2016 Subaru Outback problems & reliability
643 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Subaru Outback, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
8 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2016 Subaru Outback vehicles were involved in 51 fatal crashes with 22 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 309 | 48% |
| Unknown / Other | 124 | 19% |
| Visibility/wiper → | 83 | 13% |
| Engine → | 53 | 8% |
| Power Train → | 45 | 7% |
| Steering → | 24 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 22 | 3% |
| Service Brakes → | 19 | 3% |
| Structure → | 19 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 13 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 24 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 329 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 36,000 miles (middle 50% between 16,500 and 55,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale, but the contact discovered the seller was associated with a car dealer. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 20, 2026
“The car accelerates on its own at times. I am not pressing the gas or going down a hill. It is flat road, sometimes even pulling into my driveway. There is also feeling like I am being bumped from the back and moving when I am idle. I am strict about oil changes and have it fully inspected when I take it every 3…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Aug 18, 2026
“UNKNOWN When pulling into a parking space at the [XXX] diner my 2016 OUTBACK suddenly accelerated while I was ready to shift from drive to park. It was as if I put the gas peddle to the floor. There was a car about 6feet in front of me which I hit. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Aug 10, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
472 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Subaru Outback. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body. The updated valve body incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026
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, 2026
This 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, 2026
Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 2026
This 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, 2026
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
This 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
This bulletin announces the availability of reprogramming files for the Engine Control Module (ECM) for certain vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines.
02-195-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 18, 2026
This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability.
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2016 Subaru Outback has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 Subaru Outback?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 36,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.