Metal Frame of side torso area of seat wore through foam. very sharp and painful could possibly cut skin and impact in crash could be medically dangerous.
The worst 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical20
- Transmission13
- Brakes11
- Engine11
- Airbags9
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical20
- Transmission13
- Brakes11
- Engine11
- Airbags9
- Steering7
- Acceleration5
- Visibility4
- Driver assistance3
- Fuel system3
- Body2
- Lights2
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Suspension1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek 268
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This is an update announcement regarding the TechShare & NorthStar Integration
- This announcement provides information on the connected services platform for Subaru EVs.
- This bulletin provides a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES)...
- This Service Information Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but...
- This announcement provides information on DCM replacememts due to a parasitic draw.
- This announcement provides information on an outage affecting the Subaru Select Monitor 5 application.
- This Service Information Bulletin announces the availability of ThreeBond 1216J (SOA868V9640) designed for...
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a...
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
What 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Brake light switch failure. Triggering traction control warning light, hill assist warning light, and abs warning light, and disables cruise control. There was previously a recall (NUMBER: WUE-90 the federal safety agency ID: 19V‑149) for the brake light switch for Subaru models with my production date included, but because Hybrid Crosstrek models were not included, it will not be replaced under recall. I am still experiencing the same issues and cause, but it is not covered.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek on May 22, 2026. The sale was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was recorded at 77,441. The contact later purchased a CARFAX report which was reported at 214,767 in February 2026. The contact reported the information to the local authorities.
The car had a front collision and the air bags did not deploy.
Some times the passenger airbag light comes on and off. This is a reoccurring problem and I don’t see any recalls on this
I am reporting a complete engine failure on my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek at 140,000 miles due to a valve spring issue that appears to match Subaru’s Recall WTY-84 (the federal safety agency Campaign 18V772000). I checked my VIN and it currently shows no open recalls, but I’ve reviewed Subaru’s own documentation that lists 2013–2016 Crosstreks as affected by this defect. My vehicle clearly falls within that production range and has now suffered the exact failure described in that recall — a fractured valve spring causing a complete engine malfunction. I never received a recall notice, and when I contacted Subaru, they acknowledged the VIN wasn’t included in the recall despite the year, make, model, and symptoms matching exactly. This raises concern that the recall scope is too narrow and is excluding other affected vehicles. This failure created a safety issue due to sudden engine loss while driving and has led to significant repair costs that I believe should have been prevented. I am asking the federal safety agency to investigate whether additional VINs — including mine — should be added to the recall to prevent further safety risks for other Subaru owners in the same situation.
When attempting to put the car in park, the key will not release and is stuck. Incident happens often in recent past days. Key will not release from ignition.
I have been getting my 2014 Subaru Crosstrek serviced at Continental Subaru in Anchorage, Alaska for the last 4.5 years. I initially thought that they were an honest dealer/mechanic. I originally bought my Subaru in California and drove it up to Anchorage and it has been here ever since. My car burns oil very quickly. I mentioned this several times and the dealer always said it wasn't that big of an issue. Between oil changes I frequently had to add a couple of quarts of oil in addition to what they added during the oil changes because the car was burning so much oil. Recently in the last year, Continental Subaru told me my spark plugs were bad. I brought the car in because my cylinders were misfiring. They replaced the spark plugs. However a month later the issue still persisted. I called Subaru and had them replace the spark plugs again. At this point they said it was just the spark plugs. The issue persisted. I took my Subaru to a local mechanic this time since I felt like Continental was not being honest in their inspection of my car. Turns out the problem is much worse than Subaru was letting on for so many years. My car burns a lot of oil. which is a manufacturing issue. They continually told me it wasn't an issue. Probably because my car was still under warranty. Now that my car is not under warranty they finally admit that there are a lot of underlying issues. Except now I have to pay out of pocket because the car is now out of warranty. Since the car burns oil at such a fast rate, the head gaskets have warped. The valve cover gaskets need to be replaced and are leaking oil into my spark plugs and my coils. So now that my car is out of warranty suddenly I have to pay out of pocket almost $9000 to get the valve cover gaskets, head gaskets, spark plugs, coils, engine harness, all replaced. The variable valve timing is leaking. And there is internal mixing of oil and coolant in the motor. They have been extremely dishonest with me for years. I want a recall.
Key was stuck in the ignition and left me stranded unable to leave my car. I took the car to the Subaru dealership for them to assess and repair the issue. During this time the service desk confirmed it was a known issue with the CVT park range switch. They advised me that Subaru of America had done a warranty extension but that I was now outside of the time window for it to be covered. Upon further research this was an issue that was all over the Subaru forum boards with similar issues. I contacted Subaru of America in order to be reimbursed and was offer a $100 as a goodwill gesture and they kept referring to the warranty being extended to cover the issue. Subaru of America failed to issue a recall and instead did the "secret warranty extension" to avoid having to inform their customers and impact their reliability numbers. This is extremely concerning that a brand that is known for reliability would knowingly behave in this way and has me questioning what other items have they done this "secret warranty extension" on instead of following the recall process.
Horn does not work. No warning indicating malfunctioned horn. Unable to signal other vehicles to prevent car crash. The broken horn has been inspected by mechanic.
Compare the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
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Questions about the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Is the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek reliable?
Owners have filed 81 complaints about the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek, close to a typical XV Crosstrek model year.
What is the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek year score?
The 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek scores 72 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Subaru XV Crosstrek: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek?
Electrical system, with 20 complaints, typically around 59,600 miles. Next is transmission (13).
How many recalls does the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Subaru XV Crosstrek have the most electrical problems?
The Subaru XV Crosstrek model years with the most electrical complaints are 2014 (20 complaints), 2015 (15 complaints) and 2013 (14 complaints).
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