8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
77,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
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problem #1

Jun 012021

XV Crosstrek Hybrid

  • CVT transmission
  • 77,000 miles

I purchased the car used from Carvana in January (and I'm still not confident in my decision to do that). I LOVE the Subaru Crosstrek so much! But - when the weather got warmer (June) I noticed that when I put the AC on it would smell mildew-like and was intermittent between tepid/warm air and cool air. If I push AC FULL ON (left knob) it will turn on, take about 1 +/- minute to cool and will blow on high, usually for about 30 minutes and after such time it starts to get warm. Eventually, left on AC FULL ON, it will fluctuate between warm and cool air about every 30 minutes or so. But eventually, it fully stopped blowing any cool air.

Now, I live in probably one of the best weather zones in the country - the South Coast of California where it mainly stays between 75 and 45 nearly year round with occasionally getting into the 80's. But I drive to LA and to Lake Isabella frequently and the temps there can get easily over 100 degrees. So, when I drive there, no matter what setting I choose (left knob, middle knob or right knob) about every 20 minutes the cold turns warm. I took it to the dealer in June and they did not do anything b/c their computer said nothing was wrong with it. Drove it again - 100+ degrees with my kid and son in the car for 3 miserable hours.

I took it to a local repair shop. They had it for several days, charged me $500 for a Freon recharge, replaced (leaking) expansion valve and replaced cabin air filter. Drove it again - repeated same issue. Took it today to the dealer b/c the tech on the phone said her car had the same issue and that it was the compressor and it was fixed. But when I showed up at the dealer, the tech checking me in reviewed all of this and said to me, "there is nothing more we can do for you" WTF??? I read on many Subaru sites that this is a persistent issue. Even when visiting my brother in PA this July, his Subaru Forester was doing the EXACT SAME THING. Why is this issue so hard to resolve and so f&#%ing expensive?? Why isn't Subaru doing something about it??

- Jill S., Ventura, CA, US