2018 Subaru Crosstrek Engine Problems

Your car stalled unexpectedly at a traffic light without any warning light appearing on the dashboard, creating a dangerous situation with the vehicle partially blocking traffic. The engine shook violently before completely stopping when you tried to accelerate, and the car had to be towed to the dealership. Even though ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced during a recall just 13,000 miles earlier, the same components failed again and required another replacement costing $1,500.

Your 2018 Crosstrek is experiencing rough acceleration and jerky/knocking noises, especially when you're driving at low speeds (around 15 mph) or pulling forward after stopping. The problem only happens after the engine has warmed up and been running for about 10 minutes. Two mechanics have diagnosed this as a computer issue — specifically, the engine control module (ECM) needs to be reprogrammed to fix the fault code P1603, which relates to the engine idling poorly or stalling.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, he heard a grinding sound and the vehicle started to shutter and spin. The contact then stated that he had to shift gear into neutral to stop the spin and rolled down the exit ramp and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a hole was in the engine and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was denied service due to no service record was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that he was twelve days over warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

When I attempted to start the car, the starter would spin but fail to engage the flywheel, leaving me stranded in a parking lot. The car needed to be towed to a repair shop. The repair shop confirmed the problem and replaced the starter with an OEM replacement part. I am told that the manufacturer has redesigned the part. The car has less than 55,000 miles on it. I was unaware of any symptoms of the impending failure of this engine component.

ECM reprogramming. I have sent in a report of 2018 Crosstrek manual transmission models like mine with acceleration delay and hesitation. There has been numerous reports of this issue among the owners. It creates hazardous condition when the driver is unexpectedly experiencing power loss or acceleration delay on lane merging situations. My car hesitates at around 2000 RPM during acceleration. I have approached Subaru dealer last year at approximately 28K miles. The car was deemed " normal". Then I called Subaru of America and I was told no such issues were reported. However, after my own research online on Crosstrek forum, this has been a known issue. In fact, tehre is a Subaru issued service bulletin on the issue described above. The Subaru service bulletin states " applicability: 2018-21 MY Crosstrek 2.0L MT Subject: Lack of power / hesitation during acceleration Number 09-77-21R Date 7/28/21 Revised 08/19/21. It also included 2017-21 MY Impreza 2.0L MT. The service bulletin describes the same problem I have experienced and described above and an ECM reprograming is needed to fix the issue. Subaru of America has not issued a recall on these models. It should have. It should have done so in 2019 or 2010 when owners of these vehicles like me has brought the issue to their attention. Please investigate and contact Subaru of America so potential accidents, hazards can be avoided. These cars need to be recalled.

There are many online posts of the same issues as my 2018 Crosstrek acceleration hesitancy, stumbling at around 2000 RPM or under light acceleration. This is particularly hazardous when entering highways. The Subaru dealership cannot find any issue with diagnostic error codes. I called Subaru of America they also reports no such recalls on the complaint above. Please investigate this for the Model year 2015 and newer Subaru Crosstreks. Many many people who owns this model has complained this on the online forum for same issue and no response or fix from Subaru. Below is a sample of what other Crosstrek owners experienced what I have experienced also: Subaru XV Crosstrek Engine hesitates during acceleration ...https://www.yourmechanic.com › ... › XV Crosstrek An engine that is hesitating to accelerate is most likely dealing with a fuel/air mixture that is too lean. Engine's that are running inefficiently will begin ... Hesitation during Subaru Crosstrek acceleration - victoriamgclubhttps://victoriamgclub.com › hesitation-during-subaru-c... Feb 24, 2020 — Another possible explanation why you experience hesitation during Subaru Crosstrek acceleration, whether you are driving, stationary, hot, cold ... Engine hesitation after ignition coil recall service - Subaru XV ...https://www.clubcrosstrek.com › threads › engine-hesita... May 30, 2020 — Hi...does the Crosstrek have multiple ignition coils...like one per cylinder, or just one? I had the impression that it was a single one? Problem with Accelerating/Going up hills - Subaru XV ... Sep 17, 2020 Rough Starts regardless of condition? - Subaru XV Crosstrek ... Dec 3, 2014 Engine Stumble? | Subaru XV Crosstrek Forums Apr 11, 2014 Sporadic Starting Problems | Subaru XV Crosstrek Forums Feb 5, 2014 More results from www.clubcrosstrek.com 2019 Subaru Crosstrek - Hesitates - Maintenance/Repairshttps://community.cartalk.com › 2019-subaru-crosstrek... Jun 7, 2019 — 825 miles and the car occasionally hesitates when m

