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
642 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, May 5, 2021
MOONROOF WILL NOT CLOSE ONCE OPENED. DEALER QUOTED $1400 REPAIR COST. DEALER SUGGESTED DISABLING THE MOON ROOF AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPAIR. WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENS TO MOONROOFS OVER TIME. I HAVE OWNED CARS WITH MOON ROOFS FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY CAR. IS THIS A SUBARU DEFECT?
Electrical system, Apr 30, 2021
FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH SUBARU AMERICA AFTER MY AUTOMOBILE'S BATTERY DIED FOR THE 4TH TIME.I HAVE APPROX. 21,000 ON THE CAR WHICH WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2016. THE BATTERY DIES WHEN THE CAR SITS OVERNIGHT (IT IS GARAGED EVERY NIGHT). I KNOW THERE ARE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS CLAIMING THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVERWHELMS THE BATTERY THUS CAUSING IT TO GO DEAD. I BOUGHT THE CAR KNOWING THAT MY PREVIOUS SUBARU'S HAVE BEEN VERY RELIABLE. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH THE 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK.
Electrical system, Apr 30, 2021
MY BATTERY DRAINS QUICKLY WHEN I HAVE THE CAR OFF AND THE HATCH OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2016.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 30, 2021
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN AUGUST OF 2020 WITHOUT ANY IMPACT OR OUTSIDE CAUSE ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD ALMOST THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE GLASS. I HAD IT REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND IN APRIL OF 2021 THE NEW WINDSHIELD NOW HAS CRACKED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. BOTH TIMES THE CRACKS APPEARED OVERNIGHT WITH THE VEHICLE IN A PARKED POSITION.
Electrical system, Apr 28, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BATTERY WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE BATTERY FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A BATTERY CHARGER WAS CARRIED IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE RECURRING FAILURE. COLONIAL SUBARU (89 NEWTOWN RD, DANBURY, CT 06810) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS MADE AWARE THAT THERE WERE TWO CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS FOR THE BATTERY FAILURE FROM A NEWS ARTICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,238. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STATED THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. *JS
Electrical system, Apr 25, 2021
BATTERY WILL NOT KEEP CHARGE WHILE PARKED. FULLY DEPLETES WITHOUT WARNING. WILL NOT START. WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH FOB. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, BUT PROBLEM CAME BACK SEVERAL MONTHS LATER. MULTIPLE CHARGINGS WERE TEMPORARY ONLY
Electrical system, Apr 24, 2021
BATTERY DRAINS EXCESSIVELY FAST. IF NOT DRIVEN FREQUENTLY FOR LONGER DISTANCES BATTERY DIES.
Electrical system, Apr 24, 2021
BATTERY NEEDED CHARGE REPEATEDLY THEN DIED ABOUT YEAR 3. WE REPLACED WITH LARGER800 AMP BATTERY. BUT AT 2 YEAR IT STARTS FAILING THE SAME. BATTERY TESTS OK AND ALTERNATOR TESTS OK AND NO LIGHTS OR DOORS LEFT OPEN. BUT WHENEVER CAR IS NOT DRIVEN AT LEAST AN HOUR WITHOUT STOPPING IT LOSES ABOUT .1 VOLT PER DAY -WHEN DRIVEN JUST SHORTER DISTANCES. TESTING DAILY WITH MULTIMETER ETER CONFIRMS THIS RATE. CAR REQUIRES CONSTANT BATTERY MINDER ATTACHED AT NIGHT. TOOK IT TO ADVANCE AUTO TODAY AND THEY CONFIRM WITH TEST NO BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM EXISTS!
Electrical system, Apr 24, 2021
WITHIN ONE WEEK OF PURCHASE THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED BY THE SIMPLE ACT OF LOADING THE CAR FOR A TRIP OVER THE COURSE OF ONE DAY. TWICE DURING THE FIRST YEAR WE FOUND THE BATTERY INEXPLICABLY DEAD. WE REPLACED THE OEM WITH A NEW BATTERY 13 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. THIS NEW, MORE POWERFUL BATTERY ALSO IS ALSO FOUND INEXPLICABLY DRAINED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AFTER ROUTINE SHORT TRIPS. FOR FOUR YEARS WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO MONITOR AND TRICKLE CHARGE THE BATTERY TO KEEP THE CAR USABLE. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE FOR A NEW CAR.
