2016 Subaru Outback: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 639 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
639
Complaints
4
Recalls
21
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
13
Injuries
32.2
Severity index
Severity index 32.2 - Low. 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 Outback ranks 113 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 19% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 308 | 48.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 124 | 19.4% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 83 | 13.0% |
| ENGINE | 52 | 8.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 45 | 7.0% |
| STEERING | 24 | 3.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 20 | 3.1% |
| STRUCTURE | 19 | 3.0% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 308 of 639 complaints (48.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 56 |
| 2017 | 32 |
| 2018 | 50 |
| 2019 | 67 |
| 2020 | 101 |
| 2021 | 171 |
| 2022 | 66 |
| 2023 | 31 |
| 2024 | 24 |
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 13 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V910000 | 19/12/2019 | AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment. |
| 16V292000 | 11/05/2016 | STEERING:COLUMN | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may |
| 15V502000 | 10/08/2015 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke. |
| 15V794000 | 24/11/2015 | POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016 Legacy vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 16, 2015, and Outback vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 17, 2015. Due to the improper tightening of the securing nuts, the drive sha |
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.