2016 SUBARU LEGACY Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2016 Subaru Legacy. This model year has 143 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Electrical Faults.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2016 Subaru Legacy Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Electrical Faults
Uncategorized Issues
Visibility/Wiper
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2016 Subaru Legacy. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 49 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 39 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 17 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 16 | 1 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 13 | 1 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 9 | 2 | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Brake System | 8 | 2 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 6 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Lane Departure | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2016 Subaru Legacy. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 143 most recent complaints
Battery continuously dies, likely due to a parasitic drain, and it is extremely hard-taking up to 15 to 20 minutes to open the car door using the the wierd key you slide out of the key fob. As a woman, it is very dangerous when my battery dies and I am in a dark parking lot and …
THIS IS THE SECOND SUCH EXPERIENCE WITH THIS CAR! On Friday, September 12, 2025 at 3:32 p.m., I was driving slowly in a parking lot preparing to park. As I started to turn the car into the parking space, my car surged forward without my pressing on the gas pedal. I pressed on …
Unable to remove key when turning the engine off. Eventually works after several tries of turning the engine on and off.
Sometimes when starting from a stop or slowing down to make a turn the engine revs up like I was pushing the gas pedal. When this happens ( 4 times in the last 6 months) luckily I was covering the break to slow down or going very slow from a stop. Each time I was turning left or …
Parking Brake harness is defaulty.
Car battery dies after the vehicle sits for longer periods (approximately 2 weeks or more?). Roadside assistance has tested battery twice after jumping the vehicle and stated the battery is still healthy. Various Subara owners report similar situations in online forums, and the…
purchased my 2016 legacy in 2022, I was offered the bronze warranty due to milage. My vehicle was bought back due to loud noises coming from the engine. Was told there was a peze recall and it was fixed. Brought it back to the dealership for the same sound and they found nothing …
I was driving on highway and engine failed light came on, along with low fuel sign. Engine shut off. Luckily I was able to safely pull over. The Dealer determined that the low fuel sensor failed thus shutoff the engine. Shutting engine off on a highway is dangerous and life t…
There is an active recall for Subaru vehicles. The recall is for emissions number WUB-87 for 2015-2018MY Legacy and Outback 2.5L. My car is a 2016 Subaru Legacy and it has the exact problem listed in the recall, but is not included. The front end exhaust is defective as describe…
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that while the check engine light remained illuminated the horn failed to function as designed. The contact stated that aft…
Slowing to pull into parking spot and car accelerates and hits what is in front of vehicle. Has happened at least four times. Last time 11/5/2024
I went to the store with an intact and unblemished windshield. After returning to the vehicle, a crack in the passenger side of the windshield appeared with no chip or damage visible. After only a day, this cracked had tripled in length with weekly crackling sounds. This is a kno…
Battery dies really fast and ended up doing a replacement right after moving from Idaho to utah and losing a bolt and had to use a wrench from my late husbands toolbag in the trunk to keep it on the positive terminal I do believe after just having left the emergency room and was …
Battery has failed twice in a matter of a year. Both batteries were top of the line and no reason can be seen for failure. I see that there are a great deal of the same sort of complaints listed here and Subaru should be well aware of this issue.
There was a recall for my 2016 Subaru Legacy transmission issue (CVT), I got a letter from Subaru on 9/23/2018 which extended warranty for 2016-2017 Legacy/Outback CVT from 5 years/60000 miles to 10 years/100000 miles, started from 9/30/2019. The transmission of my Subaru started…
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle accelerated at high-speed without warning, causing the vehicle to drive over a curb and into oncoming traffic. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle fa…
Vehicle had significant amount of oil pooled in the battery case holder back approximately Jan 2022 or earlier. Contacted Subaru of Las Vegas and they offered to clean the vehicle believing it was a careless oil change. Next oil change Subaru said I had a minor oil leak. Took it …
I've own a 2016 Subaru Legacy Limited 3.6, for coming on 2 years. In the last 3 months I've had to replace my battery twice. The last being a red top battery costing $300+ and only lasted 2 days. The first incident that was most disruptive was, driving home in rush hour traffic w…
Steering did not return to neutral position after making a right turn, steering wanted to continue on right turn. I was able to pull it back to straight position with some needed force. I don't believe my wife would be able , after initial surprise, to steer back into lane of tra…
Replaced battery but still all dash lights come on I lose power and it dies. I can jump start it and it stay but all lights stay on. New starter, new alternator, I just don't know what it is. Only code that comes up is P0420
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2016 Subaru Legacy.
Recalls for 2016 Subaru Legacy
3 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru Legacy. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2016 Subaru Legacy — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2016 Subaru Legacy reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2016 Subaru Legacy has 143 NHTSA owner complaints, 9 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Electrical Faults (49 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru Legacy?▾
#1: Electrical Faults (49 complaints). #2: Uncategorized Issues (39 complaints). #3: Visibility/Wiper (17 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2016 Subaru Legacy?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2016 Subaru Legacy?▾
The 2016 Subaru Legacy has 9 crash-related complaints and 0 fire reports out of 143 total NHTSA complaints. 3 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2016 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?▾
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2016 Subaru Legacy. The largest issue: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2016 Subaru Legacy?▾
The 2016 Subaru Legacy has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Electrical Faults issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Subaru Legacy reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2016 Subaru Legacy
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.