Window & Wiper complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at night, the strip on the front windshield failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the strip was designed to keep the top section of the front windshield dark to avoid the glare from the headlights of oncoming vehicles, while the bottom section of the windshield was clear. The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Shortly after I bought the new car from a dealership in June 2025, I noticed the driver side mirror vibrates at speed above 60 mph, which makes the images in the mirror become quite blurry and makes it hard to judge the distance of other vehicles especially at night. I took the car to the dealership, and they confirmed the issue, then they replaced the mirror with a new one from Subaru America. The vibration improved a little bit but still obviously blurry even around 45 mph. Weeks later, the dealership notified me that Subaru America provided a TSB for the issue. After the dealership applied the solution based on the TSB, there was not much change. The dealership then tried again with the TSB solution but didn't work.
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of star shaped crack located on the front windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer referred the contact to a glass specialist to repair the vehicle. The contact was informed by the mechanic that the windshield had shattered while attempting to replace the windshield. The contact was informed that a replacement windshield needed to be ordered. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the garage, the contact became aware that the passenger's side front windshield had cracked at the bottom without impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 6,200.
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side windshield cracked unexpectedly. The windshield had developed a crack without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
Overall I'm disappointed in the quality of the manufactured parts and accessories. It leads me to believe low grade materials were used in manufacturing this vehicle. My vehicle is brand new and has 2500 miles on it and the front windshield has a crack that is obvious to the naked eye that it was not caused by a rock hitting it while driving. If low grade quality (thin glass) was used to produce this vehicle and it easily breaks/cracks this is a safety hazard for drivers and passengers.
Its widely known that Subaru has a problem with their windshields dating back to 2015. There have been several class action lawsuits wherein their windshields crack for NO reason. My windshield cracked and it was determined there was an impact point where the crack propagated. I contest that based on their sub-standard windshields, there is not way to determine impact vs non-impact crack formation. The repair for the windshield was quoted at $1300!! Part of the quote includes re-calibrating the eyesight technology which is required. Subaru's recommendation was to file a comprehensive insurance claim. My insurance company, Progressive, indicated that this type of claim, while comprehensive, would cause a rate increase. Subaru refused to conduct a 3 way call with Progressive to discuss the matter. I wonder why? There are countless claims of subaru windshields cracking. …
The front windshield has cracked all the way across the bottom without a reason, while I was parked at work. There were no prior chips or dings that would cause the windshield to crack all the way across. There were no outside factors that would have caused this either since the stop was only a few minutes and was in a completely empty parking lot. I've read online, and also heard from the glass repair shop while they seen if it would be fixable, that a large amount of people have experienced this same exact issue with the 2022 Crosstrek windshield spontaneously cracking. Never have I ever experienced this type of issue before with any of the cars i've owned previously.
Related recalls (1)
Visibility › Glass, side/rear
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek vehicles. The driver's side rear-door window glass may be improperly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side rear-door window glass, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Crosstrek years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2019 (123), 2018 (72), 2020 (34), 2021 (33) and 2017 (25) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 43% of all complaints for the 2019.
Is there a recall for Subaru Crosstrek window & wiper problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 19V-404 (glass, side/rear, May 30, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Crosstrek window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 16,000 miles; 92% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the windshield (25 mentions), followed by the rearview mirrors/devices › exterior (13).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.