Most common 2016 Subaru Forester problems
Share of the 415 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Subaru Forester complaints by model year
Best Forester years: 2013, 2024. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2017, 2015, 2018. Compare all years →
2016 Subaru Forester recalls (3)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020.
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.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Subaru Forester:
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles.
What 2016 Subaru Forester owners say
Air bags all 99 →
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 70 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The information alerted the contact about an SRS issue. The contact stated that there was an audible ding with the warning light flashing on and off. The contact buckled the passenger's side seat belt to stop the dinging sound. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that, without a warning light being illuminated, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact had taken a picture of the warning light. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the sensor needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was on back order. The dealer confirmed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
My Subaru Forester is equipped with Airbags and Subaru's Eye Sight anti-collision braking system. On Aug 5th my wife met with an accident while trying to avoid a head-on collision side swiped a vehicle on the right lane which hit the car on the rear side and the impact further changed the direction of her car and she went and hit the steel fence stone pillar on the right side. The frontal collision with the stone pillar damaged the bumper and car engine is dislocated from its position as the frame is deformed and the front tires jammed. The car's famed anti-collision system did not prevent the collision and the Air bags failed to deploy. I suspect that there is a serious manufacturing defect that all the safety systems failed in the car, hence I request you to conduct an enquiry while the car is being sent to the repair center to ascertain the right cause of failure.
Electrical system all 93 →
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery had drained and was replaced by an independent mechanic. A few months later, the vehicle received an oil change by a dealer. After leaving the dealer, the vehicle failed to startup while in a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the battery was defective, and the battery was replaced a second time. The old battery was taken back to the independent mechanic and tested. The contact was informed that there was nothing wrong with the battery. Several months later the battery failed. Upon investigation, the contact linked the battery failure to the STARLINK technology feature that came equipped with the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started jerking and hesitating while attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the transmission fluid was flushed; however, after retrieving the vehicle the failure persisted. The contact stated that several unknown warning messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 126,000.
Engine & cooling all 60 →
I backed out of a parking space, put my foot on the brake and shifted into Drive to finish maneuvering out of the space. Although I didn't remove my foot from the brake, my Forester immediately accelerated at extremely high speed, striking the two cars parked next to me, and seriously damaging both. Rather than slowing down after hitting the other two vehicles, my car continued to speed up, only coming to a stop when it hit, head-on, a cement barrier surrounding the lot. My car hit with such force that every airbag in it deployed, and its front end was totally destroyed. No one was in the other two cars; I suffered minor injuries.
Was Backing up and car started excelling and the throttle stuck hitting 2 cars It was out of control I got it in drive and it took off forward running full throttle up over the pavers around a tree and ran up on the side of a BMW which was sitting on the side of The hostess paved driveway coming down the side of the car My car was on 2 wheels . Came off the BMW and slammed into a tree trunk which stopped it. I got out of my car in disbelief . It happened on private property and We did call the police. But since it happened on private property They did not come but told us to get each others info for insurance Purposes
2016 Subaru Forester engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | CVT | AWD | 24 / 31 / 27 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | AWD | 22 / 28 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | CVT | AWD | 23 / 27 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Subaru Forester a good car?
Based on 415 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Forester rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Forester at the same age. It is one of the Forester years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Subaru Forester?
The air bags — 99 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about sensor › occupant classification. Next are the electrical system (93) and engine & cooling (60).
How many recalls does the 2016 Subaru Forester have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2016 Subaru Forester, the most recent from October 3, 2019 (occupant classification). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Subaru Forester?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2017, 2015 and 2018. See the full Subaru Forester years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Forester problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 39,000 miles; 67% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.