Selling a junk Subaru Crosstrek
Any Crosstrek sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Subaru Crosstrek
NHTSA has 1,295 owner complaints on file for the Subaru Crosstrek, model years 2012 to 2022, the 246th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are visibility and wipers (302, 23%), other (224, 17%), electrical system (178, 14%). 82 complaints involved a crash, 25 a fire, and 64 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 21,000 miles. The 2019 model year has the most complaints (365). Data as of 2026-10-12.
The guides below explain how each kind of fault changes what a buyer pays.
Subaru Crosstrek by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3 | Engine | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 36 | Engine | 2 | 4 | 1 | 70,000 |
| 2014 | 22 | Transmission and drivetrain | 5 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2015 | 27 | Transmission and drivetrain | 0 | 0 | 1 | 52,000 |
| 2016 | 165 | Electrical system | 6 | 5 | 1 | 40,000 |
| 2017 | 132 | Other | 12 | 4 | 1 | 26,322 |
| 2018 | 256 | Visibility and wipers | 17 | 1 | 5 | 20,000 |
| 2019 | 365 | Visibility and wipers | 11 | 5 | 7 | 13,000 |
| 2020 | 83 | Visibility and wipers | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7,092 |
| 2021 | 162 | Visibility and wipers | 14 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 44 | Other | 7 | 0 | 0 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Subaru Crosstrek recalls
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for engine and cooling (2), electrical system (2), lights (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2021 model year, transmission and drivetrain (campaign 23V755000, Nov 2023): 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.
- 2018 model year, suspension (campaign 21V263000, Apr 2021): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Crosstrek Hybrid, and 2019 Forester vehicles. The rear stabilizer bracket bolts may loosen and detach.
- 2018 model year, electrical system (campaign 21V264000, Apr 2021): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Subaru Impreza and 2018-2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The Engine Control Module (ECM) may continue to power the ignition coil after the engine is shut off, causi…
- 2019 model year, seat belts (campaign 20V189000, Mar 2020): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
- 2019 model year, engine and cooling (campaign 19V856000, Dec 2019): Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the en…
What a Subaru Crosstrek is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk Crosstrek on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Subaru models
- Subaru Outback 12,007
- Subaru Forester 8,453
- Subaru Legacy 3,674
- Subaru Impreza 3,334
- Subaru WRX 1,207
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Subaru Crosstrek worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Crosstrek gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Subaru Crosstrek that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Subaru Crosstrek?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Subaru Crosstrek numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.