehicle has activated the forward collision warning although there was no nearby vehicle or obstruction. The date of incident is not precise.

NHTSA #11724288

Automatic Emergency Braking engaged unnecessarily. It was triggered by a plastic trash bag being blown in front of the vehicle. I was driving about 70 mph and was fortunate to avoid being rear-ended by another vehicle.

NHTSA #11707619

I got a pop-up message while attempting to back up using my rear backup camera that almost caused an accident. This blocked view of the camera and locked up the entire infotainment system until I could clear it. The pop up was: "Enjoy SiriusXM FREE thru 12/1." This kind of distraction while operating a vehicle that weighs almost a ton while the vehicle is in motion is dangerous and irresponsible. This advertisement disables and interferes with safety features on this vehicle.

NHTSA #11703064

Sirius XM advertizing obscures the entire screen making car data and navigation unavailable unless a driver takes their eyes of the road to press a tiny X on a corner. There are some offers when I bought the care where I had to shut the car off to get the ad to disappear. I do not want to have driver distraction from Ads that could lead to an accident or have me pull over in traffic to shut off. Please ask them to stop this behavior

NHTSA #11703109

Driver's side mirror wobbles/vibrates at highway speeds causing blurriness of objects and LED light trials. The dealer serviced it with a Subaru provided Service Bulletin #12-268-25 but still have the issue after that initial fix. This is a brand new car purchased in June 2025. My previous 2021 Subaru Crosstrek never had this issue and was noticed on my first highway trip.

NHTSA #11689937

On [XXX], at [XXX] , my sunroof spontaneously exploded outwards while driving at 65mph going north bound. There was not an object that struck the vehicle. The next vehicle ahead of me was nearly 1/4 mile ahead of me. I was driving down the road, heard a loud pop, followed by a wind whistling noise. I opened my sunroof sliding cover to find shattered glass and some glass falling to my face. I contact the dealer and have a appointment scheduled for the 5th INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11658700

Suddenly lost power steering, almost impossible to steer car to shoulder lane and stop. the car was taken to Fitzgerald Subaru, where technician found fault code C2532. Failure in Steering Gearbox assembly. Per Subaru techline case 260518-1300094. Advised to replace assembly. Parts used/replaced: 34110FN03A Need 023212010 x 2 051030300 x2 2 of 023212010. Nut castle 2 of 051030300. Cotter pin 2 of 44616AA291 Gasket - exhau

NHTSA #11744713

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA #11731609

This a second report following a visit to the dealer for system check. At that service, we were advised that no issues were identified, we were told that sunlight could cause the Subaru “EyeSight” system to disengage. Today, 25 February, the vehicle EyeSight system continues to disable and enable itself seemingly at random. This morning, we travelled on well marked roadways with overcast skies (no sunlight to cause problems). The system repeatedly disabled and enabled itself. In addition, on a street with vehicles parallel parked along the curb, the vehicle reported an obstacle and began braking for no apparent reason. This has been reported to the dealer. We are awaiting a response. It does seem as if there are some faults within the EyeSight system.

NHTSA #11720394

To Whom It May Concern; Again having ongoing issues and problems with my 2025 crosstrek. Just got it back from the dealership after it being there for over 3 weeks. I was returned to me with a nail in the tire. And they even lost my keys at the dealership. I've had my car back not even 24 hours and have 2 maintenance sensors come on. And the driver asst is only working one one side. Of course I contact the Subaru dealership - only to get dumped into a voicemail that doesn't get checked. I'm yet to hear from anyone from Subaru. Most likely won't. At this time it seems like the only way to get anything resolved is to seek legal action. That's sad because it really shouldn't have to come to that. Starting to wonder honestly if anyone actually works or does their job at Subaru. (or at least there job title on the person's business card) This has really gotten so ugly and out of hand all because Subaru "REFUSES" to follow up and "REFUSES" to follow through.Such an easy fix, Subaru have a service department. just fix my car. Geezzz - I know the mechanics have got to be certified.Just seems to be a never ending laundry list of maintenance issues with this vehicle. Clearly it's a lemon. It's a 2025 model - just swap it out already! This is utterly ridiculous! I can no longer make payments on [XXX] So I guess Subaru wont be getting my money for my lease on a car that seldomly works. Guess that's one way of getting out of payments. So that better not be getting my credit dinged because of this mess either.I am literally counting the days down to turn this hunk of junk back to Subaru. This has been the ultimate WORST experience of my entire life! And your dealership refuses to do anything about it at all! I even have multiple cases open with Subaru of America - they to REFUSE to do anything to address my issues at all. Never following up on phone calls or emails. I can't believe they're still in business!!! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11718546

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, an advertisement for a product that the contact had never purchased suddenly took over the infotainment system, which required the driver to interact with the infotainment screen and to return the screen to normal functionality. The contact was concerned that the issue was a distraction for the driver and was temporarily preventing access to the infotainment system safety features. Upon investigation, the contact learned that the manufacturer had enabled product advertisement on the infotainment screen of the vehicle while driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

NHTSA #11702672

Advertisement pops up for Siri’s radio while driving. Distracts from navigation and other primary functions

NHTSA #11701125

I buy the car couple weeks ago. The car is beautiful and works fine. The driver seat is notoriously uncomfortable. It just unbelievable painful. It is some drivable because of the pain and discomfort. I want resolution I want the seat to be upgrade with electric one. I am absolutely fit and I don't care if any medical condition. The seat makes the car undrivable

NHTSA #11696180

The drivers side mirror shakes and vibrates during normal local driving on my brand new 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Limited. I brought it in to be fixed and they did work on it but it did not fix the problem. I am have to bring it back a second time. I am reporting this as this is a known issue and Subaru has yet to come up with permanent fix. It makes car shake and provide poor visibility if don't have a clear view to gauge from.