Electrical system, Apr 23, 2021
THE BATTERY DRAINED AFTER A SHORT DRIVE WHEN ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE NEXT BATTERY AFTER ONLY 1 YEAR. EACH TIME THE CAR HAD TO BE JUMPED AND THE BATTERY TESTED BAD. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED A 2RD TIME WITH A BATTERY KESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Apr 23, 2021
2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. A FOUR-INCH WAVY CRACK ON THE LEFT BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD; A WEEK LATER ANOTHER CRACK OF ABOUT 6 INCHES APPEARED. THE CRACKS OCCURRED WITH THE SUBARU CAR IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY.
Electrical system, Apr 21, 2021
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. CAR WILL NOT START UNLESS CHARGED. BOUGHT NEW BATTERY IN FEBRUARY 2020. WORKED FOR A TIME, BUT CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN. KEEP GETTING BATTERY CHARGED TO RUN. HAVE HAD BATTERY CHECKED. IT IS GOOD AS IS ALTERNATOR. MUST CHARGE BATTERY EACH TIME I WANT TO DRIVE CAR. THE PROBLEM STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 2020.
Electrical system, Apr 20, 2021
I PURCHASED MY 2016 OUTBACK SEPT 2019 FROM A DEALERSHIP WITH 38,000 MILES. THEY HAD REPLACED MY BATTERY ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE I GOT IT. IT HAS A 30 MONTH FULL WARRANTY. THE BATTERY WENT COMPLETELY DEAD ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO.. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO JUMP ME. THE DRIVER INFORMED THAT THEY GET PLENTY OF CALLS FOR THE NEWER SUBARUS . I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO CHARGED ME FOR THE BATTERY AND SAID THEY DON'T HONOR THE WARRANTY ON A CAR THAT WAS SOLD AFTER THE BATTERY WAS INSTALLED. THEY ALSO DIDN'T MENTION THAT SUBARUS WERE HAVING ELECTRIC ISSUES. MY SON LOOKED IT UP AND INFORMED ME THAT SUBARUS THAT WERE DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES, WHICH MINE IS, TEND TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM
Electrical system, Apr 19, 2021
THE CAR BATTERY HAS DIED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. THE BATTERY WAS FACTORY REPLACED IN 2019 BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS SINCE NEEDED TO BE JUMPED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. THERE IS ALSO CORROSION ON THE NEW BATTERY ALREADY. WHEN THE BATTERY HAS DIED IT'S EITHER BEEN PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY OR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED SOMEWHERE NEEDING A JUMP WHEN IT WOULDN'T START.
Electrical system, Apr 18, 2021
WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY TWO TIMES. THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS DESIGN THAT ALLOWS THE BATTERY TO DRAIN TO A COMPLETELY DEAD AND IRREVERSIBLE STATE EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR A MEANINGFUL PERIOD OF TIME EACH DAY. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN MAY, 2018 AND THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS APRIL, 2021.
Electrical system, Apr 18, 2021
IN EARLY JANUARY, OF 2018, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. WE HAD TO HAVE IT JUMP-STARTED. THIS CONTINUED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES. ON 5/25/18 WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT ON 5/29/18 TO HAVE IT ASSESSED. THEY FOUND: ' BATTERY NOT FULLY CHARGED. FOUND SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR BATTERY CHARGING. PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPDATE.' THE PROBLEM CONTINUED...WE MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ON 7/11/18, AND THEY GAVE US A RENTAL VEHICLE WHILE THEY HAD OURS, FOR 8 DAYS. THIS TIME: 'AFTER FINDING A PARASITIC DRAW, AND REPLACING A MODULE, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED'. WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS BECOMING A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH SUBARU BATTERIES, BUT THAT SUBARU WASN'T WILLING TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AT THEIR COST. WE CONTINUED TO BE INCONVENIENCED, (STRANDED), UNTIL THE DEALERSHIP RELENTED, AND INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY.
