2016 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability
615 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Subaru Forester, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 66/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 40,550 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Subaru Forester sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1998–2000, 2002, 2005–2008, 2012–2013, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all Forester years
What owners report
“Front seat airbag sensor light came on and won't go off. Code says that the seat sensor is not working and airbag stays off. Moving, stationary and code will not reset”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
“Electrical system drains battery. Had battery replaced at dealer under lawsuit settlement guidelines.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
“Ignition key gets stuck and cannot be removed from car after driving and the car is turned off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
“Today marks the third time we are taking this vehicle to the dealer because the engine stalls while driving when accelerating.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
“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.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
“Car accelerated while I was parking in a parking spot and hit fence and unoccupied storefront.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Forester
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 306 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 39,884 miles. Half of those reports fall between 19,000 and 53,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 19V701000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2016 Subaru Forester drew 615 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 66/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2016 Subaru Forester problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Subaru Forester are airbags (111 complaints), electrical (100), and other (77).
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Forester problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Subaru Forester problems around 39,884 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 19,000 and 53,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Subaru Forester have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Subaru Forester. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.