2016 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 642 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 22 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, air bag/restraint control moduleDec 19, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
Campaign 19V910000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, columnDo not drive until repairedMay 11, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Campaign 16V292000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftNov 24, 2015
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016 Legacy vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 16, 2015, and Outback vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 17, 2015. Due to the improper tightening of the securing nuts, the drive shaft may separate from the rear differential.
If the drive shaft detaches from the rear differential, it may strike the fuel tank and result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the fastening nuts, and tighten or replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 10, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is WQV-57.
Campaign 15V794000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftAug 10, 2015
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
Campaign 15V502000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
124 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 30, 2021
THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND IT WAS ABOVE FREEZING. NONE OF THE LIGHTS HAD BEEN LEFT ON/DOORS OPEN... THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE A FOB KEPT TOO CLOSE... THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT'S A BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR WHAT. WE'VE HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. IT FIRST HAPPENED WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING THE CAR IN 2017 IN THE SUMMER TIME, AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE WITHOUT EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN USE.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 18, 2021
BATTERY DRAINS AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR A FEW DAYS. I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED LAST YEAR, AND HAD THE NEW BATTERY CHECKED RECENTLY AT THE DEALER. THEY (DEALER) SAID IT WAS FINE AND SAW NO PARASITIC DRAIN. THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR EVERY DAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED, WHICH I FIND TO BE VERY ODD AND EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT. I ALSO OWN A 2020 SUBARU ASCENT AND DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE IT EVERY DAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY HEALTHY. THE CAR SAT FOR ONE WEEK RECENTLY AND THE BATTERY DRAINED AGAIN. I JUMPED IT YESTERDAY IT AND DROVE IT FOR 30 MINUTES AND TODAY THE BATTERY IS DEAD AGAIN.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 16, 2021
BATTERY OFTEN GOES DEAD. HAVE REPLACED BATTERY 3 OR 4 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2015. BATTERY DIED IN GARAGE AND IN PARKING LOT.
Other or unspecified, Feb 16, 2021
THE IGNITION KEY DOESN'T COME OUT WHEN IN PARK. THE GEARS CAN MANUALLY SLIP WHILE IN PARK (WHILE MOVING THE GEAR SHAFT). IT'S LIKE THE CAR DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE GEAR 'PARK', WHILE ALSO THE KEY GETS STUCK AND WILL NOT COME OUT. THIS HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES A DAY.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 1, 2021
KEY GETS STUCK ON IGNITION SWITCH WHEN I TURN CAR OFF AND PUT IT IN PARK. KEY WILL NOT RELEASE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. IT TAKES SEVERAL MINUTES, SOME TIMES UP TO 20 MINUTES FOR THE KEY TO RELEASE FROM THE COLUMN. VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE STARTED AND TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE KEY RELEASES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW, VERY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS AS HAVING TO START AND STOP THE VEHICLE HAS DRAINED THE BATTERY TWICE NOW AND I HAVE HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE JUMP STARTED. HOPEFULLY THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE.....
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 10, 2020
KEY WILL NOT RELEASE FROM IGNITION SWITCH WHEN PARKED AFTER DRIVING. REQUIRES MULTIPLE SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND BACK TO PARK BEFORE KEY WILL RELEASE. FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE IS NOW EVERY OTHER DAY. VEHICLE HAS 48,500 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY.
Other or unspecified, Nov 28, 2020
MULTIPLE CRACKED WINDSHIELDS UNEXPLAINED. WINDSHIELDS CRACKED WITH MINIMAL STRESS MOSTLY WHILE IN MOTION AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS.
