2016 Subaru Legacy electrical system problems
51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2016 Subaru Legacy — 35% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The factory touchscreen infotainment system is experiencing severe screen delamination (internal adhesive failure). This defect causes uncontrollable 'ghost touching,' where the screen registers phantom inputs. The system cycles through radio stations, changes audio sources, and changes navigation…”
filed Jun 8, 2026
“Battery dies all the time. Parasitic drain from the Starlink program in the car. There is/was a lawsuit. It involves some DCW fuse or something. Ive had to prematurely replace my battery. It also seems to be affecting the radio. It switches stations randomly.”
filed Jun 3, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2026This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. (This is an revised version of the orignal bulletin.)
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 2, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Legacy years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Legacy | 3 | 9% |
| 2021 Legacy | 5 | 16% |
| 2020 Legacy | 15 | 12% |
| 2019 Legacy | 35 | 28% |
| 2018 Legacy | 40 | 34% |
| 2017 Legacy | 30 | 25% |
| 2015 Legacy | 37 | 23% |
| 2014 Legacy | 11 | 21% |
| 2013 Legacy | 6 | 9% |
| 2012 Legacy | 4 | 4% |
| 2011 Legacy | 19 | 11% |
| 2010 Legacy | 12 | 8% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Subaru Legacy
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.