Electrical system, Apr 18, 2021
BATTERY IS SUFFERING EXCESSIVE DRAIN. LAST REPLACED BATTERY FAILED WITHIN 2 YEARS.
Electrical system, Apr 17, 2021
THE BATTERY HAS A SLOW DRAIN ON IT. I END UP HAVING A DEAD BATTERY ABOUT EVERY 4-6 WEEKS AND NEED TO JUMP THE CAR. I'VE REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND STILL HAPPENS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 17, 2021
I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY 4 TIMES SINCE BUYING THE CAR IN 2016. I CAN'T LET IT SIT MORE THAN 3 DAYS IF ITS COLD OUT OR THE BATTERY DIES. I HAVE TO JUMP THE BATTERIES QUITE FREQUENTLY. I CAN'T LET THE CAR SIT MORE THAN 7 DAYS IF IT IS WARM OUTSIDE. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL. I ASKED WHAT COULD BE CONSTANTLY DRAINING THE BATTERIES. I HAD THOUGHT THE CAR WAS A LEMMON WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT. THE BATTERY PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I BOUGHT IT. IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR.
Electrical system, Apr 17, 2021
THE CAR WILL BE DRIVEN NORMALLY AND THEN WHEN YOU GO TO START IT THE BATTERY IS DEAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED AFTER MULTIPLE YEARS AND MULTIPLE TIMES THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO LOOK FOR A PROBLEM SINCE THEY SAY IT IS MY FAULT. I HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH SUBARU IN THE PAST BUT NOW THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE LATEST EMAIL CONTACT. DATE BELOW IS DATE I LAST CONTACTED SUBARU.
Electrical system, Apr 16, 2021
MY BATTERY KEEPS GOING OUT. I REPLACED A NEW BATTERY AND IT STILL DIES. I TOOK THE NEW BATTERY BACK TO THE RETAILER WHO TESTED THE NEW BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS STILL GOOD. HOWEVER, MY BATTERY STILL GOES OUT 3-4 TIMES A WEEK AND NOW I HAVE TO BUY A PORTABLE BATTERY BOOSTER TO START UP THE CAR ON A ROUTINE BASIS.
Electrical system, Apr 16, 2021
BATTERY WOULD NOT RECHARGE DURING SHORT, FREQUENT TRIPS. BATTERY WOULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. REPLACED.
Electrical system, Apr 16, 2021
MY CAR HAS ELECTRICAL ISSUES WHICH CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. IF I DON'T DRIVE MY CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, SOMETIMES IT WON'T START WITHOUT GETTING JUMPED OR CHARGING THE BATTERY DIRECTLY. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE WORKING FINE. IT'S JUST WHEN STARTING THE CAR. MY ISSUES SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED IN A CURRENT LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU FOR DRAINED BATTERY.
Electrical system, Wheels, Apr 15, 2021
THIS VEHICLE IS 5 YEARS OLD. THE FIRST BATTERY LASTED 4 YEARS. THE SECOND BATTERY WAS DEAD IN 10 MONTHS. NOW WE WILL TRY A THIRD. IN LOOKING UP OTHER DRIVERS COMMENTS, THIS IS A KNOWN PRODUCT PROBLEM. THERE IS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN OUT ABOUT THIS, BUT IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO A KNOW TIRE WEARING PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THOSE, 3 TIMES. I HAVE 92000 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN TWICE. GOOD FOR 60,000. LUCKY TO GET 30,000 ON THEM. TWICE NOW BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY, I HAVE BEEN STRANDED. THIS LAST TIME, I WAS AT MY VACATION HOME, ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE AREA. LUCKILY THEY HAD JUMPER CABLES, AND JUMPED THE CAR AND FOLLOWED ME TO THE AUTO STORE. THE FIRST TIME I MISSED WORK, AND HAD TO WAIT TILL MY HUSBAND CAME HOME TO GIVE MY CAR A JUMP. BOTH TIMES, THE CAR WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT.
Electrical system, Apr 13, 2021
KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION CYLINDER INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR SUBARU UNDER THEIR OWN TSB 16-112-18R.