2016 Subaru Forester problems and complaints
Owners have filed 413 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (99), Electrical System (93), Unknown Or Other (69).
Key takeaways
- 413 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 39 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 16 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 99 | 24% |
| Electrical System | 93 | 23% |
| Unknown Or Other | 69 | 17% |
| Engine | 60 | 15% |
| Power Train | 50 | 12% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 37 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 7% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 24 | 6% |
| Seats | 23 | 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%.
| 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 - filed 2026-09-16
While driving, the car will beep and display a warning that the SRS system is malfunctioning. It will then turn passenger airbags off, even when there is a passenger sitting in the seat. I took the car in to Subaru of Glendale and was charged over $1000 to replace it, being told that i was not eligible for free replace...
Suspension,power Train,wheels - filed 2026-09-14
We purchased a used car for my [XXX] daughter on August 4th. of this year. On her trip to [XXX] on XXX., appoximently 5pm, the drivers side rear wheel fell off, causing damage to the wheel, lugs, shocks, caliper and tire. She was able to pull over into a parking lot, where a stranger helped her out till I arrived. When...
Air Bags,seats - filed 2026-08-29
Vehicle reported an SRS Passenger problem intermittently, as displayed on the dashboard, the car's information system, and a diagnostic trouble code (the car's aftermarket radio is connected to the OBD-II connector and can pull codes). The problem would appear, and then disappear upon subsequent startup cycle, over th...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
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.