Subaru Crosstrek owners have reported 19 seats related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common seats problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's seats (19 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Seats problems |
I buy the car couple weeks ago. The car is beautiful and works fine. The driver seat is notoriously uncomfortable. It just unbelievable painful. It is some drivable because of the pain and discomfort. I want resolution I want the seat to be upgrade with electric one. I am absolutely fit and I don't care if any medical condition. The seat makes the car undrivable.
We were rear ended on the interstate. Cars in front of us stopped and we also came to a complete stop and a few moments later we were hit. During the collision, none of the airbags were deployed. Both our front seats fully reclined backwards. None of our seatbelts locked. Only the two seats that no one was in locked. Also, my headrest completely broke off. Our car was later determined by the insurance to be totaled.
The bolt attaching the front left corner of the seat to the rails came loose and allows the seat to wobble and bounce.
Driver seat began rocking. The dealer indicated it’s a problem they saw with other cars as well. The attachment to the rail you move your seat forward and backwards with, brakes. The dealer wants to sell you new brackets to make your car safe again.
The driver seat has been rocking back and forth a bit for a for a couple of weeks and lately started rocking a lot, enough that it rocks back while accelerating and rocks forward while braking causing unintentional excessive breaking. This feels like a safety issue. This is a 2018 car and my previous car (Audi a4) that I had for 14 years never had such a thing ever happen, so this is not normal. Here's a video of the rocking: [xxx] I called the dealer (eastside Subaru, kirkland wa, phone: (425) 820-8993) to see if there are any safety recalls about it but they said there are not any, and they are not providing priority appointment to inspect/fix even though I told them . I feel there should be a recall for this . . If the seat breaks while driving, it can cause accidents. A google search reveals a few others complaining about it as well. [xxx] can you please look into this issue, and if you also feel it is a safety problem, ask Subaru to investigate, recall and fix? thanks, information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Airbag shows off even when passenger is seated.
Driver seat has came loose from its structure, this has been reported by many other owners, the seat track fail and the seat rock back, hopefully it don't fall off track while driving and injure someone, very unsafe! the other safety issue with our Subaru is the infotainment system goes on and off intermit with no warning while driving and radio goes on high volume creating health and hearing damage, very unhealthy for anyone in vehicle when this happens, dealership says there is no recall for these items, well there should be, let's keep America safe again, thanks!.
I purchased this vehicle in January 2023 model. The issue is that the driver side seat is heating up when sitting in the seat even though the heated seat button is not on. This issue happens most but not all of the time and the seat will get so hot it feels like my bottom and lower back is burning on fire to the point where I am extremely distracted while driving. This is a safety hazard, I fear it is only a matter of time before I cause an accident due to this distraction because it is so unbearable that I cannot focus on driving. I have searched to see if others have experienced this and there have been other reports on different forums etc. . Read more...
I was driving about 55 mph on a county highway and an animal appeared in the road. I hit the brakes suddenly, and my work bag containing my laptop and file folders that I had placed on the backseat behind my driver seat flew forwards and hit the back of my seat. I felt the impact in my spine, and by the next morning I had moderate back pain moving and breathing as if my ribs were bruised. I can only imagine what would happen if I was going at a faster speed on the freeway (locally the speed limit is 70 mph, but people typically drive 80 mph). This morning my husband was just tapping on the backseat with his hands and I could feel everything while sitting in the front. I am disappointed in the car and afraid to put things in the back seat. I feel as if having a solid or semi solid barrier built inside the seat back would have been a no-brainer safety feature.
I recently 10/7/2021 had my Subaru serviced for an oil change, and a couple of safety recalls that were needed. I also had a loose center console, and a loose wobbly drivers seat. Ramsey Subaru, urbandale IA performed the service. Upon picking the vehicle up on the above date I was informed that all services were performed and fixed with the exception of the drivers seat. I was informed that the drivers seat needed to be replaced because “the welds on the bracket had broken. ” with that said they said that would not come under warranty because my Subaru has 51,000 miles on it and it is past the 3 years 36,000 mile warranty. I get that, my assumption when I had the car serviced that the bolts on the seat bracket just needed tightened. I was told by the service advisor that the seat bracket would cost over $800. 00 to be fixed. How is a weld defect a consumer issue? that is why I’m contacting you. This is a safety issue for the drivers of Subaru’s and other motorists and Subaru needs to be held accountable and fix this issue with a mandatory recall. Please feel free to contact me at 515-240-0695 or by email in regards to this very serious safety issue. I have read on the internet that isn’t the first issue with the seat bracket welds.
Driver seat mounting, the driver seat was rocking, at 11,000 miles the dealer replaced a bolt under warranty. It started again at 25,800 miles. Now out of warranty, the dealer did replace the seat base at no charge as goodwill. . . I am a big man 6'3 250# but that should not exceed the parameters of a seat mount. . . At this point I am satisficed with the repair but not happy it has occurred twice in a 4 year old car with less than 26,000 miles on it.
