10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
19,090 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Subaru Outback miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Subaru Outback Owner Comments (Page 4 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #55

Nov 232019

Outback 4-cyl

  • 68,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Happens when stationary. When you pull into a parking spot and put the car in park, the key will not turn all the way off and cannot be removed. Subaru dealer diagnosed it as 'faulty shifter assembly'. this would be from the manufacturer as no work has been done in those areas of the car since purchased brand new from Subaru dealership in 2016. Causes the key to become stuck in the ignition and unable to remove when put in park.

- Pawling, NY, USA

problem #54

Nov 302015

Outback 4-cyl

  • 500 miles
The starlink infotainment system in the Outback affects iphone mapping when connected to the car's usb slots. The maps go haywire, always pointing the wrong direccion, rerouting consistently, resulting in very dangerous routing. This issue has been present since day one. I had to stop connecting the iphone to the usb slots when driving so I can use apps like google maps and apple maps. This is a know issue with the first generation of starlink infotainment. It only happens when I connect the iphone to the Outback and not to any other model.

- Weehawken, NJ, USA

problem #53

Apr 292020

Outback

  • 33,500 miles
The battery on our 2016 Subaru Outback keeps discharging and car won't start. It is in the garage. Drove it to the store yesterday. Bought a new battery 4 months ago, has happened 5 times in 6 months.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #52

Apr 162020

Outback

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Battery runs down often. I've had the battery checked multiple times and no problem with the alternator either. I know it will run down during loading or unloading that lasts more than 30 minutes, so I manage that situation. But it is starting to run down more often while parked. This has left me stranded multiple times over the last 6 months.

- Fulshear, TX, USA

problem #51

Dec 242019

Outback

  • 15,830 miles
Can not remove key when in park!! leaves me stranded..have to keep trying various methods to turn car off and remove key!! this should be a recall.. have seen many complaints as well on line.

- Thornton, CO, USA

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problem #50

Dec 102019

Outback

  • 58,000 miles
Cracked windshield. Starting @ bottom center up 8" then 6" to right.

- Lahoma, OK, USA

problem #49

Aug 282019

Outback

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When putting auto into park, key will not turn far enough to allow key to come out. Have to restart car, shift into other gears and return to park until the key will come out. I have another exact year and model vehicle which had the same issue and it was repaired about 1 1/2 years ago. Vehicle stationary.

- New Lenox, IL, USA

problem #48

Nov 302019

Outback

  • 5,000 miles
My 2016 Outback will have a "ghost slide" when on ice. It seems to be worse when the roads are only partially icy. The back end feels like it will slip out and the car will feel like it is losing control. This is my 3rd Subaru and the only one we have had issues with. I have had it into a shop (not a Subaru dealer) and they cannot find anything wrong with it. I called Subaru and they told me I have ice build up! that is not it! I called them again this week and they said they don't have a recall notice for my issue. This car is great for safety and driving 95% of the time so it is dangerous to hit a patch of ice and have it slide. It is really bad when they roads have started to melt and you have partial pavement and partial ice. I put the date down of the last occurrence but it has been happening for 4 winters.

- Roberts, MT, USA

problem #47

Nov 012019

Outback

  • 55,000 miles
My car has 55,000 miles. Recently, I am not able to remove my key from the ignition. I am able to stop the engine but I am not able to turn off all the electronics. I have to stop and start, back up or pull forward (which I am not always able to do) the car a number of times to get the key to come out. My daughter also has a 2016 Subaru Outback. She had the same problem at about the same mileage, had the ignition switch replaced for $600 and is now having the same problem again 1 year later. This problem is common enough that Subaru put a technical repair bulletin out on it tsb #16-12-18R but has not done a recall.

- Washburn, WI, USA

problem #46

Nov 032019

Outback

  • miles
I can't remove the key from the ignition after putting the car in park and turning it off (it won't turn all the way to the off position). Restarting the car and turning it off again frequently doesn't help.

- Glen Allen, VA, USA

problem #45

Oct 162018

Outback

  • 45,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving to work on the highway and the windshield just popped and cracked. Little shards of glass flew onto the dashboard. Happened under the drivers side wiper.

- Hide-A-Way Hills, OH, USA

problem #44

Sep 272019

Outback

  • miles
Noticing when I park my car the key won't release from ignition switch when car lever is set in "P" position. As I push in and turn the key from start to lock the key will stay acc position won't go into lock.

- Omak, WA, USA

problem #43

Sep 202019

Outback

  • 40,000 miles
The front passenger window does not always fully close. Sometimes when I'm closing it, the window goes all the way to the top and then goes down about halfway and stays there. The only way I am able to get it mostly closed is when I am at a stop, I have one hand on the window lock button and the other on the window close button. I hold down the close button until the window is almost all of the way up and then hit the window lock button so that the window remains shut most of the way. By the time I restart the car, I unlock the window lock button and am able to close the window normally. The window not closing occurs at a stop or when the car is moving.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #42

Sep 282019

Outback

  • 65,000 miles
About once a week for at least the past year, the starlink screen freezes in either a blank screen or the screen giving choices between cd, fm, etc. Music will play but none of the buttons will work. I have discovered that if I hold down the on/off button for about 15 seconds or so, it will beep and go back to normal. It happens when the vehicle is first turned on and is stationary.

- Chagrin Falls, OH, USA

problem #41

Aug 292019

Outback

  • 50,000 miles
Key gets stuck in ignition. Sensor in steering column does not recognize that the car is in park. Must "slam" the shifter into park in order to remove the key.

- Sandy, UT, USA

problem #40

Sep 262019

Outback

  • 51,052 miles
Key stuck in ignition upon parking the car. Vehicle was stationary (in parking position).

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #39

Apr 052019

Outback

  • 35,800 miles
Key intermittently does not come out of ignition when parked. This is a well known issue with a technical service bulletin issued by Subaru. This can be a safety issue. Why has a recall not been issued for this?

- Middlebury, CT, USA

problem #38

Aug 222019

Outback

  • miles
My key gets stuck in the ignition, while in park. Steering column does not lock. Took to the dealer. I know this is an issue with some of the forresters and I looked online apparently other 2016 & 2017 model Subaru have had the same issue. I see a service bulletin 16 112 18R, but it does not cover my vehicle.

- Chittenango, NY, USA

problem #37

Jul 242019

Outback

  • 22,000 miles
On my way to work I heard a loud pop! like a rock hit my windshield. Never saw a pit or any evidence. Pulled out of the garage there was a crack coming from the bottom of passenger side up the window. Now the crack has spread out like nothing I have ever seen.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #36

Jul 232019

Outback

  • 45,000 miles
Unable to remove ignition key from the steering column. Vehicle is put into park, key is turned off, key will not turn all the way and stops at the accessory point. Has been happening for the past month, seems to be getting worse. Move the shifter back and forth from park into gear and back into park until the key releases.

- Pocatello, ID, USA

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