Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
The 2017 Subaru Crosstrek has 97 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2017 Subaru Crosstrek has 97 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is visibility at 24 complaints, typically surfacing around 33,421 miles (~$350 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Crosstrek | 131 | 0 |
| 2017 Crosstrek (this page) | 97 | 1 |
| 2018 Crosstrek | 194 | 1 |
| 2019 Crosstrek | 281 | 2 |
| 2020 Crosstrek | 68 | 0 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2017 Subaru Crosstrek SW AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 36,074 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The windshield cracked during the summer for no apparent reason, no obvious signs of chip in windshield surface. Crack starts upper middle edge of glass, down passed rearview mirror, then half way across passenger side, about 1/3 way down from top. We are getting it replaced…
I was driving very slow into my garage from townhouse street. I heard this strange noise and my car accelerated fast. I tried to brake but could not stop the car. I hit the back of my garage causing damage to garage wall and inside of my townhome. I have lived here since…
Key gets stuck in ignition and the car needs to be restarted, put in reverse/drive, and then either moved or step firmly on the break and back in park. Sometimes it takes multiple attempts. Having this issue for a couple months. It doesn't happen every time, but often.
12042022 - not sure of cause, could be multiple as all systems just shut down for seconds, the car goes dead while driving down I235 at 70mph, first the radio turns off, then the car seemed to go to lower gear rpm to zero and just shut off at a high speed, NO POWER on anything,…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the visibility first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 24 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 33,421 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 97 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is visibility. Typical failure occurs around 33,421 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 24 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 33,421 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 33,421 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 97 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $350, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.