This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Subaru Crosstrek steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek have filed 5 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Crosstrek | 13 |
| 2017 Crosstrek (this page) | 5 |
| 2018 Crosstrek | 6 |
| 2019 Crosstrek | 15 |
| 2021 Crosstrek | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 5 steering complaints filed for the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
As part of Subaruâs dedication to customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is announcingan extension to the Basic New Car Limited Warranty for the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) GearBox Assembly for certain 2012-2018 MY vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗As part of Subaruâs dedication to customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is announcing an extension to the Basic New Car Limited Warranty for the Electronic Power Steering Gear Box Assembly for certain 2012-2018 MY vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗As part of Subaru of Americaâs dedication to customer satisfaction, this letter is to inform you of an extension to the Basic New Car Limited Warranty for your vehicleâs Electronic Power Steering Gear Box Assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces availability of a new Electronic Power Steering (EPS) gear box assembly designed to address a VERY limited number of customer concerns regarding uneven steering effort felt when turning left or right. In areas where high concentrations of road salt are used to melt ice and snow, corrosion may develop and cause a portion of the gear box housing to crack if the vehicle were to suffer a large enough impact from hitting a pothole or similar type of road hazard.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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.
Had steering trouble with your 2017 Subaru Crosstrek?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 5 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 5 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 37,265 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Subaru/Crosstrek.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.