There are 13 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2016 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Almost after I took ownership of my vehicle in August 2024 from Lexus of Pembroke Pines, I noticed a light on the dashboard that would light intermittently. I purchased an extended warranty for almost four thousand dollars at the time of sale, thank God, as this car has needed a lot of work that I was never told about nor was anything in the CARFAX indicating so many issues. Subaru of Pembroke Pines service department took vehicle in to work on the air bag sensor as that is what seemed to be the issue. In the sixteen months that I have been paying off a loan, the car has been in service for at least a combined ten months plus. They have changed the sensor twice and have changed the harness twice to no avail and that has been covered by the warranty. Now Subaru wants to take apart the car to trace wires to try to find out why the light still won't go out. The warranty company is refusing to take responsibility for the payment for the work and I cannot and will not pay out of my pocket. Subaru wants me to take my car back and drive it. I DO NOT WANT TO DIE FROM A FAULTY AIRBAG. There is something grossly wrong with the vehicle, the service department and especially the warranty company. Please help me get my vehicle fixed without having to be further raped financially. Subaru is trying to get me to purchase yet another vehicle AND I was told by the service lane manager that I should never have been sold that car. IT IS DANGEROUS. My files you are requesting are in my car which is at the dealership.
Incident occurred on Interstate 25 Northbound at approximately mm 190. My speed was approximately 70 mph. Weather was dry and about 70 degrees. I was in the next to left lane in 4 lanes of traffic. The moonroof on my 2016 Subaru Outback exploded violently sending glass outward into traffic. I had never heard of this phenomena so when I saw black material from the top of my car going into traffic I thought it was pieces of my roof rack. I pulled over to the shoulder to examine my car and saw a massive hole in the moonroof. Knowing that if I continued shards of glass would continue to be expelled onto the interstate I pulled the remaining pieces of glass into the interior of the car. Not that it mattered, that's where they fell anyway when I opened the moonroof. The pieces of the moonroof fell into the slots for the seatbelts, rendering the drivers side inoperable. It was a miracle that no other car was seriously impacted and that I was able to get home safely. Subaru and any other car manufacturer that is involved with this problem needs to be held accountable for the damages and remedial repairs. This problem should be addressed by the NHTSA immediately.
WIFE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE SHE PULLED IN FRONT OF LARGE F350 TRUCK, HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE. SHE WAS GOING 15 MPH, AND TRUCK WAS GOING 50-60 MPH. THE SIDE CURTAIN AND FRONT AIRBAG ON PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED. HER CAR ALSO HIT A SIGN AND TREE, CAVING IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. HER DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED AND SPENT 8 DAYS IN HOSPITAL. LOST PARTIAL DENTURES, ANOTHER TOOTH AND BENT HER IMPLANT WHEN HER FACE HIT STEERING WHEEL. SHE HAD ABOUT 150 STITCHES TO FACE AND HAS PERMANENT SCARING TO FACE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. SHE WAS WEARING SEAT BELT AND HAS BRUISES TO SHOW FOR IT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. AIRBAG IS MADE BY TAKATA. COULD NOT FIND ANY OPEN RECALLS ON AIRBAG. INITIAL IMPACT WAS TO RIGHT SIDE, AND THEN FRONT OF HER 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK STRUCK TREE AND SIGN. AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.
Passenger side front seatbelt locked up and became non-functional, unable to be used. This left our passenger without a safe or legal way to ride in the vehicle with all other seats being used. The part was replaced by the dealer under warranty
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS EXPANDING OUT. DASH IS SPLITTING. CONCERN FOR PREMATURE ACTIVATION.
THE CENTER SEATBELT IN THE BACK SEAT ( THE ONE THAT COMES DOWN FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE) HAS FRAYED AND BECOME TORN THREE TIMES IN 20 MONTHS. THE FIRST REPAIR WAS DONE DEC 21, 2016, SECOND WAS OCT 27,2017 AND THE MOST RECENT WAS FEB 13,2018. THE BELT SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPORTED AS REPLACED ALL THREE TIMES, BUT IT KEEPS OCCURRING IN THE SAME PLACE AND MANNER EACH TIME. I AM CONTINUALLY TOLD THAT THIS IS FROM OUTSIDE FORCES, BUT HAVE INVESTIGATED AND DON'T BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE AT ALL, MY CHILDREN RIDE BACK THERE, TOYS AND OTHER OBJECTS ARE NOT BROUGHT INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE BOOSTER THAT IS OCCASIONALLY USED THERE HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY SUBARU.. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE 2013 14 BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THEY GENERAL PARTS MANAGER IN MY DISTRICT, AND THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN MY CAR. I HAVE LEASED THIS WITH THE INTENTION TO OWN, BUT NOW FEEL THAT IF THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN 20 MONTHS THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE FOR MY CHILDREN. SUBARU ISN'T BEING MUCH HELP, I NEED ANSWERS SO THAT I CAN GUARANTEE MY CHILDREN ARE SAFELY SECURED IN THIS CAR.
TAKATA RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 08/09/17*LJ UPDATED 10/13/2017*JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER (PERFORMANCE SUBARU, 1810 DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL BLVD, CHAPEL HILL, NC 27514, (919) 897-2146) WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE THREE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO SECURE PROPERLY AND UNLATCHED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NO SPECIFIC REMEDY AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
HIT DEER WITH RIGHT FRONT FENDER AT ABOUT 40 MPH ON A DRY, STRAIGHT HWY. IMPACT WAS MINOR, SHEET METAL DAMAGE ONLY,NO FLUID LOSS OR SUSPENSION SYSTEM DAMAGE BUT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED VIOLENTLY, MUCH SMOKE. SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEFLATE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO EXIT VEHICLE. AIRBAG IMPACT ON LEFT EAR HAS DAMAGED HEARING, PROBABLY PERMANENTLY. CLEARWATER COUNTY IDAHO SHERIFFS OFFICE CASE NUMBER P2017-00350.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SECURED IN PARK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY IN REVERSE. THE DRIVER SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AGAIN AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE COMING TO A STOP. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER; HOWEVER, A DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED NO FAULT CODES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100.
TAKATA RECALL-WANTED TO PURCHASE A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK 3.6L, AND AFTER MULTIPLE INQUIRIES, FINALLY WAS TOLD THAT TAKATA AIRBAGS STILL BEING USED IN THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT WHEREAS OTHER MANUFACTURERS' AIRBAGS ARE NOW BEING USED IN DRIVERS AND SIDE CURTAIN PARTS OF THE AUTO. SO PASSENGER FRONT SEATS ARE STILL VULNERABLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS MIX OF AIRBAG MANUFACTURERS IS KNOWN TO ALL CONSUMERS SO THEY KNOW THE RISK THEY ARE PURCHASING. WE DECLINED TO BUY THE SUBARU OUTBACK THIS YEAR UNTIL WE FIND A MANUFACTURER WHO USES NO TAKATA AIRBAGS.
TAKATA RECALL (UNKNOWN WHETHER MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE AIRBAGS ARE SUBJECT TO RECALL) PURCHASED AS NEW CAR.
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