NHTSA #11690481

Since purchasing the vehicle, I have had numerous problems with the lane departure warning. It is inconsistent on a daily basis. The only time it responds the way it is supposed to, is if there is average light and very vivid road/lane markings. It sometimes does not respond to yellow lines in the road unless they are very vivid. It often misses white lines unless there is a strong contrast to the road. When it rains, all systems on my dashboard show that they are off and the word "EYESIGHT" has a slash through it. There have been some instances where the car has not turned off, despite pushing the control repeatedly...and not allowing me entrance to the car despite the key in my hand and trying to open the locked car.

NHTSA #11683414

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while stopped at a gas station, the gas lid failed to open unless the vehicle was unlocked. The contact stated that the vehicle could not be refueled unless it was unlocked, which the contact considered to be a safety concern. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was provided with training on how to operate the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and informed that the vehicle needed to be unlocked while refueling the tank, per the owner's manual. The failure mileage was approximately 250.

NHTSA #11678306

My wife was almost killed yesterday in a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. She was hit by a side impact at over 35 mph through the driver's door, and the airbags didn't work. The side doors locked and buckled from the impact. Firefighters pulled my wife out of the car through the passenger door. What a piece of junk. Don't trust that junk.

NHTSA #11668032

I noticed that when I am driving on the freeway/highway for extended periods of time (30+ minutes) the wheel will start locking up. It stiffens enough that I have to force the wheel in a different direction. When it occurs there is no warning lights or messages from the car, it just suddenly stiffens. Other than driving on the freeway for 30+ minutes there does not seem to be any particular trigger for it to happen. This is a 2025 subaru crosstrek sport with 14,000 miles that we bought new. I noticed the first instance of it maybe a month into having the car.

NHTSA #11717698

WHEN MY WIFE IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG DOES NOT GO ON. I AM TOLD IT IS ACTIVATED BY WEIGHT. MY WIFE WEIGHTS 95 LBS. I WAS INITIALLY TOLD THAT 80 LBS OR MORE SHOULD ACTIVATE THE AIR BAG. THE AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN SHE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP OR THE SERVICE CENTER KNOWS WHAT TO DO TO CORRECT THE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. A CUSTOMER ADVOCATE SUGGESTED THAT MY WIFE SHOULD PUT ON SOME WEIGHT. THE MGR AT CUSTOMER ADVOCATE TOLD ME TO HAVE MY WIFE SIT IN THE BACK SEAT. WE HAVE TRIED THIS IN OTHER CROSSTREKS AND FORESTERS, ONE WAS EVEN A 2019 CROSSTREK AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS. IT ISN'T ONLY MY CAR, IT'S ALL THE SUBARUS WE TRIED. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY SEEM TO FEEL IT'S MY PROBLEM AND NO THEIRS. MY WIFE IS NOT SAFE WHILE RIDING IN THIS CAR BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T WEIGH ENOUGH! I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL BECAUSE IF THIS SITUATION. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO??? WE HAVE THIS CAR SINCE FEB 2025. IT'S BRAND NEW. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT MY WIFE WASN'T HEAVY ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WHEN WE WERE PURCHASING THE CAR. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AIR BAG FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT? WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE? THEY WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S A PROBLEM. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DRIVING WITH THIS ISSUE. SOME MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL THERE'S AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE A CASE # 250813-1700995 WHICH OBVIOUSLY MEANS NOTHING. AND SUBARU HAS A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING. PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW...

NHTSA #11684820

Recently bought this car. Headlights are problematic and dangerous. For one, there are unusual dark spots in the SRH headlights. Even if you turn off SRH, they are still there. Very distracting and feel unsafe driving at night. Also, headlights are dim and do not sufficiently illuminate road. . When driving at night with low beams, I get a distinct demarcation line which I have to look under to see the road. The upper half of the windshield is completely dark while the lower half is clear. This is also very distracting and feels unsafe driving. The lights are too low on the road and those 2 black spots catch your attention and at times can look like something darting in front of your car. I live in a rural area and with few street lights it is difficult driving at night. Everyone that has driven with me cannot believe how bad these headlights are. Please research the comments and videos online, as this is a major complaint and problem. I would like to see these headlights recalled and replaced. Dealer is telling me I can’t change to an aftermarket headlight so I can’t even try to remedy the situation myself.

NHTSA #11634028