2016 Subaru Outback Complaint Log

leak in cam carrier gasket caused large ammounts of smoke to fill engine bay and enter cabin air system. Struggled to breath and vision to an extent was obstructed. when car was parked, smoke continued to fill the engine bay. problem was confirmed by an independent technitian, with the vehicle undergoing a complete inspection about a year ago from the dealership of purchase. no warning lamps turned on until enough oil had seeped from the leak in the liquid silicon gasket, at which point the low oil warning light had turned on.

My 2016 Subaru Outback CVT transmission has exhibited an intermittent jerking and grabbing sensation when accelerating from a stop, worse when cold, since at least February 2023. This is a known defect covered under Subaru warranty extension bulletin 16-115-18. February 2023 — An authorized Subaru dealer documented the complaint in writing. The technician stated the vehicle never warmed up during the test drive and dismissed the concern. The CVT issue was never repaired. I was never informed of Subaru's CVT warranty extension program. February 17 2026 — seven days before my warranty expiration — the same authorized Subaru dealer physically identified and documented a CVT oil pump cover leak. The same jerking complaint was again documented in writing. No repairs were made and the warranty expired one week later. The CVT defect has been physically confirmed by an authorized Subaru dealer within the warranty period and Subaru of America has denied my warranty claim in writing. This issue presents a safety concern. The unpredictable jerking and hesitation when accelerating from a stop creates dangerous situations in traffic, particularly at intersections and when merging. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Subaru chose to handle this known widespread defect as a quiet warranty extension rather than a mandatory recall despite hundreds of owners reporting identical symptoms.

My 2016 Outback 2.5L model experienced an exhaust noise and/or odor coming from cracks at the bellows section of the front exhaust pipe which includes the catalytic converter. It was diagnosed as leak occurring at the front exhaust pipe. Quoted repair for replacement part only is $2700 plus $1000 labor to repair. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Subaru Recall WUJ-95 with subject Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking was issued in 2020. My specific VIN was excluded from this recall but I have experienced the exact issue described in the recall. As a result of this situation and exhaust inhalation the car is not able to be driven, this cause breathing issues for me, my wife and our 9 month old baby.

Brake light comes on while driving and power steering also locks up..

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.

1.Windshield crack in the deicing area. Driving on a highway heard a loud boom as if a very big rock hit the car. 30-40 second later there was another boom of normal loudness. At this moment windshield crack has been noticed. The windshield will not be available, replacing it on 12/22/2025 2. Visibility has been affected 3. No, problem was not reproduced. Dealer representative said that the problem is not covered by Subaru. 4. Windshield was visually inspected by the dealership representative. I will try to collect more data at the windshield replacement shop. 5. There were no symptoms of the problem. N.B - the crack outside is flat, as if no rock hit happened. - I have camera's MP4, where sounds can be heard, 1GB

Steering wheel controls frequently fail to work properly on the cruise control system specially the speed control. Also the exhaust system bellow has cracked. The moonroof leaks into the cabin and floor area of the passenger side. Also leaking into the A pillar on the passenger side. I only have a picture of the engine valve cover that is leaking and had to be replaced. I have video of the exhaust leak coming from the crack in the bellow pipe. Do not have video of the cruise control speed issues as I can’t take a video while driving.

Catalytic converter is cracked. This is confirmed by an independent service center. Apparently there is a recall for this issue for 2015 and 2016 Subaru Outbacks manufactured up until September 2015. My 2016 Subaru Outback has the same issue and was manufactured in April 2016. The recall should include all 2016 Subaru Outbacks, not just those manufactured in 2015.

Accelerated on its own doing 25mph and accelerated quickly and took pumping brakes to get it to stop

The DCM (Data Communication Module), also referred to as the Starlink telematics module, has failed. This failure is causing a continuous parasitic battery drain, which rapidly depletes the vehicle’s battery even after charging or replacement. The component remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. The failure has resulted in repeated battery drain and loss of vehicle operability. I have experienced a dead battery approximately 4–6 times between September 2025 and present, and the condition has worsened to the point where the vehicle cannot remain running or operable without the battery dying within approximately 5 minutes. This creates a safety risk because the vehicle can become inoperable without warning, increasing the likelihood of being stranded in unsafe conditions or unable to use the vehicle in an emergency. Yes, the issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by a Subaru dealership, which identified the DCM module as failed and requiring replacement. The failure is consistent with a parasitic battery drain caused by the DCM. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership.I have also contacted Subaru of America and opened a case requesting assistance with the repair. The primary symptom was repeated battery drain and failure to start beginning around September 2025. The issue progressed over time, with multiple instances of a dead battery, and has now worsened to the point where the battery drains within minutes, preventing normal vehicle operation. There were no consistent warning lights directly identifying the DCM as the cause prior to diagnosis.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine seal had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

I reached under the steering well to the foot well because it seemed that my AC was not putting out any air. I touched something and received a burn on my hand. I reached out to the SOA but was told to take it to the dealer. Then they asked me to call back and discuss further. When I called back I was told to take it to the dealer. I'm not sure I want to take it to the dealer to be charged a diagnosis fee. It seems the "kick panel" should cover this hot part to not allow access.