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The failure occurred while operating the vehicle in warmer humid weather. The contact indicated that the failure occurred after the vehicle was serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V264000 (Electrical System, Engine and Engine Cooling) which included replacing the and updating the EMC software. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 58,000. Consumer stated vehicle is still at the dealer.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Crosstek. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:21V264000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The part was on backorder because of a previous recall for the ignition coil as well. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed the backorder of the part for the recall. The manufacturer also informed the contact that their case would be escalated. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts distribution disconnect.

THE CAR ENGINE HAS STALLED 4 TIMES SINCE JULY WHEN WIFE WAS ACCELERATING ONTO A MAIN STREET OR THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, TURNING FROM A STOP. ON ONE OCCASION, SHE FLUTTERED THE PEDAL AND REGAINED ENGINE POWER. THE OTHER TIMES SHE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF GEAR AND RESTART THE ENGINE WITH THE IGNITION KEY. LOOSING POWER IN AN INTERSECTION WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC HAS SCARED HER AND SHE REFUSES TO THE THE CAR. TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS WERE PRIOR TO THE CAR BEING SERVICED FOR THE COIL INSPECTION AND ECM REPROGRAM RECALL ON NOV. 20, THE OTHER TWO WERE ON DEC.3, 2019. THE AUTO WAS TAKEN TO THE WILMINGTON, NC SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR A THOROUGH INSPECTION ON DEC. 17, 2019, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN APRIL. 2019. I, (THE HUSBAND) DRIVE THE CAR 95% OF THE TIME AND HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM OF ENGINE STALLING. THE WIFE IS 5'2" AND IS IN HER EARLY 70S. SHE HAS BEEN DRIVING FOR 55 YEARS AND OUR PREVIOUS CAR WAS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK OF WHICH SHE HAD NO PROBLEMS. THE WIFE DOES DRIVE WITH BOTH FEET, ACCELERATING WITH THE RIGHT FOOT AND BREAKING WITH THE LEFT FOOT. ATTEMPTS TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BOTH WITH HER DRIVING AND WITH ME DRIVING FAIL TO CAUSE A STALL.

THREE RECALLS FOR DECEMBER 2019 ON A 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK. SUBARU SERVICE PROGRAM NUMBERS ARE; WUR-03, SUBARU SAFETY RECALL WUQ-02 NHTSA RECALL ID 19V-743, AND SUBARU SAFTERY RECALL WUP-01 NHTSA ID 19V-744

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PCV BLEW UP AND STRANDED THE CONTACT ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FAULKNER NISSAN OF HARRISBURG (3925 PAXTON ST, HARRISBURG, PA 17111) WHERE IT REMAINED FROM NOVEMBER 16, 2019 TO NOVEMBER 27, 2019. THE DEALER HAD TO REMOVE THE ENGINE TO CLEAN UP THE PCV DEBRIS AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V744000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED ON DECEMBER 2, 2019 AND THEY PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER AND PROMISED TO CALL BACK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BACK ON DECEMBER 9, 2019 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW SINCE IT WAS ONLY WITH THE DEALER FOR NINE DAYS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT HE WAS ONE OF SIX PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AND HIS ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,850.*DT*JB

