2016 Subaru Impreza: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 1 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
75
Complaints
1
Recalls
7
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
58.7
Severity index
Severity index 58.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Subaru Impreza ranks 80 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 43% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 25.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 14 | 18.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 13 | 17.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 8 | 10.7% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 8 | 10.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 7 | 9.3% |
| STEERING | 5 | 6.7% |
| STRUCTURE | 4 | 5.3% |
The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 19 of 75 complaints (25.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V149000 | 28/02/2019 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malf |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.