Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This incident occurred on Friday July 29, 2022 @ 5pm. I was pulling into a parking space while my foot was on the brake I proceeded to put the car in park when the car suddenly lunged forward into the concrete patio of the Market/Store. I was in disbelief at what just happened. I would happily make my car available for inspection. I want to find out what is wrong with the car. I believe this could happen again and I am fearful for my life and the lives of others. I was so lucky that the table and chairs were roped off that evening for some reason. People could have been sitting or walking there at the time of this incident. This incident has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or independent service center. I brought the car to the Subaru dealer for them to do a diagnostic test and any other things needed to give me some answers & repairs. I was told no issues were found. …
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the passenger's side wheel window trim was slightly pivoted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the dealer had not confirmed if parts had been ordered or received. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH in 2020, the vehicle experienced transmission failure and the vehicle came to a jerking stop, as if the parking brake had been activated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the CVT transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that approximately 4 years later, several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that after leaving the dealer, the failure reoccurred. …
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the battery had failed on several occasions after starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the battery warning light intermittently flashed during the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to three separate independent mechanics and had the battery replaced however, the failure persisted after each battery replacement. The contact then took the vehicle to a dealer where the technician discovered that the radio was causing an electrical drain on the battery which could render the battery defective. The battery was replaced for a fourth time and the radio was disconnected however, two weeks after the repair, the battery failed again and the vehicle was returned to the dealer where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact's wife owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts without warning. Since owning the vehicle, the battery was replaced four times. The contact initially had the vehicle jump-started and taken to the dealer. The battery was replaced once by the dealer and replaced out of pocket three times. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the key failed to release from the ignition switch. There were no warning lights illuminated. After approximately twenty minutes, the contact was able to remove the key. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, her vehicle would fail to start up without warning. The contact had taken her vehicle to the dealer numerous times and had several battery replacements performed; despite each replacement, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale, but the contact discovered the seller was associated with a car dealer. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 87,059. After obtaining a Carfax report, the contact became aware that the mileage was 207,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback The contact stated that after placing the vehicle into PARK, the key could not be removed from the ignition switch. After turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the key was removed from the ignition switch. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,104.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine recall repair, and it was diagnosed and determined that the steering roll connector/clock spring had short-circuited. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
My 2016 Subaru OUTBACK has experienced 6 separate incidents where my vehicle battery was inexplicably drained, and hence the entire electrical system was shut down. I was unable to start it without an external boost in each occasion. Fortunately these incidents posed no safety threat to me or others as the car was parked at my home, or in a parking lot. Unfortunately, the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by my Subaru Dealer, Gillman, in Schertz, TX although extensive diagnostics were performed on 2 occasions by Gillman. My OUTBACK has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps illuminated because of a total electrical failure, and no other symptoms of the problem prior to the 6 failures. The dates for the 5 incidents of total electrical failure are the following: (1) 6/18/2018 at 1240 Kahili Street, Kailua, HI. …
Electrical complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 309 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Subaru Outback, 48% of the model year's 643 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Subaru Outback electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 Subaru Outback, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Subaru Outback electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.