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2021 Subaru Crosstrek problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 27% of relevant complaints.
Better than 76% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 30 of 115 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (27%). For comparison, the 2020 scores 22% and the 2022 scores 13%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Subaru Crosstrek years
Of the 11 Subaru Crosstrek years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (27%). The worst is the 2013 (63%), the best the 2022 (13%). By volume, the 2021 drew 115 complaints (30 drivetrain), against 69 for the 2020 and 31 for the 2022.
Subaru Crosstrek years to avoid and best years →
2013 Crosstrek problems · 2014 Crosstrek problems · 2015 Crosstrek problems · 2016 Crosstrek problems · 2017 Crosstrek problems · 2018 Crosstrek problems · 2019 Crosstrek problems · 2020 Crosstrek problems · 2021 · 2022 Crosstrek problems · 2023 Crosstrek problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 30 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Subaru Crosstrek transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is…
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Subaru Crosstrek? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 30 of 115 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (27%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek is visibility/wiper: 29 of 115 complaints (25%) name it, followed by electrical system (16) and engine (16). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 27% of the relevant total.
Is the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 27% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 76% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Subaru Crosstrek years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total: 23V755000 (power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Subaru Crosstrek years are better?
Among the Subaru Crosstrek years we track, the 2022 (13%), the 2023 (16%) and the 2019 (20%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (27%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/subaru-crosstrek
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.