2016 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 414 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 40 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 17 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationOct 3, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
Campaign 19V701000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchFeb 28, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Campaign 19V149000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, gasoline, turbo/superchargerMar 21, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
Campaign 16V162000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
69 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Jan 25, 2021
THE KEY IS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION AFTER PARKING. THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES.
Air bags, Seats, Other or unspecified, Dec 26, 2020
ON NOVEMBER 7, 2020 AROUND 630PM, I WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREET GOING NW ON SUNSET IN FAIR OAKS, CA IN A FAR RIGHT LANE. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 TO 40 MPH WITH ONE OTHER CARS INFRONT OR BESIDES ME. CERTAINLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I HEARD A LOUD BOOM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LOUD BOOM, I COULD NOT SEE AND REALIZED MY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THEN I LOOKED TO MY RIGHT I SAW A DEER LIMPING. SO I IMMEDIATELY KNEW I JUST HIT A DEER FROM MY FRONT LEFT CORNER BUMPER AFTER I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE STREET. AFTER I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE STREET I NOTICE ALL AIRBAGS IN THE CAR DEPLOYED INCLUDING THE SEATS, DASHBOARD, ROOF AND SIDE AIRBAGS. I TOOK MY CAR TO GET ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT BASE ON THE DAMAGE OF THE VEHICLE HIT BY THE DEER, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE ENTIRE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR SHOULDN'T BE DEPLOYED. SO I COMAINT TO SUBARU. IT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. I BELIEVE HITTING THE DEER SHOULD HAVE NOT MADE THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOYED ESPECIALLY THE ENTIRE AIRBAGS SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATE CAME OUT TO BE OVER $15000 TO FIX. MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE CAR.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 15, 2020
THIS CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER WHEN UNDERWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR PREDICTABILITY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF ENTERING TRAFFIC OR EVEN WHEN MOVING ON CONGESTED ROADS. NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AT ALL, THE CAR JUST DIES WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS HAPPENED MONTHS AND EVEN YEARS APART. ALL ATTEMPTS BY THE SUBARU SERVICE TEAM HAVE FAILED TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND FIXING GUESSES AT TO WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG HAVE FAILED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THE FIRST OWNER RETURNED THIS AS A LEMON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW SUBARU OF AMERICA IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WON'T AGREE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK AND GET IT OFF THE ROAD PERMANENTLY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR GETS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT AND THE SERVICE PEOPLE CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM IT MUST NOT EXIST AND YET THREE DRIVERS IN MY FAMILY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AND A PRIOR OWNER (I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS IS) RETURNED THE CAR WITH THE SAME INDEPENDENT EXPERIENCE. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. I AM SURE WHEN THIS CAR WAS FIRST RETURNED AS A LEMON THEY COULDN'T ISOLATE THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY COULDN'T RECREATE IT. I SUSPECT THAT THEY FIXED WHAT THEY 'THOUGHT' WAS THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT A TEST DRIVE OF EVEN A THOUSAND MILES MIGHT NOT REVEAL THE PROBLEM. THEY PUT IT BACK OUT THERE AS FIXED AND LIKE NEW. NOW THAT THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RECURRED IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO NOT TAKE THIS CAR BACK AS A TWO TIME LEMON AND DESTROY IT BEFORE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OCCURS.
Other or unspecified, Oct 9, 2020
I TOOK MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER IN FOR SERVICE AND MENTIONED A STICKY IGNITION. I WAS TOLD THE SHIFTER PLATE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A REPAIR OF $600.00. THE CAR HAS 45,000 MILES. I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW OFTEN THIS HAPPENS WITH IT BEING A RELATIVELY LOW MILES CAR AND HE STATED THAT HE IS REPAIRING 3 OTHERS IN THE DEALERSHIP JUST TODAY. I ALSO READ THAT SUBARU REPLACED THE ASSEMBLY DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LAST ITERATION. I AM CONCERNED THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THIS ASSEMBLY AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
Other or unspecified, Sep 17, 2020
KEY DOES NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION WHEN CAR IS STOPPED, TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK AND FOOT BRAKE IS APPLIED.
