2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek problems & reliability
97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek vehicles were involved in 14 fatal crashes with 5 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine → | 35 | 36% |
| Power Train → | 21 | 22% |
| Unknown / Other | 19 | 20% |
| Electrical System → | 14 | 14% |
| Steering | 9 | 9% |
| Wheels | 6 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 20 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 49 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 71,000 miles (middle 50% between 29,700 and 100,300 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Nuna RAVA convertible car seat, model CS05107RFD, manufactured 10/15/2021, purchased Jan 2022. Harness failure after completing the remedy for Recall 24C-002. Both of my seats had never shown any harness problem before the recall notice. In 2025, I received the remedy kit for both and followed the instructions to…”
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness · filed Sep 20, 2026
“I have been working with Subaru of America and Capital Subaru service in San Jose, CA for a 2013 Subaru Crosstrek XV 2.0 CVT automatic engine shortly after we bought it used for multiple faulty known engine problems with this specific make and model. Since we have owned the vehicle, we have not been able to drive it…”
Power Train · filed Apr 9, 2026
“When the car is put in park the key will not come out of the ignition. Sometimes to be removed from ignition. Therefore the key will get stuck. The transmission has to be put back in drive and then back into park for the ignition system to recycle and release the key.sometimes it takes about 2 or 3 times to get the…”
Electrical System · filed Apr 9, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
295 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. The 10 most recent:
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026
This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2026
Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 2026
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2026
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 18, 2026
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20.
07-240-26R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
03-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 71,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.