There are 3 stored owner reports matching the visibility & wipers leading-label group for the 2014 Subaru Crosstrek in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 3 of 3 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 70MPH. HEARD A LOUD POP (SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT). MOONROOF GLASS HAD EXPLODED OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE GLASS. EDGE OF GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT LIKE IT HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE INSIDE. SUNSHADE WAS OPEN. NO TRAFFIC AND NOTHING HIT THE ROOF BEFORE THE GLASS EXPLODED. TEMP INSIDE THE CAR WAS AROUND 65 DEGREES. TEMP OUTSIDE WAS IN THE MID TO HIGH 40'S. *TR
THE ISSUE: RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY AND ICES UP SO BADLY THAT IT AFFECTS THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER AND VISIBILITY TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND MANUALLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND WIPERS BY HAND AND WITH A SCRAPPER, HENCE A SAFETY ISSUE. STEPS TAKEN PER SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT. 1.) REPLACE WIPERS, NOT RESOLVED. 2.) REPLACED WIPER ARMS, NOT RESOLVED. 3.) SUBARU SAID IT MAY BE THE WINDSHIELD IS OUT OF SHAPE, FLAT SPOT. I ASKED IF THAT'S WARRANTY SINCE IT CAME ON THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, NO, I HAD TO PAY FOR IT; NOT RESOLVED. 4.) REPLACED WIPERS 3 MORE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT BRANDS; ISSUE NOT RESOLVED. 5.) CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH A COPY OF ALL WARRANTY AND SERVICE WORK TO DATE. AFTER A MONTH THEY REFERRED MY BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE WIPERS REPLACED. IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE WIPERS. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD FROM FREEZING TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING SAFE TO DRIVE IN MILD SNOW WEATHER IS TO RUN THE DEFROST AT 100% FAN SPEED AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATE CONTINUALLY AND TO TURN ON THE WIPER HEAT ELEMENT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE ICE UP SO EASILY. THIS HAPPENS ON AT ANY SPEED. THE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR OR MAKE CONTACT ENOUGH TO CLEAR WATER AND LEAVES A THIN LAYER THAT INSTANTLY FREEZES THUS PROMOTING THE FREEZING FEEDBACK LOOP. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HARD FOR SUBARU TO REPLICATE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE COLD AND SNOWING AND I HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF COLD AND SNOWY WEATHER. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MULTIPLE SUBARU EMPLOYEES THAT "IT MAY BE A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO". I FIND THAT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT SINCE THE CROSSTREK IS MARKETED TO OUTDOORS LIFESTYLES. I HAVE HAD 6 OTHER VEHICLES IN MY LIFETIME, NON HAVE HAD THIS FREEZING ISSUE. I WILL NOT TAKE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WHEN IT SNOWS BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S UNSAFE. KINDLY CT OWNER
THIS HAPPENED ON 2/26/2014: I WAS DRIVING MY HYBRID CROSSTREK THIS MORNING ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND HAD GLASS ALL OVER ME. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICKLY. THANKFULLY MY GRANDSON OR ANOTHER PASSENGER WERE NOT WITH ME AS THEY WOULD HAVE HAD GLASS ALL OVER THEM TOO.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.