Other or unspecified, Sep 16, 2020
IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK AND CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM CAR AFTER DRIVING AND THE CAR IS TURNED OFF
Power train, Other or unspecified, Sep 9, 2020
2016 SUBARU FORESTER. KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION. CAN NOT BE REMOVED. ALL ELECTRICAL POWER STILL ON. THIS HAPPENED AFTER I PULLED MY SUV INTO A PARKING SPOT. PLACE IN PARK. TURNED OFF AND KEY WAS STUCK IN IGNITION. THIS IS THE 5TH TIME IN 2 WEEKS THIS HAS HAPPENED.
Other or unspecified, Aug 29, 2020
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION OR AUX POSITION AND WOULD NOT COME OVER AFTER SHIFTING THE LEVER TO PARK POSITION.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 7, 2020
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AROUND 70 MPH. LOST POWER TO WHEELS/VEHICLE STALLED WITH NO WARNING. ENGINE REVVED TO HIGH RPM'S WHEN I HIT GAS, AS I COASTED INTO THE GRASSY MEDIAN. I TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES. TRIED TO START AGAIN, STARTER WOULD CRANK, BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT START. TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER THEY WERE ABLE TO START CAR NEXT DAY. NO ERROR CODES IN COMPUTER. HAVE NOTICED THIS ISSUE ON THE SUBARU MESSAGE BOARDS, DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ISSUE NOW. VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY.
Other or unspecified, Jul 20, 2020
THE KEY OCASIONALLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SO THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE AND LOCK THE CAR. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A MONTH BEFORE I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED.
Other or unspecified, Jul 1, 2020
KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER I COME TO A STOP AND PUT CAR IN PARK AND FIRMLY APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CAN SOMETIMES START THE CAR AGAIN, PUT IT IN PARK AND PULL THE BRAKE AND THE KEY WILL COME OUT. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION.
Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2020
KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. THIS STARTED ABOUT 4 MOS AGO. PARK CAR, TURN OFF, BUT KEY WON'T RELEASE AND COME OUT. HAVE TO SOMETIMES RESTART CAR, REVERSE, SLAM INTO PARK. USED TO HEAR A "CLICK" OR LIKE SOMETHING "LOCKED IN", BUT NO LONGER. IT'S GETTING WORSE; CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND COSTS SEEMS TO BE 500-600 REPAIR. *TR
Other or unspecified, Mar 17, 2020
WHEN I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK I CANT REMOVE MY KEY WITHOUT TURNING IT ON AND BACK OFF A COUPLE TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A MONTH NOW SINCE IF OWNED IT.
Other or unspecified, Feb 7, 2020
THE EYESIGHT HAS TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY AND WON'T TURN BACK ON UNTIL I STOP AND RESTART CAR. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 3.5 YEARS AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. THERE WAS NO SUNLIGHT AND VERY LIGHT MIST THIS LAST TIME. THERE WAS NOTHING BLOCKING THE EYESIGHT CAMERA AT ALL. THIS IS NOT THE SAFETY FEATURE THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Nov 14, 2019
WEAK OR THIN WINDSHIELD THAT CHIPS/CRACKS EASILY CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES AT NIGHT/RAIN/SNOW ETC.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 28, 2019
WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED
Other or unspecified, Oct 27, 2019
NOTICED A CRACK IN MY FRONT WINDSHIELD ONE MORNING WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND BY THE END OF THE DAY THE CRACK HAD MOVED INTO MY LINE OF VISION AND WOULD HAVE IMPAIRED MY DRIVING, IF I WOULD HAVE NOT FIXED IMMEDIATELY I HAD IT IMMEDIATELY FIXED BY SAFELIGHT, WHICH COST $452.03
Other or unspecified, Oct 17, 2019
HAVING TROUBLE GETTING KEY OUT OF IGNITION. WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN "PARK", I CANNOT TURN THE KEY ALL THE WAY TO THE "LOCK" POSITION SO IT CAN BE REMOVED. INSTEAD, THE KEY WILL STOP AT THE "ACC" POSITION, WHICH PREVENTS ME FROM TURNING THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF. EVEN WITH CONTINUALLY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT BACK TO "NEUTRAL" THEN INTO "PARK", AS WELL AS TURNING THE KEY TO "ON" AND BACK, IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES FOR THE KEY TO RECEIVE THE SIGNAL THAT ALLOWS ME TO TURN IT TO "LOCK" SO I CAN REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS STARTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, AND NOW HAPPENS MOST TIMES WHEN I PARK THE VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Jul 12, 2019
SUBARU IS AWARE OF FAULTY COMPONENTS IN THEIR AC COMPRESSOR/CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BUT REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE COMPONENTS FALL APART AFTER A CERTAIN TIME. THEY ISSUED A TSB TO THEIR DEALERS AND TECHNICIANS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT NEVER NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THE ISSUE WHEN THE TICKET WAS CREATED ONLY 4 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2019
WHEN USING THE NAVIGATION FUNCTION, THE AUDIO STOPS PROVIDING VOICE DIRECTIONS, FORCING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO PHYSICALLY LOOK AT THE MAP DISPLAY FOR DIRECTIONS, TAKING EYES OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON HIGHWAYS AS WELL AS IN CITY DRIVING. THIS ALSO LOCKS THE RADIO DISPLAY WHICH PREVENTS ANY OTHER USAGE OF THE INFORMATION SCREEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 10 MONTHS, THE LAST TIME IN APRIL 2019..
