Subaru Crosstrek loss of power problems

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · KS

*The engine experienced a failure of an internal valve spring, a component that controls the operation of the engine valves. The failure required significant engine repair, including engine teardown. The vehicle was diagnosed by Subaru of Olathe, and the failed component and vehicle should be available for inspection through the servicing dealership. Subaru of America reviewed the dealer's repair estimate and approved partial goodwill assistance toward the repair. *A valve spring failure is a serious engine malfunction that can result in engine performance issues, loss of power, engine stalling, or engine damage while driving. Such a failure has the potential to create a safety hazard if it occurs during vehicle operation, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. Subaru has previously acknowledged valve spring failures in certain vehicles through Recall WTY-84 involving engine valve spring fractures that could lead to engine malfunction or stalling. *Yes. The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by Subaru of Olathe, which provided a repair estimate totaling several thousand dollars and recommended repair of the valve spring failure. Subaru of America relied on the dealer's diagnosis when approving goodwill assistance toward the repair costs. *The vehicle was inspected by Subaru of Olathe and the diagnosis was reviewed by the [XXX] Customer Advocacy team at Subaru of America as part of a goodwill assistance request. There is no indication that the vehicle was inspected by police, insurance representatives, or other third parties. *Vehicle started stalling at lights and jerking when in motion, seemed to have no power available and dangerous and appeared suddenly in Sept. of 2026. *Vehicle is a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek with approximately 72,000 miles. It was purchased new and maintained primarily through Subaru dealerships. The owner believes a valve spring is not a wear-and-tear item and should reasonably last the life of the engine. Costs over $9000 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Electrical · PA

While driving on the [XXX] my car lost power while in drive. I coasted onto the should. I could not get the car out of gear or put the car in park. I chocked the rear tire. I opened the hood. The positive cable had popped off the battery post. I got a piece of paper and created a temporary shim. The car drove home to where i found out on line i needed a battery shim. I purchased the shim at autozone for $6.00 and addressed the problem. I'm glad I did not end up like [XXX] on the LIE. FYI, I replaced my factory battery with a new AGM battery yesterday. When I tightened the negative terminal tight the clamp was still loose. It is weird designed clamp that when tightened slides on a tapered "V" to clamp. I thought maybe it was the new battery post but it measured the same diameter and height. I put the OEM battery back in and it was also loose when pushed all the way down, so it must have been that way from the start. Went to Autozone and bought a post shim. It was to big for the clamp to work so I cut it in half and that picked up the slack enough so the clamp tightened properly. Somebody in design missed the calculation! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 16, 2026 · Engine · CO

- Rod #4 failure of unknown cause, although there is speculation that current failure may be related to a major repair in oil system a year ago. - My safety along with my unborn child’s, husband’s and brother in law’s were all at risk. Another driver had to take evasive action to avoid hitting us in an active fast lane on I-70 going between 65-70 mph. There was no shoulder available to pull off on until a half mile up the road. - Yes the problem has been confirmed from the dealership partially. They did not identify a cause for the sudden failure. However stated it could not be determined if this failure is or is not related to a previous major engine repair made a year ago. - The engine has been inspected by the dealership and warranty company. - There were no warning signals prior to either engine failures. The first one being a year ago for head gasket failure that allowed oil to mix with coolant. With the most recent failure the engine ticked briefly after braking to merge for construction, the oil pressure light followed by engine light turned on 5 seconds before engine completely lost power.

Filed Jul 8, 2026 · Transmission · CA

I am reporting a possible power train/drivetrain issue with a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. At steady highway speeds, most noticeably around 72–76 mph under light accelerator load, the vehicle produces a persistent high-frequency ringing/whining tone throughout the cabin. The noise stops when I lift off the accelerator and rarely occurs when traveling downhill, which suggests it may be related to drivetrain load rather than ordinary wind, road, or tire noise. The suspected component or system is UNKNOWN, but based on the operating conditions it may involve the CVT, differential, or related drivetrain/power train components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by a Subaru dealer. The vehicle was previously inspected by the dealer, and the rear differential was replaced during an attempted repair, but the noise persisted. The vehicle was returned for additional diagnosis, and dealership personnel confirmed the same noise. The manufacturer later stated that the condition was considered a normal characteristic after comparison with another like-model Crosstrek Wilderness, but no specific root cause or technical explanation was provided. My safety concern is that a persistent, load-dependent drivetrain noise at highway speeds could indicate abnormal wear, resonance, or mechanical instability in the CVT, differential, or related power train components. If the condition reflects an unresolved defect, it could potentially lead to premature drivetrain failure or loss of power while driving at highway speeds. There have been no warning lamps or dashboard messages associated with the condition. The issue first appeared while the vehicle was still very new and under factory warranty, and it remains unresolved.