2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK, MILEAGE 17,000 AS OF 12/02/2019. VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN ON A CITY STREET AT 35 MPH STARTED TO FEEL HEAVY/RIGID AND LOSING MOTIVE POWER. EXHAUST STARTED TO DISCHARGE NON-STOPPING HEAVY BLACK SMOKE LIKE THAT OF TIRES BURNING. ALSO, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG PLASTIC-LIKE SMELL IN THE SMOKE. IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND TOOK THE VEHICLE IN. I WAITED OVER 4 LONG HOURS UNTIL THE TECHNICIAN SAID I HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR AS THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS SINCE ALL TESTS PERFORMED HAD COME OUT OK. A LOANER WAS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT 100% SURE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THAT THEY SUSPECTED IT HAD TO DO WITH MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER WUP01 (NHTSA 19V744000) AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS TO REPAIR. SUBARU OF AMERICA FAILED TO SEND LETTERS OR EMAILS CONCERNING 2 OPEN RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE SINCE OCTOBER 2019. I DO NOT HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SUBMIT AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT AS I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED ANY COPIES FROM THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN WE HAVE BEEN RIDING ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN AT GREAT RISK BECAUSE SUBARU HAS FAILED TO INFORM OF THESE RECALLS WHICH COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN A FATALITY. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FROM A MANUFACTURER I HAVE PUT ALL MY TRUST IN.

THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR FOR THE ENGINE STALLING AND HESITATION. THE RECALL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES. THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE CONDITION. SUBARU DOES NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED TO HELP MY DEALER REPAIR THE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE WHEN IT DOES LOSE POWER ITS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.

COMPLETE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN.

MY OIL TEMP ON MY SUBARU IS HIGHER THAN NORMAL...I HAVE HAD IT IN THE DEALER 2 TIMES ALREADY AND EVEN THO THEY SAY THE TEMPS ARE NOT NORMAL THE SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE EVERYTHING LOOK FINE..BUT THEY TELL ME TO CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3K NOW INSTEAD OF 6K...I HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE OIL TEMPS AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE OR ANY OTHER CASE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2018 CROSSTREK .I HAVE ASK SUBARU WHAT THE OIL TEMP RANGE IS AND AFTER MONTHS OF CALLING SOMEONE FINALLY TELLS ME MAX TEMP IS 247...MY CAR GOES OVER THAT..I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND SAME THING..THEY DO NOTHING..I ASK THEM AGAIN WHAT THE NORMAL TEMP RANGE IS AND THEY DON'T KNOW...THEY TELL ME TO JUST DRIVE IT THAT IT'S UNDER WARRANTY..THE HIGH OIL TEMP PROBABLY DID SOME LONG TERM DAMAGE...SUBARU IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING HERE EVEN THO THEY SAY THE TEMPS ARE NOT NORMAL....THE TEMPS RISE UP AT HIGHWAY DRIVING..UP HILLS MOSTLY...NORMAL SPEED...IT'S LIKE THERE IS NO COOLING...GO UP HILLS DURING REGULAR HIGHWAY DRIVING THE OIL TEMP JUST SHOOTS UP...WATER TEMP IS NORMAL

MY SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE 2018 SUBARU CROSSTREK RESULTS FROM A HUGE AMOUNT OF ENGINE REV HANG ( REV HANG - A HIGH (OR 'HANGING') ENGINE RPM AFTER DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. REFERENCE - SUBARU OUTBACK SB# 11-174-17R DATED 6 23 17 ) WHEN SHIFTING UP THROUGH THE LOWER GEARS. AS A RESULT OF REV HANG, IT IS ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT SEVERELY ABUSING THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHILE UP-SHIFTING FROM FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, WHERE REV HANG CAN EXIST FOR 3 TO 4 SECONDS. A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS AS YOU ARE AT RISK OF A REAR END COLLISION AS THE CAR ABRUPTLY SLOWS, WITH THE CAR'S BRAKE LIGHTS OFF ( THIS IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND GOING UP A HILL ) WHILE YOU SIT AND WAIT FOR ENGINE REV HANG TO DISSIPATE IN ORDER TO UP-SHIFT THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION. I MENTION THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS ONE THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND GOING UP A HILL IN BOSTON EARLIER THIS MONTH. ADDITIONALLY, I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS REV HANG ISSUE, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN UNACCEPTABLY SHORTENED CLUTCH, TRANSMISSION AND ASSOCIATED DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENT LIFE. ALSO, EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR WILL MOST CERTAINLY RESULT, AS ANY AVAILABLE ENGINE BRAKING HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATED BY ENGINE REV HANG. NOTE ' THIS REV HANG ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, SEE S OF A SR #:1-31863796593, AND REMAINS UNCORRECTED.