2016 Subaru Outback electrical system problems
309 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2016 Subaru Outback — 48% of all complaints for this model 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…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
“The reporting citizen was driving legally on [XXX] going forward towards the parking lot next to the round about when an uncrewed, autonomous commercial vehicle operated by Waymo suffered a catastrophic software/hardware failure. The 6,000-pound driverless robot taxi aggressively pursued and chased…”
filed Jul 1, 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.
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 12 | 15% |
| 2024 Outback | 16 | 16% |
| 2023 Outback | 17 | 19% |
| 2022 Outback | 51 | 11% |
| 2021 Outback | 75 | 25% |
| 2020 Outback | 258 | 29% |
| 2019 Outback | 363 | 35% |
| 2018 Outback | 265 | 33% |
| 2017 Outback | 391 | 43% |
| 2015 Outback | 127 | 25% |
| 2014 Outback | 32 | 15% |
| 2013 Outback | 23 | 8% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Subaru Outback
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.