Subaru · Forester · 2016
3
Recalls
400
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Subaru Forester has 3 recalls and 400 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags (58 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
16.9% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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 Status
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
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 malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Remedy Status
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. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
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 Status
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
I had my foot on the brake, opened the garage door with my garage door opener, and before I took my foot off the brake the car surged, jumped, and smashed into the brick wall next to the garage. I did not put my foot on the gas.
I have a 2016 Subaru Forester and started 3 weeks ago with a problem when I turn it on all the lights on the dashboard turn on and the car won't star. The mechanic has changed the battery and the problem continues. It's happened three times now that it's suddenly shut off while I'm driving. It was very scary. Now the mechanic said that I have to take to the dealer because it is the body control module.
Currently getting a reoccurring warning, "SRS airbag system needs to be checked" which disables the front passenger airbag. This means if I have a passenger sit in the front seat of my vehicle, they don't have the protection of an airbag in the event of a car accident. In 2021, I had this exact same issue and the Subaru dealership diagnosed the airbag needing to be replaced. I had to pay for this replacement, but it did fix the issue. Now that it is back, I am now working with Subaru of America with Case #251030-2001271 and they are refusing to acknowledge that this second air bag replacement should be covered by them because my car is over 10 years old and over 100k miles. There is no telling how long this new air bag will last since the one replaced in 2021 is already bad.
Vehicle self-accelerated abruptly while parked and crashed into another vehicle causing damage to both vehicles
My recalled ods sensor went out
THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE SUBARU COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ORIGINAL OVERHEATING PROBLEM IN THE TRANSMISSION. THEY MADE AN EDUCATED GUESS REPAIR TO SEE IF IT FIXES THE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH MAY MALFUNCTION DURING DRIVING THE VEHICLE,SLIPPAGE, TO LOCKINGUP. This afternoon, while my daughter was driving through the Mojave Desert on her way back home to Mammoth Lakes, Ca.; her dash light came on- AT OIL TEMP Warning, forcing multiple stops to cool the vehicle. The trip back to Hacienda Heights took over four hours (4) in extreme heat. I’ve attached a photo of the dash warning for your reference. After she called me from the road, I instructed her to turn around and wait for the warning light to turn off. (Google’s guidance emphasized cooling the transmission before resuming travel). Thankfully, the route [XXX] from Mojave was mostly downhill, which helped reduce strain on the vehicle—but it was still a stressful and exhausting experience. MY LETTER SUBARU I need to be candid: my time and patience are wearing thin. I’ve remained cooperative throughout this process and paid about $644 out-of-pocket for repairs specifically recommended by Ocean Subaru—including the initial solenoid replacement, CVT oil cooler, and thermostat. While I appreciate that the remaining repairs were performed under goodwill, the original overheating issue remains unresolved, and its root cause is still uncertain. SUBARU HASN'T REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. S Regarding future repairs or services, we cannot guarantee coverage until the details of any needed repairs are identified and thoroughly reviewed. If there are any updates or if further repairs are recommended, please feel free to let me know in a direct reply, and I will do my best to assist you. Thank you again for your understanding and patience. Sincerely, Michael Subaru of America, Inc. Customer Advocacy Department 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) ext. 119949 Case Number: 250725-1500342 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
No damage or water spill to the car whatsoever, but now the SRS passenger airbag light is on. This is a recurrent issue with Suabru, and there was even a recall for this part a few years ago, which was replaced in my vehicle during that period. Less than 5 years later, there is already an issue with it. This is not an oil change or a tire replacement; it is an AIRBAG SENSOR!! I cannot find any definite information indicating that my own driver's airbag will go off while the SRS light is on. To think that my airbag may not go off, from no fault of my own, due to an issue with the PASSENGER airbag, is unacceptable. Subaru claims this is out of warranty, will not pay for it, and is charging me over $1000. This is no cosmetic issue; this is incredibly dangerous, and Subaru is aware of this. There needs to be some warranty in place for this part in particular, considering it is a model-wide issue among all Subaru vehicles. This is NOT something that the vehicle owner should need to pay for when it could end their lives. Some diagnostic codes claim the sensor got "wet" after their cars were just detailed! Unacceptable! If the airbag sensor cannot withstand daily wear and tear, then it should not be allowed to be produced and purchased. Not only can the part be damaged way too easily, but it also impacts the safety of all passengers involved. I am so upset with this outcome, in all honesty. My car is unsafe to drive because the recall piece continues to have issues.
Multiple times over the last 4 months the passenger airbag has turned off when there is a passenger occupying the seat and the SRS light turns on. The related code is B1650. This seems to be the same issue as a recall from about 5 years ago that was “fixed” and now has come back. The same code and SRS light sometimes comes on when there is no one in the passenger seat as well. It makes it unsafe to have a passenger in the seat as the airbag is turned off and it is very unpredictable.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 108,127 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 110,000. The contact stated that on a Carfax Report the mileage was 188,130.
