2016 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
772 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Subaru Outback, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 61/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 40,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Subaru Outback sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1996–1999, 2001–2004, 2007, 2009.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all Outback years
What owners report
“Battery drains on its own after about a week of light use (driving <10 miles daily)”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Outback
“My Subaru Key is Stuck in Ignition. Two to three times a week the key can not be removed from the key switch . The vehicle will shut off, but the key remains.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Outback
“Windshield cracked on its own, this is the 3rd time I will be replacing windshield.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Outback
“Exhaust gas smells in the driver cabin and the exhaust shield and the pipe is breaking off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Outback
“I’m unable to remove the car key from the ignition when the vehicle shifter is in Park.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Outback
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 389 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 35,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,000 and 55,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
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.
Fix: 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 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
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 Outback reliable?
The 2016 Subaru Outback drew 772 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 61/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2016 Subaru Outback problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Subaru Outback are electrical (314 complaints), other (130), and visibility & wipers (91).
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Outback problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Subaru Outback problems around 35,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,000 and 55,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Subaru Outback have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Subaru Outback. 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.