I've owned cars for 40 years. And not once in 40 years, has the ash from a cigarette caused a seat to immediately burn. And I mean burn. Not just a burn on the outside of the fabric, but deep down into the padded material within seconds. Thankfully, I was able to put it out in the heavy smoke phase, before it turned into a full blown burning flame, burning the entire car seat and car. After my experience, it floored me that wasn't discovered during any type of testing that might be done on a vehicle. A major safety issue in my mind. I decided to report it now, because I'm surprised nobody else has. Considering there aren't a lot of cigarette smokers it's not surprising I guess.
As I was driving down the street applied my brakes to slow down at a red light my driver's seat slid forward very fast pinning me against the steering wheel. At that time my leg was folded cause I was up against dash and it made me slam my brakes on very fast and quick. I am lucky my foot was not on the gas at the time or I would have went through the intersection. The next day as I was driving my seat slid forward a little but locked into the next spot. I had gotten a hold of Subaru and made an appointment but they cannot see me for a week. It is very unsafe someone could really get hurt.
After taking my vehicle into dealership for valve spring recall, service rep also suggested oil change at same time. I agreed. As soon as I drove it off the dealership lot, check oil light came on. I immediately returned car to have it checked but dealership said oil was full, probably faulty sensor and sent me away without fully checking the car. Check oil light would intermittently light up when driving locally. Then engine tapping sound and check engine light started a few weeks later while driving locally but indicator lights would turn off for short periods immediately after starting car, or while driving up or down steep inclines. Local mechanic confirmed that oil pressure was low and recommended taking it back to dealership. Another dealership is now disassembling the engine and recommending a new engine as oil pressure is low and not circulating properly after valve spring recall repair.
Tracking number 11217079:this is to add photos showing that seat height adjust lever after wear protrudes from seat base casting, and catches pants cuff on exiting causing tripping.
I spilled 3-4 ounces of coffee on my front passenger seat. A short time later, the srs airbag warning light appeared on the dash and my passenger seat would no longer recognize that a passenger was seated in the passenger seat (passenger airbag off light would not switch to on when a passenger was seated). I called my local Subaru dealership and I was told that the passenger sensor in the passenger seat was very sensitive and that moisture could interfere with it and disable the passenger airbag until the sensor dries. Apparently this happens frequently. This seems extremely dangerous in any car, but especially a Subaru which is marketed as an "outdoors" or "adventure" car where wet people/dogs/equipment could regularly be in the front passenger seat. The vehicle was running and stationary when the warning light appeared on my dash.
2013 Subaru Crosstrek(70k miles) passenger door caught on fire. Within 3 minutes of smelling smoke inside door panel was engulfed in flames. Went to the shoulder of the freeway, turned engine off, put out the flames, waited for the smoke to clear and the plastic to cool off. Upon restarting vehicle sparks and smoke visible so turned vehicle off. Cut the red(+) wires, restarted vehicle(no smoke), drove to dealership for repairs. Obviously a short in the electrical system, none of the fuses popped. Had a passenger been in the passenger seat I'm sure they would have been hurt. Picked up the vehicle yesterday and paid 2k over insurance estimate. Now having to squeeze the insurance for the difference since I didn't take it to their suggested repair shop and Subaru of America would not pay for damage due to poor workmanship/faulty parts. Anyone else have problems such as this?.
The contact rented a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek. While the contact was resting his right arm on the leather shifter, he sustained burns. The passenger and his wife also received burns on the bottom left and right forearms of the leather seating surfaces. The contact did not receive medical treatment for his injuries; however, the passenger went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with chemical reactive second degree burns. The car rental vendor was made aware of the incident. The local dealer (mark miller Subaru midtown located on 3535 state st, salt lake city, ut, 84115) was contacted at 888-859-6198 and stated that they never heard of the failure and would "look into it". The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 396.
Lever to adjust driver seat height has tip at front edge of driver seat. Lever loosens and tip protrudes such that on exiting car it often traps pants cuff and has nearly dumped me onto highway if I am distracted and not concentrating on avoiding this. Subaru corrected on later models by moving tip 3 inches back out of cuff radius, which does not help with my 2016. Axle of lever further bends or goes off axis to exacerbate problem. For warranty correction dealer claims 'that is the way it was designed, nothing we can do. They could put in the seat with corrected lever positioning. To note below: problem is on exiting parked car. Problem is position and design of manual driver seat height adjustment lever. That it bends away from original position of flush against seat base and the tip protrudes just at the edge where the left leg drags by on exiting, and the pants cuff gets caught between the lever and the molded seat base. As the right leg is swinging out in expectation that the left is heading toward the road, I trip and start to fall toward the road. This has gotten worse as each time it bends the axle of the lever a bit further out, increasing the gap between lever and seat base.