NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 116 owner complaints for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek (including the hybrid).
2Safety recalls
116Owner complaints
8Complaints citing a crash
2Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: powertrain and electrical system. Most-reported area: visibility/wiper (29 complaints, 25%). Includes the Crosstrek Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid from 2019 to 2023.
2 safety recalls for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles.
The harness terminal that supplies low-voltage power from the converter to the 12-Volt battery may corrode and break, preventing the 12-Volt battery from charging.
Risk: A 12-Volt battery that is unable to recharge can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the converter terminal mounting bracket. If corrosion is found on the terminals, the 12-Volt output harness and terminals will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 12, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Crosstrek Hybrid 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.
What owners report
The areas named in the 116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Crosstrek. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Visibility/wiper29 · 25%
Electrical system17 · 15%
Engine17 · 15%
Forward collision avoidance14 · 12%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (10); warnings (6)
Powertrain14 · 12%
Lane departure systems5 · 4%
Most named: assist (3)
Brakes4 · 3%
Unknown or other25 · 22%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Subaru Crosstrek recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 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 2021 drew 72.
Owner complaints
2021: 116 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Complaints
2016
134
2017
97
2018
194
2019
284
2020
69
2021
116
2022
31
2023
34
2024
118
2025
43
2026
8
Safety recalls
2021: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Crosstrek
Model year
Recalls
2016
1
2017
1
2018
5
2019
8
2020
1
2021
2
2022
1
2023
0
2024
2
2025
0
2026
2
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.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid SW AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Not rated
Subaru Crosstrek SW AWD
Rollover risk 15.6%
Questions
What are the most common 2021 Crosstrek problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: visibility/wiper (29), electrical system (17), engine (17). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
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 Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: CROSSTREK, CROSSTREK HYBRID.
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.