Filed Jun 17, 2026 · Driver assistance, Steering · NJ

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

Filed May 14, 2026 · Transmission · VT

DEFECT DESCRIPTION My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek has been diagnosed with diagnostic trouble code P2757 (Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Performance), which my authorized Subaru 802 Subaru retailer in Vermont has confirmed is caused by a defective CVT Control Valve Body. Subaru of America has acknowledged this exact defect in Technical Service Bulletin 16-156-25R (revised 10/28/25), which explicitly covers the 2013–2021MY Crosstrek 2.0L (FB20 engine, TR580 CVT) and prescribes replacement of the CVT Control Valve Body with an updated design incorporating an improved valve sleeve. This bulletin confirms that Subaru is aware of the design flaw in the original valve body and has developed a permanent engineering fix. WARRANTY EXTENSION DISPARITY Subaru of America issued a CVT Warranty Extension on June 30, 2025 (Retailer Bulletin 16-155-25R, revised 07/14/25) extending CVT coverage from the original 5 years/60,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles for certain 2019–2020MY vehicles. However, the 2020 Crosstrek equipped with the FB20 engine and TR580 CVT was specifically excluded from this extension, despite: 1. The 2019 Crosstrek (identical FB20/TR580 drivetrain) being included in the extension. 2. The 2020 Impreza (identical FB20/TR580 drivetrain) being included in the extension. 3. TSB 16-156-25R explicitly listing the 2020 Crosstrek as an affected vehicle with the same valve body defect. This exclusion appears arbitrary and inconsistent. Owners of the 2020 Crosstrek are being denied warranty coverage for a documented design defect that Subaru has acknowledged and corrected through a TSB, and for which owners of vehicles with the identical powertrain (same engine, same CVT) are receiving extended warranty protection. SAFETY CONCERN DTC P2757 indicates a failure in the torque converter clutch pressure control circuit. This defect can result in unexpected transmission behavior including hesitation, shuddering, loss of power delivery

Filed Feb 10, 2026 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the vehicle decelerated and lost drive power. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road, where the vehicle completely shut off and lost power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with battery failure. The battery was replaced; however, the following morning, while attempting to start the vehicle, there was no electrical power to the vehicle. The Hybrid System Check error message was displayed. The contact researched and found information related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V080000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that there was corrosion on the battery. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Filed Nov 12, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · FL

To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a formal dispute and safety complaint regarding my 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited. On November 12, 2025, while driving at approximately 70 mph on the highway, the vehicle suddenly stopped operating automatically without warning. This was a terrifying and dangerous event for me and my family. We could have been seriously injured or worse. The service department later claimed that the issue might be related to the battery, but I am not convinced that this explanation is accurate or acceptable. A vehicle with only around 41,000 miles should not suddenly lose power or stop at highway speed. This is a serious safety defect and raises strong concerns about the vehicle’s reliability, engineering, and overall safety. I request that Subaru of America open a formal investigation into this incident and document it as part of my ongoing complaints. I also ask that this matter be reviewed under the Florida Lemon Law and BBB Auto Line programs, since this issue demonstrates a clear and dangerous failure of the vehicle’s systems that should not occur under normal operation. Please confirm receipt of this dispute and provide a case reference number and next steps for resolution. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] 📞 786‑718‑0305 [XXX] et 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited VI [XXX] 29 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 6, 2024 · VA

Our 2016 Subaru Crosstrek (Automatic Transmission) has had intermittent issues with it losing power despite our foot being on the accelerator. It will typically reengage if we take our foot off the accelerator for a bit and then hit the gas again. However, it has become a more frequent problem and feels increasingly unsafe to drive, particularly with our 2 small children in the car, because it loses power without warning so it leaves us vulnerable for being rear-ended while changing lanes, taking turns, etc. We have been working with our local dealership (Beyer Subaru in Alexandria, VA) to address the issue, but they have only been able to replicate the issue once in a 4-week period and they have not been able to document it. The one time they were able to replicate the problem the car was not hooked up to any computer/system. I have found this forum that documents similar problems with Crosstreks - [XXX] , as well as a Service Bulletin which references a similar issue in 2018-21MY Crosstrek 2.0L MT - While the 2nd does refer specifically to Manual Transmissions, I feel like this is indicative of a trend that is not being acknowledged for other Model Year's and transmission types, but presents a serious safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 3, 2023 · Engine · NY · fire

Was driving on highway at approximately 65 mph. Check engine light came on. Engine started to stop responding to gas being given to car. Pulled off to exit highway approximately 1 minute after check engine light came on. At bottom of exit, car completely lost power. Attempted to put vehicle into park and wouldn't shift. Started to see smoke coming from engine and then shortly after started to see flames coming from engine. Immediately exited vehicle and called 911. No one was injured. Subaru indicated fire started as result of external influences. Insurance company's 3rd party auditors were not able to determine cause of fire.