2016 Subaru Outback vehicle speed control problems
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle speed control on the 2016 Subaru Outback — 3% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“SUBJECT: Formal Safety Defect Complaint: 2016 Subaru Outback – Manufacturing Nondisclosure of Latent "Day 1" Design Flaw Causing Ignition Key Entrapment, Uncommanded Steering Column Lockout, and Severe Family Safety Risk I am writing to formally report a severe, unaddressed safety defect and a…”
filed Jun 9, 2026
“While driving on the highway at about 60mph my 2016 Outback suddenly accelerated much faster. The only way to avoid collision with another car or cars or end up in a ditch was to drive around them. The brake did not work! After a minute or more(?) I eventually was able to stop using the brake.”
filed Jul 10, 2023
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Vehicle Speed Control problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 2 | 3% |
| 2024 Outback | 3 | 3% |
| 2023 Outback | 3 | 3% |
| 2022 Outback | 4 | 1% |
| 2021 Outback | 18 | 6% |
| 2020 Outback | 18 | 2% |
| 2019 Outback | 26 | 3% |
| 2018 Outback | 21 | 3% |
| 2017 Outback | 28 | 3% |
| 2015 Outback | 26 | 5% |
| 2014 Outback | 14 | 7% |
| 2013 Outback | 26 | 9% |
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.