2016 Subaru Forester problems and complaints
Owners have filed 416 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (100), Electrical System (93), Unknown Or Other (69).
Key takeaways
- 416 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 40 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 100 | 24% |
| Electrical System | 93 | 22% |
| Unknown Or Other | 69 | 17% |
| Engine | 60 | 14% |
| Power Train | 51 | 12% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 37 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 7% |
| Seats | 24 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 24 | 6% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 20 | 5% |
| Steering | 19 | 5% |
| Wheels | 17 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2016 Subaru Forester
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Subaru Forester SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags,seats - filed 2026-10-22
A recall repair (NHTSA Campaign: 19V701000) was previously performed on this vehicle to repair a defective occupancy sensor in the front passenger seat, which results in the passenger airbag being off even when the seat is occupied. Despite the work being done previously, the same problem has resurfaced, suggesting tha...
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness - filed 2026-10-01
We purchased two new Evenflo Revolve 360 convertible car seats in November 2023 (Manufactured September 2023). After only two years of use, the harness straps are frayed almost all the way through. We noticed the issue in December 2025 and reached out to Evenflo in January 2026. The company claims that the fraying is d...
Power Train - filed 2026-09-22
The contact owned a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while at a complete stop with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated without warning and crashed into a fire hydrant. While the foot was still on the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate and struck a street sign. The vehicle con...
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More for the 2016 Subaru Forester
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.