The horn on my Subaru doesn’t work a mechanic told me it happens a lot to Subarus the clock Spring broke Now nothing works in the steering wheel and I feel this should be a recall since this is happening to many other Subaru it has not been inspected and no lights came on to warn me I have seen it’s been a recall in the past to other years of Subaru so I feel mine should be included
The rear backup camera failed. No warning lights appeared. This is a safety issue. This repair was expensive should not have happened at 79019 miles. The problem was inspected and estimated by our Subaru dealer. We were told that the radio/screen unit first needed replacement, then if that didn't fix it, to then replace the camera. We were give a rough estimate of $2500 to replace both items. We decided to get another estimate. They determine it was the camera, which we had them replace.
The passenger ods is not working right causing an error state of the airbags which is a safety hazard as they will not deploy in the event of a car accident.
My 2016 subaru forester has Issue with the passenger side front airbag ODS and the. SRS light go on even if my car had been fixed on 2020 after recall. The airbag has a heavy safety an really important on person. Subaru need. to fix it completely and permanently not temporary.
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. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
For a couple years I have been battling with the ignition and my key getting stuck. We have tried switching to the second key we received when we bought the car but that hasn't made a difference. It has gotten worse and I have been stuck a many times in parking lots, unable to remove my key so I can't leave my car safely. I have been late for appointments because of this problem. We did contact the local Subaru dealer today and was told this could be a $700.00+ repair but after seeing there were 17 complaints on the NHTSA site alone, it appears Subaru needs to do a fix/recall to address this faulty ignition system.
Subaru Forrester was misfiring and sputtering as if it was going to stop running. The car was shaking. Had car towed to Subaru dealer for Service. At first we thought Spark Plugs and Ignition Coils but this did not fix the issue. Service determined a spring valve was broken which caused the issues. I have escalated the issue with Subaru Corporate, waiting for their response. Other Subaru models have had this issue with the spring valves.
The airbag sensor (ODS) malfunctions for front passenger seat. The "airbag off" warning lights up when the seat is occupied. This was fixed by dealer back in 2020 under recall WUM-98/NHTSA ID 19V-701000. However, this problem recurred intermittently about five months ago. I called Capitol Subaru in San Jose, CA and spoke with Service Advisor, Dan Padilla, who informed me that the recurrence of this SAFETY issue would no longer be covered under this recall. He offered to schedule an appointment for a diagnosis, but I declined since it would cost $300. I also spoke with Jorge, Case Specialist, from Subaru of America who reiterated that the aforementioned recall only covers a one-time repair and cannot be reopened. It is my understanding that safety recalls do not expire and that "Federal law often mandates the manufacturer to provide free repairs for safety recalls on vehicles up to 15 yrs old." How can NHTSA help in resolving this car safety issue with Subaru? The ODS system is unreliable and poses a risk to my passengers.
A warning light will randomly light up indicating a problem with the airbag or airbag sensor in my front passenger seat. I have had it looked at by multiple Subaru dealerships and shops and have had various quotes in the thousands of dollars to repair it. The technicians have told me that the sensor likely has an issue because of potential spillage on the seat that would seep into the sensor and cause it a problem, however there have not been recent spills on the seat and the light has only been turning on in the past year or so. I recently heard from another Subaru Forester owner that a similar maintenance issue happened in their car so I felt it was appropriate to report this issue.
My car has required multiple jumps and batteries, since I bought it new. I have records of the services for jumps, and new batteries. The car continues to have a parasitic battery drain, that has caused me to be stranded multiple times. The car is currently at the dealership, and they want to do a DCM test to see if this is cause. I was not informed of battery class action lawsuit, and extension of DCM warranty by Subaru. The dealership staff never discussed this with me as a possible cause, and that I may be eligible for warranty.
While driving my 2016 Subaru Forester about 70mph on [XXX] , the engine suddenly stalled and I was stranded on the freeway. The fuel tank was about 3/4 full and no warning light flashed in the dashboard prior to the incident. I tried to move my vehicle to the right lane but was unable because of the vehicle's loss of power. I almost collided by a speeding truck behind me. I shut off the engine, was unable to restart. After 3 minutes later, I was able to restart and everything worked again. I suspected the cause was due to a bad fuel pump, took the vehicle to my local Subaru dealer for inspection. The technician could not find anything malfunction or repeat my problem. I just learned there was a recent lawsuit settlement of bad fuel pumps on 2017-2020 Subaru Foresters that could cause engines to stall. It sounded similar to the problem that I had just experienced, except my Forester is a 2016 model not covered by the settlement. I believe the 2016 Forester fuel pump was manufactured by the same company as in the 2017-2020 models. It probably has the same defects. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2016 Subaru Forester has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 400 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Subaru Forester.
The 2016 Subaru Forester received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Subaru Forester are air bags (58 reports), electrical system (53 reports), unknown or other (34 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2016 Subaru Forester. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.