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, Apr 13, 2021
ALMOST NEW BATTERY FAILED. HAD REPLACED PREVIOUS BATTERY ON SEPT 15, 2020 WITH INTERSTATE BATTERY, AND ON APR. 13, 2021 IN THE MORNING THE BATTERY WAS FOUND DISCHARGED DESPITE NOTHING BEING ON IN CAR OVERNIGHT. THE RED TERMINAL IS CORRODED.
Electrical system, Apr 12, 2021
BATTERY DRAIN TO ZERO, I CAN'T START THE ENGINE, BATTERY WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW AGAIN I DO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I TRY TO CHARGE THE BATTERY IT SHOWS 100% CHARGED, BUT FOR SOME REASON, I CAN'T START THE ENGINE, SEEMS LIKE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH BATTER TO START IT.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 9, 2021
WINDSHIELD BEGAN CRACKING NEAR THE BOTTOM (CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS) BUT THERE WAS NO ROCK OR DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD THAT PROMPTED THE CRACK. IT JUST APPEARED AND THEN HAS SPREAD ABOUT 2 FEET.
Power train, Air bags, Back over prevention, Apr 8, 2021, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE HAD ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A TREE; HOWEVER, HIS WIFE WAS UNSURE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS HAD ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT AND THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS NOT INJURED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V794000 (POWER TRAIN) WHERE IT WAS SERVICED BY NORTH END SUBARU(757 CHASE RD, LUNENBURG, MA 01462). THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,343.
Electrical system, Apr 2, 2021
DEAD BATTERY WITHIN FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, AT 75,000 MILES NOW AND THIRD BATTERY HAS NOW FAILED. UNSAFE.
Electrical system, Apr 1, 2021
I HAVE HAD >10 EVENTS OF DEAD BATTERY NEEDING CHARGED OR JUMPED. I ALMOST MISSED MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING DUE TO THIS INCONVENIENCE. I HAD MY BATTERY TESTED AND FOUND IN GOOD OPERATION. I FINALLY REPLACED MY BATTERY AND IN LESS THAN A MONTH I HAD ANOTHER INCONVENIENCE 10 MINUTES BEFORE I NEEDED TO LEAVE FOR A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT. THE BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO BE JUMPED AND I HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO FIND A RIDE.
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, Mar 28, 2021
I PURCHASED MY OUTBACK AS A NEW CAR. I ORDERED IT. I PICKED IT UP IN AUGUST OF 2015. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 6-7 BATTERIES. MY MOST CURRENT REPLACEMENT WAS TODAY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THROUGH MANY BATTERY REPLACEMENTS, IT IS THE CLIMATE WHERE I LIVE, A FAULTY BATTERY, AND POSSIBLY OTHER THINGS. TODAY I MENTIONED TO THE SUBARU SERVICE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENED WITH MY OTHER CARS (I'VE HAD THREE OTHERS.) THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE, BUT I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND VERIFY. I'D HAD TO CALL AAA WHILE IN BLYTHE JUST TO GET TO AN AUTO ZONE FOR A BATTERY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SUBARU DEALERS IN THE AREA. I HAVE HAD TO GET 1-2 AT A LOCAL GOOD YEAR BECAUSE MY LOCAL SUBARU IS ABOUT A 25-30 MINUTE DRIVE AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET THERE...AND NEEDED A BATTERY. TODAY I ASKED HOW MANY I HAVE GOTTEN WHILE AT SUBARU. WE COUNTED ABOUT FOUR. A FEW DAYS AGO I TRIED STARTING MY CAR AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO START IMMEDIATELY. (I THINK THE LAST TIME I WAS AT SUBARU THEY SAID IT WAS FINE.) THIS BATTERY LASTED THE LONGEST, ABOUT A YEAR. I'VE HAD SOME LAST LESS THAN THAT. I EVEN BOUGHT A FARADAY POUCH TO SEE IF THAT WOULD HELP. I'M WRITING THIS LATE AT NIGHT WHILE ALL IS IN MY MIND. SO I DON'T HAVE TODAY'S PAPERWORK ON ME, AND I DIDN'T HAPPEN TO GET THE DATES THE MAN AT SUBARU GAVE ME OF WHEN THEY PUT IN A BATTERY. I KNOW THE DESERT HEAT CAN BE HARSH, BUT 6-7 BATTERIES IS UNREASONABLE AND NOT SAFE.
Electrical system, Mar 18, 2021
I PURCHASED OUR OUTBACK NEW FROM A DEALERSHIP IN PENNSYLVANIA IN MARCH, 2016. SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE HAD THE OME AND TWO REPLACEMENT BATTERIES FAIL AND WE ARE NOW ON OUR 4TH BATTERY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY REASON THE BATTERIES MAY HAVE FAILED. WE HAD OUR VERY EXPERIENCED SUBARU MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT AND HE COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE. THE CAR IS MOSTLY DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAS 133,000 MILES ON IT.
