2016 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
193 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Subaru Legacy, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 51/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 51,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2016 sits among all Legacy years
What owners report
“Battery is being drained when vehicle sits. I have replaced the battery 2 years ago and is needing to be replaced again.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Legacy
“Key gets stuck in ignition. Often will not release. Happens when put car into park upon stopping.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Legacy
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 102 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 37,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 20,500 and 55,000 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 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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Technical service bulletins
457 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 Subaru Legacy. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 Legacy TSB list →
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 Legacy reliable?
The 2016 Subaru Legacy drew 193 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 51/100, scored against the model's worst year (1995).
What are the most common 2016 Subaru Legacy problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Subaru Legacy are electrical (51 complaints), other (44), and visibility & wipers (18).
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Legacy problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Subaru Legacy problems around 37,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 20,500 and 55,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Subaru Legacy. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
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.