Windshield suddenly and spontaneously cracked, violently and with an explosive sound, due to higher-than-average outside air temperature (100°F, Arizona in July). Vehicle was being driven on a freeway during cross--country trip. Crack occurred in driver's line-of-sight and presented a dangerous driving condition. In service for 2 years and 10K miles and never driven off-road or incurred a windshield chip from flying objects. Subaru refused to repair under warranty. Discovered Subaru had a recent history of similar windshield problems including some covered by Technical Service Bulletin(s).
Subaru Crosstrek windshield crack problems
221 of the 1,207 owner complaints about the Subaru Crosstrek describe windshield cracks, most of them for the 2019 model year.
- owner complaints
- 221
- worst model year
- 2019
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,022
- typical mileage
- 14,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
What owners say
The front windshield spontaneously developed a crack about 5 inches long which later suddenly increased to about 15 inches in length. It is our understanding that this problem has occurred in the windshields of other Subaru models. The internet states that Subaru windshields have had a tendency to crack without impact due to the windshield's angle or thinness to accommodate Eyesight technology.
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side windshield cracked unexpectedly. The windshield had developed a crack without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
The windshield cracked without impact or any other obvious means of damage. I have had 2 other windshields crack in the same manner, the first being December 2022, second March 2024, and now April 2025. All incidents have starts from the bottom on the windshield on the passenger side, and spreading towards the roof. The vehicle was not moving at the time of the crack, it was noticed getting in the vehicle of all incidents
The windshield appeared to have spontaneously cracked overnight while parked on the driveway. The crack formed across the top of the windshield, across the eyesight. The day before, the car was at the dealership for an oil change and tire rotation. Unknown if lifting the car for the tire rotation caused the stress that may have caused the crack formation. The car was taken back to the dealer and the windshield had to be replaced. A claim to our insurance was done because the dealer said this was not covered by the warranty. I did not see any chip in the windshield that would have caused this.
The front windshield has cracked all the way across the bottom without a reason, while I was parked at work. There were no prior chips or dings that would cause the windshield to crack all the way across. There were no outside factors that would have caused this either since the stop was only a few minutes and was in a completely empty parking lot. I’ve read online, and also heard from the glass repair shop while they seen if it would be fixable, that a large amount of people have experienced this same exact issue with the 2022 Crosstrek windshield spontaneously cracking. Never have I ever experienced this type of issue before with any of the cars i’ve owned previously.
The component that is compromised on my '23 Subaru Crosstrek Sport is the windshield. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Monday, Jan 13, 2025, a crack formed on my windshield. The crack happened on the inside of the vehicle. It was positioned above the defroster vent on the driver's side, and I saw it happen right before my eyes. I immediately inspected the windshield from the exterior of the car. The crack cannot be felt by touch on the exterior of the windshield. There was no evidence of any damage that the vehicle could have sustained that would have caused the crack. I continued to use the defroster without further incident during my morning commute drive throughout the work week of Jan 13. Monday, Jan 20, the crack expanded to the full length of the defroster vent. It now stretches across both the driver's side and passenger side of the car. Because of the crack, I no longer use the defroster vent in fear of further damage to the windshield. Without use of the defroster, my vision is compromised due to condensation build up between the temperature difference in the interior cabin of the vehicle in contrast to the outside weather temperature. The problem was confirmed by my local Subaru dealership. On Jan 13, I took my vehicle to my local Subaru dealership where I purchased the car. A service manager took pictures of the windshield crack on site and submitted a claim to the dealership’s district manager for review. On Tuesday Jan 21, I received an update from my dealership. The district manager offered a 35% rebate to go towards the repair and/or replacement of the windshield. However, the cost to replace the windshield is quoted at $1600, in which I would be responsible for covering the remainder of the expense. I feel this is an unacceptable attempt of resolve on behalf of my dealership due to the issue at hand is and was completely out of my control. There was no warning lamp, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.
The windshield in our 2022 Subaru Crosstrek has gained 2 cracks for no apparent reason. The windshield has cracked under normal stress/strain over a prolonged period of time. There was no incident that caused this unacceptable cracking. Furthermore it is unsafe. I do not look forward to paying replacement costs associated with eye-sight recalibration and winshield repair.... not sure why this vehicle isn't the class action lawsuit against Subaru of America with Powell et al... And of course we first noticed the cracks at about 40,000 miles. They just showed up one day, indicated that after prolonged strain they reached their breaking point.
6-8in windshield crack on passenger side, near the bottom just above defrost vents. No apparent trauma to the windshield in that area. No indication that there was a crack forming otherwise; appeared seemingly overnight. Have not yet reported to insurance, dealer, or mfg. I have seen that there was a class action settled recently regarding some Subaru windshields cracking without warning so this may be a known issue. Car is available for inspection upon request.
The windshield cracks if you spit at it. It has had the original one, one from safelite and one from bright glass and it is now cracked again. To top it off, when it cracks, unless I put clear nail polish on it right away it splits the length of the window. The 2005 Crv has had a crack in its windshield for years. Not one cm bigger. The windshield is garbage.
Related recalls
Visibility
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The driver's side rear-door window glass may be improperly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."
- Risk
- Improperly tempered glass can shatter into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side rear-door window glass, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUG-92.
Recall number 19V404000 · Recall details
Questions about the Subaru Crosstrek windshield crack
Which Subaru Crosstrek years have windshield cracks problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2019 (87 complaints), 2018 (49 complaints) and 2020 (24 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix windshield cracks on the Subaru Crosstrek?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,022 (median of 9 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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