2020 Subaru Crosstrek: What to check before buying

Windshields crack with no sign of impact. Cracks start at the bottom near the defrost vents, at the side edges, or around the rearview mirror, and some grow from 2 inches to 19 inches within days. Several appear overnight in a garage. Others start with a pop while driving or right after the wipers turn on. Many show up before 8000 miles, and some cars crack more than once. Dealers often call the damage a stone chip and send owners to insurance. Replacement must be OEM glass so the EyeSight camera works. A few moonroofs shatter at highway speed.

Windshields crack with no object striking the glass. Cracks run from the top edge toward the mirror mount, along the driver's side, or through the center, and reach about 10 inches. Reported mileages fall between 10,000 and 17,000. One crack forms while driving at 60 mph and blocks the driver's view. A repaired windshield can crack again in a new spot. Some dealers say they do not repair windshields.

Transmissions moan or whine at low speeds and when backing up, sometimes with hesitation. Dealers replace them, and one fails at 6k miles and again at 34k. On the Hybrid, the rear differential fails with grinding while turning slowly in parking lots, around 12,000 and 50,000 miles, and the revised part needs extra components. Other reports describe sudden loss of all acceleration on the freeway that clears only after a restart, a lurch forward when shifting into reverse, and a plug-in hybrid rolling away with the charge cable attached in one crash.

Batteries drain flat after the car sits for 2 or 3 days, leaving it unable to start. Dealers blame short trips and suggest daily starts or a battery charger. On the Hybrid, the charge-cable interlock fails to keep the car in Park, so driving off breaks the connector and leaves bare pins exposed, a shock and fire hazard. A dealer-installed remote start leaves one car unable to start, followed by a harsh noise on cold starts.

Front seat belts fail to hold occupants during collisions. Both reports involve crashes with injuries. In a rear-end hit at 60-65 mph, the driver's belt does not restrain, the head strikes the steering wheel and pillar, and the air bags do not deploy. The other describes the shoulder portion of the belt failing in a 16 mph impact.

The car accelerates on its own while parking at low speed, even with the brake pressed. Both reports end in crashes, one into a boulder at about 5 mph and one over a curb into a pole. One driver suffers a fractured jaw and lost teeth. Air bags do not deploy in either case, and no warning light appears beforehand.

On the Hybrid, a fuel tank design flaw lets fuel corrode the tank and clog the vapor vent tubes, triggering a P0452 check engine light. Subaru covers the replacement parts under service bulletin 09-82-23R for 2019-2021 Crosstrek Hybrids and links it to high-ethanol fuel. A separate report describes stalling at intersections or when turning from a stop, after which the car runs normally.

Glass fails without impact. A windshield cracks under the edge of the rubber seal and spreads six inches. A rear door window explodes while driving on a car about 1.5 years old. Both reports match the spontaneous glass breakage seen in the windshield and sunroof complaints.