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, Mar 17, 2021
BATTERY DYING AFTER SHORT DRIVE
Electrical system, Mar 16, 2021
CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GET STALLED WITHOUT ANY REASON AFTER PARKING CAR FOR SOME MINUTES. NOTHING WORKS. I NEEDED TO CALL AAA OR FRIEND FOR HELP (BATTERY JUMP). IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. SOMETIMES, WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION, POWER TO WINDOWS HAS FAILED. HOWEVER, COMES BACK AT RANDOM TIMES. I HAVE CHANGED BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS.
Electrical system, Mar 16, 2021
BATTERY DOES NOT HOLD A CHARGE. DRAINS IN A DAY JUST SITTING IN MY GARAGE. CAN'T GO ANYWHERE FOR FEAR IT WILL NOT START. PROBLEM SEEMS ELECTRICAL MORE THAN THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY TESTED GOOD AT THE DEALER.
Electrical system, Mar 16, 2021
BATTERY DRAINS UNEXPECTADLY AND SWIFTLY. TURNED OFF MOTOR AND LEFT KEY IN IGNITION WHILE WE SAT OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. WE WERE STRANDED IN THE DESERT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.
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.
Electrical system, Mar 16, 2021
I HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2016 DUE TO IT DRAINING SO LOW IT COULDN'T BE CHARGED. PURCHASED A BATTERY VIA AAA
Electrical system, Mar 16, 2021
BATTERY DRAINS QUICKLY. CHANGING BATTERY DOESN'T HELP.
Electrical system, Mar 13, 2021
BATTERY DRAIN WHICH CAUSED ELECTRICAL AND LIFT GATE TO STOP FUNCTIONING.
Electrical system, Mar 13, 2021
BATTERY CONTINUES TO GET DRAINED OF POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE HAD TO GET A JUMP START SEVERAL TIMES EVEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 3 OR MORE HOURS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE, BUT NEEDED TO BE CHARGED. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE DEAD BATTERY WAS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED FOR 2 OR MORE DAYS. LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THIS VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN AFTER A 4 HOUR DRIVE.
Electrical system, Mar 11, 2021
KEY INTERMITTENTLY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. IT IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY.
Electrical system, Mar 10, 2021
BATTERY DIES FREQUENTLY WITHOUT OBVIOUS CAUSE, EVEN AFTER REPLACING BATTERY SOONER THAN EXPECTED. IT HAPPENS AFTER DRIVING FOR 30 MINUTES, TURNING IT OFF FOR A SHORT PERIOD LIKE 15-20 MINUTES, THEN TRYING TO RESTART, AS WELL AS AFTER SITTING FOR 8-10 HOURS.
Electrical system, Mar 3, 2021
PARASITIC DRAIN OF BATTERY BY FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVERNIGHT.
Electrical system, Mar 2, 2021
IN FOUR YEARS AND 18000 MILES, I AM NOW ON MY THIRD BATTERY AS OF TODAY. I HAVE READ OF RECURRENT ISSUES WITH 2016 OUTBACK BATTERY FAILURES. THE SECOND BATTERY I BOUGHT AT THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 13888 MILES. THE BATTERY WAS PURCHASED 5/15/19. TODAY, 3/2/21 I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 2, 2021
THIS MORNING MY WIFE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2016 3.6R SUBARU OUTBACK PURCHASED 3/2016. IT ORIGINATES AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, PASSES OVER THE 6 RED DEFROSTER WIRES BELOW THE WINDSHIELD, AND EXTENDS ~10" UP ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TOWARD THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THERE ARE NO PITS ETC., THIS CRACK ORIGINATED ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CRACK PERFECTLY MATCHES THE CRACK PATTERN AND DESCRIPTION IDENTIFIED IN SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN 12-192-15R, REVISED 11/19/15. THAT BULLETIN WAS ISSUED AS A RESULT OF SUBARU'S LOOSING A LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA REGARDING BROKEN GLASS WINDSHIELDS BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT. UNFORTUNATELY SUBARU IS ONLY REPLACING DEFECTIVE GLASS ON OUTBACKS UP TO VIN G3222455/G3210476. OUR MANUFACTURING VIN IS EARLY 2016, AND THE JUDGE IN THE CASE DID NOT EXTEND JUDGMENT AGAINST SUBARY TO COVER OUR OUTBACK. THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OUR OUTBACK AS FOR THE CALIFORNIA CASE. HERE IN NEW JERSEY WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SEVERAL WEEKS OF HARSH WEATHER, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE ~20 DEGREES F IN THE MORNING. THE OUTBACK IS GARAGED, IT IS A WARM GARAGE. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A 2016, WE ASSUME THE EXTREME IS A FACTOR. THIS IS NOT A STONE HIT PROBLEM, ALL THE DRIVING IS NORTHERN NJ SURBURBAN ROADS, NOT HIGHWAY DRIVING. WE SEE MANY MANY COMPLAINTS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. ATTACHING A PHOTO OF CRACK. I RUN MY FINGER OVER THE CRACK AND ACTUALLY CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING, NO DINGS, NOTHING.
Electrical system, Feb 28, 2021
BATTERY CONTINUES TO DIE EVEN AFTER BATTERY REPLACEMENT. THIS ISSUE STARTED TO HAPPEN 1 YEAR POST OWNERSHIP