There are 6 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2016 Subaru Foresterin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I was driving very slowly in a long line of traffic due to a sudden downpour of hail, ice pellets, and frozen rain which blanketed the road in white. Suddenly, without warning, my 2016 Subaru Forester accelerated and veered to the right and into a grove of trees doing extensive damage to the front end. The vehicle was totaled by my insurance company. I suspect that there was sudden acceleration and because of the icy road conditions my car left the road instead of plowing into the car ahead of me. The airbags didn't go off and I wasn't hurt at all but the entire front end was beyond repair.
Car unexpectedly accelerated when turning into a parking space. Gradually braking going in to the space and then car suddenly accelerated across the curb and hit a building. Car can be available for inspection. No one was hurt but only because of being lucky that no one was on the sidewalk by the building. Emergency services were called and police made a report and all is reported to the insurance company. There has been no inspection yet by manufacturer. Called Subaru and they said to get the body work done first and then bring the car in for inspection. No warning sounds or lights noticed prior to the problem.
VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. IT WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED NOSE FIRST INTO THE PARKING LOT BELOW.
THE TAILGATE ON MY 2016 FORESTER IS SO LOW WHEN OPENED THAT I HIT MY HEAD ON IT EVERY TIME I REACH INTO THE CAR. I AM 6 FEET TALL. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH MY TAILGATE. I HAD AN EARLIER MODEL FORESTER WHERE THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE. THE SUBARU DEALERS I COMPLAINED TO SAID THAT THE HINGES WERE DESIGNED SO THAT A LONGER SHOCK ABSORBER OR OTHER AFTER-MARKET FIX WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FIXED UNTIL THE MODEL DESIGN WAS CHANGED. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!
2016 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE INSTRUMENT PANEL IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ON SUNNY DAYS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED NO ONE AT THE DEALER, COULD TELL HIM WHERE THE SENSOR WAS THAT REGISTERED THE AMBIENT LIGHT TO DIM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *JB
2016 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR HATCH DOES NOT RAISE HIGH ENOUGH ABOVE HIS HEAD TO ALLOW IT TO CLEAR UNDERNEATH IT, TO PRECLUDE CONTACT WITH HIS FOREHEAD. *SMD
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026