Other or unspecified, Nov 28, 2020
MULTIPLE CRACKED WINDSHIELDS UNEXPLAINED. CRACKED UNDER MINIMAL STRESS IN HEAT AND COLD WHILE IN MOTION. INSURANCE DID NOT COVER DEDUCTIBLES OR ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION DURING REPAIRS
Other or unspecified, Oct 15, 2020
BATTERY HAS DIED TWICE IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS WHEN NOTHING WAS LEFT ON AND THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. IT CONTINUES TO DRAIN EVEN WHEN WE REPLACED WITH A HIGH LEVEL BATTERY
Other or unspecified, Oct 11, 2020
WINDSHIELDS KEEPS CRACKING. REPAIRS ARE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF EYESIGHT CALIBRATION. WINDSHIELD CRACKED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IN EARLY 2018, REPAIRED IT IMMEDIATELY, THEN CRACKED AGAIN WITHIN 2 OR 3 MONTHS. CRACK BOTH TIMES SPREAD MORE THAN 6 INCHES IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.
Other or unspecified, Aug 31, 2020
WITHOUT WARNING THE SUNROOF GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING 40 MILES PER HOUR
Other or unspecified, Aug 7, 2020
WHEN YOU SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF THEY KEY GETS STUCK IN ACCESSORY MODE AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY.
Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Aug 4, 2020
MY 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK ALL OF SUDDEN HAD WARNING LIGHTS SUCH AS: BRAKE, ABS, AND STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN THE CAR WAS IN PARK ANS WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. IT HAS MADE MY STEERING WHEEL REALLY HARD TO TURN.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Aug 4, 2020
SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE ON 6/16/2016 WE HAVE HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW ENGAGING THE AUTO-REVERSING (ANTI-ENTRAPMENT) FEATURE CAUSING AN INABILITY TO CLOSE WINDOW. WE HAVE MENTIONED THIS ISSUE TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES SOMETIMES DOCUMENTED, SOMETIMES NOT. THEY RESET SWITCH, ONLY FOR THE PROBLEM TO RETURN. ON OUR LAST VISIT6/31/2020 WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS A TSB (12-272-19R) BUT WE WOULD BE CHARGED $276.22 FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE COVERED. WE ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR $2547.00 GOOD UNTIL 6/16/2026 OR 126000 MILES AND WERE TURNED DOWN ON COVERAGE FROM THEM AS WELL.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 22, 2020
THE CAR IS STATIONARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF. BESIDES BEING ANNOYING, THIS PREVENTS THE CAR FROM BEING LOCKED THUS INTRODUCES A THEFT RISK. EVENTUALLY, WE ARE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY BUT THERE IS NO CONSISTENT METHOD OF DOING SO. IT'S A MATTER OF TIME AND MESSING WITH TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF, MOVING THE SHIFTER, JIGGLING THE KEY, OR MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BEFORE IT COMES OUT. GOOGLE INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARUS SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
Other or unspecified, Jul 15, 2020
SOMETIMES THE KEY WON'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE CAR OFF (EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS IN PARK). BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ, THIS IS A DEFECT WITH A SENSOR NOT RECOGNIZING THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEFECT. I BELIEVE THE SERVICE BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSES THIS DEFECT IS TSB NUMBER 16-112-18R.
Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2020
WE WERE DRIVING ON I5 NORTH THROUGH WASHINGTON ON A ROADTRIP (GOING ~65MPH), ABOUT TO ENTER A THUNDERSTORM, AND OUR MOONROOF UNEXPECTEDLY SHATTERED, MAKING AN EXPLOSION SOUND. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO A NEARBY FORD DEALERSHIP TO HELP US PATCH THE CAR SO WE COULD MAKE OUR 2+ HOUR DRIVE HOME, BUT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, WE THINK IT'S IN RELATION TO THE PRESSURE DIFFERENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THERE WAS LITTLE GLASS IN THE CAR, MAKING IT SEEM AS IF THE EXPLOSION WAS COMING FROM INSIDE. NO ROCK OR DEBRIS HITTING THE CAR WAS NOTICED. HERE'S MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUE FROM AN ARTICLE LAST YEAR THAT REFERENCED NHTSA: HTTPS://WWW.KGW.COM/ARTICLE/NEWS/LOCAL/MY-SUNROOF-EXPLODED-GOVERNMENT-INVESTIGATING-EXPLODING-SUNROOFS/283-C529D7E5-F2C4-488E-AE34-96F781AD5466.