Other or unspecified, Apr 7, 2019
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION ABOUT 1/2 THE TIME AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND HAVE IT IN PARK. AND HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
Other or unspecified, Apr 1, 2019
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION ABOUT 1/2 THE TIME AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND HAVE IT IN PARK. AND HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON OVER ABOUT THE LAST MONTH OR 2 MONTHS.
Other or unspecified, Mar 16, 2019
SIRIUS RADIO WILL NOT LIST ALL CHANNELS AVAILABLE CAUSING USER TO HAVE TO MANUALLY TUNE RADIO, WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX AFTER SIX MONTHS. HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT A WIDE PROBLEM BUT DEALER IS SEEING A FEW OTHER FORESTERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO FIX.
Wheels, Other or unspecified, Mar 15, 2019
COULDN'T START CAR FOUND OUT IT WAS BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING HAD TO HAVE REPLACE AT MY OWN EXPENSE. NOW I CANT ALWAYS GET MY KEY OUR OF THE IGNITION. ALSO MY TIRE PRESSURES DON'T STAY UP. I HAVE HAD TO INFLATE THEM ABOUT 3 TIME IN AS MANY MONTHS.
Steering, Power train, Other or unspecified, Jan 17, 2019
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS THE REAR-END SHIFTS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP (DRY OR WET PAVEMENT). IT ALSO SHIFTS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING ON ICE. I KNOW CARS PERFORM POORLY ON ICE, BUT I'VE HAD MANY DRIVING CAREERS AND THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE AND NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CAR. ALSO IT HYDROPLANES EASILY. THE REAR TIRES (ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT REAR TIRE) WEAR UNNATURALLY. I HAVE TO REPLACE TIRES APPROXIMATELY EVERY 18000 MILES. THIS IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND I RARELY HIT THE BRAKES. I DON'T ACCELERATE AGGRESSIVELY AND NEVER SLAM ON THE BRAKES. I USUALLY GET 60000+ MILES FROM MY TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES BY COMPARISON LAST 5-10 TIMES LONGER THAN THE REAR TIRES BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF TREAD WEAR AS COMPARED TO THE REAR TIRES OVER THE SAME AMOUNT OF MILES AS I DO ROTATE THEM REGULARLY. THIS CAR MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE ON ICE AT ANY SPEED AND IS A LITTLE BIT HAIR RAISING JUST ON WET PAVEMENT. WHY IT WOULD SHIFT TO THE LEFT ON THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS AND EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT (WORSE ON WET PAVEMENT) IS BEYOND ME. RECENTLY THE CONTROL ARMS AND TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 102K MILES. AFTER THAT REPAIR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AIR SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR SEEMS LIKE A LEMON TO ME. I BOUGHT THIS NEW CAR FIGURING I WOULDN'T HAVE ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH USED CARS. I ENTERED A DATE OF 2016 WHEN THIS HAPPENED SINCE IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR ALTHOUGH IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON ICE.