Other or unspecified, Jul 11, 2020
MY 2016 OUTBACK'S HORN STOPPED WORKING. OVER A YEAR AGO, IT STARTED WORKING ONLY WHEN I WAS TURNING THE WHEEL, THEN EVENTUALLY IN JULY 2019, IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. IT IS MOSTLY AN ANNOYANCE, BUT I CAN'T USE IT TO WARN OTHERS. I CALLED AN TOLD MY DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT, BUT THEY NEVER GOT BACK TO ME. LATER ON, I TALKED TO THEM, BUT WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY DO KNOW THE PART ON IT THAT "GOES". I THOUGHT THAT IF I GOT AN EXPENSIVE MILEAGE CHECK UP SERVICE THAT THEY WOULD FEEL BADLY THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A "PART THAT GOES" AND FIX IT, BUT THEY DIDN'T OFFER TO DO ANYTHING. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SINCE THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PART "WENT" WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE CAR, THEY HAD A BADLY MADE PART. I HAVE A HISTORY OF DRIVING CARS UNTIL THEY ARE OVER 20 YEARS OLD AND CAN HIT 200 MILES ON A CAR AND I NEVER HAD A HARD JUST STOP WORKING AND DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD HAPPEN. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY SUBARU TO FIX THIS SINCE THEY KNOW THEIR PART GOES WRONG AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT A NON-SUBARU MECHANIC WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO, THOUGH SINCE OUTSIDE MECHANICS WON'T BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2020
KEY STICKS IN IGNITION WHEN PARKED AND TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. KEY TURNS, BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT REACHES THE POSITION OF REMOVAL. IT OFTEN TAKES SEVERAL STARTS AND TURN OFF'S TO ACHIEVE REMOVAL OF THE KEY. OFTEN REQUIRES VERY FIRM FORCES OF THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION TO ACHIEVE RELEASE OF THE KEY. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 28, 2020
HAPPENS WHEN STATIONARY. WHEN YOU PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY OFF AND CANNOT BE REMOVED. SUBARU DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS 'FAULTY SHIFTER ASSEMBLY'. THIS WOULD BE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AS NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE IN THOSE AREAS OF THE CAR SINCE PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN 2016. CAUSES THE KEY TO BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND UNABLE TO REMOVE WHEN PUT IN PARK. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 6, 2020
THE STARLINK INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM IN THE OUTBACK AFFECTS IPHONE MAPPING WHEN CONNECTED TO THE CAR'S USB SLOTS. THE MAPS GO HAYWIRE, ALWAYS POINTING THE WRONG DIRECCION, REROUTING CONSISTENTLY, RESULTING IN VERY DANGEROUS ROUTING. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE DAY ONE. I HAD TO STOP CONNECTING THE IPHONE TO THE USB SLOTS WHEN DRIVING SO I CAN USE APPS LIKE GOOGLE MAPS AND APPLE MAPS. THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH THE FIRST GENERATION OF STARLINK INFOTAINMENT. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN I CONNECT THE IPHONE TO THE OUTBACK AND NOT TO ANY OTHER MODEL. *TR
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 29, 2020
THE BATTERY ON OUR 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK KEEPS DISCHARGING AND CAR WON'T START. IT IS IN THE GARAGE. DROVE IT TO THE STORE YESTERDAY. BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY 4 MONTHS AGO, HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 16, 2020
BATTERY RUNS DOWN OFTEN. I'VE HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES AND NO PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATOR EITHER. I KNOW IT WILL RUN DOWN DURING LOADING OR UNLOADING THAT LASTS MORE THAN 30 MINUTES, SO I MANAGE THAT SITUATION. BUT IT IS STARTING TO RUN DOWN MORE OFTEN WHILE PARKED. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS.
Other or unspecified, Dec 27, 2019
CAN NOT REMOVE KEY WHEN IN PARK!! LEAVES ME STRANDED..HAVE TO KEEP TRYING VARIOUS METHODS TO TURN CAR OFF AND REMOVE KEY!! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.. HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS AS WELL ON LINE.
Other or unspecified, Dec 23, 2019
CRACKED WINDSHIELD. STARTING @ BOTTOM CENTER UP 8" THEN 6" TO RIGHT.