I purchased a replacement battery in 2023. In August of 2025, the battery died, requiring a jump start. A local auto parts store checked the battery and it tested within acceptable limits, showing around 513 amps. A private shop confirmed this, and cleaned the battery terminals and cables. The battery functioned well until around November 2025, when it again died requiring a jump start. The battery again died in December 2025, about one month later, requiring a jump start.

Parasitic battery drain due to a faulty DCM module. I've purchase 3 batteries in the past 16 months. I now have to keep a trickle charger on my car at night to ensure my battery is not dead in the morning. Unable to park overnight without charger due to fear of another dead battery.

EYE SIGHT GOES OUT SHORTLY AFTER RECONFIGURATION (HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES), BRAND NEW BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED CAUSING COMPLETE SHUT DOWN, HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR SIX WEEKS AND DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING AND HAS REPLACED BATTERY AND DRIVEN THE CAR WAITING FOR A REPLICA TO HAPPEN. MY RESEARCH LEANS TOWARD DCM/ECM/PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN ISSUES BUT THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A RECALL FOR THESE ELECTRONIC ISSUES.

I had a rock thrown at my vehicle's windshield and required a replacement. I went to a Subaru dealership, Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha, local to me for a replacement. A day after I received my car, the windshield developed a hairline crack emanating from the bottom. I brought it back to the dealer and they replaced it again. After that time, it was a whole week and a half when I noticed a hairline crack, this time from the top working its way down. I brought it once again to the dealer for a replacement and a better explanation as to what is going on. 1.5 months later, I took my car again and was good for a little over a month, when I noticed the same hairline crack, this time from the bottom. I am up to having three windshields being installed and have no confidence in the safety and longevity of the vehicle I have. Subaru has had engineers come out to evaluate my vehicle and determined that its structural construction is not compromised and have tried to diagnose another probable cause coming from the windshield wiper heater and unplugged it. I have heard crack noises when driving at random intervals and have it noted to the dealership. no further update has been told to me as of the writing of this concern.

Safety concern - Exhaust entering into the car. Smells of exhaust. Warranty should be extended to 15 years, 150,000 miles as was done on identical part 2017-2018MY Subaru Forrester Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking. This part is known to be defective. 1. My 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5L if manufactured 12/9/2013 - 9/30/2015 is covered. My Subaru just outside this window, manufactured 12/2015. Service Program Bulletin Number: WUJ-95. 2. My Subaru is within the 80,000 routine emissions warranty, though 1 year outside the 8 years. 3. This Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking happens on the identical part in the Forester and has an Exhaust Pipe (Front) Warranty Extension (W122-013) to 150,000, 15 years. Attached - Repair estimate, Service Program Bulletin WUJ-95 dealing with this year Outback, Service Bulletin Number 09-84-22 dealing with identical part 2017-8 Subaru Forester

There’s an open recall on an exhaust leak for similar models and years and my car needs the same work done but it’s not covered under the recall

Original owner of a 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5L, took in to Midas for small exhaust leak. Midas found that the Exhaust Pipe Front Bellows was cracking. They sent me a quote to repair the bellows and also a print out of Service Program Bulletin Number WUJ-95R n the 2015-2016MY Outback 2.5L referring to the Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking. I called to speak with Subaru's corporate recall center and they said my VIN was not part of the recall, however, my car was manufactured in 2015 and is having the exact same issues as the other 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5L. Our safety is being put at risk as CO (carbon monoxide) is leaking into the vehicle due to the cracking in the Exhaust Pipe Front Bellows.

The steering warning light came on and my steering wheel stiffened. Luckily I was able to make it home, but when I went back to crank it. The light was still on and it would only move forward of backwards; because I wasn't able at all to turn the steering wheel.

Horn quit working

The left front drive axel cracked while we were driving on an overpass connecting two highways. We didn’t hit or bump anything. The car just stopped, like the brakes were slammed on, except the brakes didn’t work. As we were on an incline, the car started rolling backwards, but fortunately the emergency brake worked. It happened so abruptly, I wasn’t able to fully pull off the road and my children in the back seat were screaming for their lives as truck after truck whizzed by rattling our car with their horns blaring missing us by inches. The police and fire trucks eventually blocked us from traffic until we could get a tow. The engine worked, but we couldn’t get into any gear. The mechanic said it must’ve been a faulty part to have gone like that. When the axel broke, it damaged the front differential and the transmission so the car isn’t very drivable. On a less dramatic note, a month earlier, both back doors stopped working on the same day!! The child locks failed and the doors couldn’t be opened. I consider this a safety hazard, so we spent $$$ to fix it. As we take good care of our car, I am very curious why it’s failing so spectacularly all at once.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that there was an exhaust odor entering into the cabin of the vehicle, which was most noticeable when the heater was activated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormally loud sound as if the exhaust was releasing in large amount of fumes. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the emissions and was related to NHTSA ID Number: 10182196 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Equipment, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not covered under NHTSA ID Number: 10182196 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Equipment, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility) or under warranty. The manufacturer opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

I’m unable to remove the car key from the ignition when the vehicle shifter is in Park.

My 2016 Subaru Outback, manufactured 23 business days after the end date of recall WUJ-95, has the same exhaust system and now the same exhaust system failure as the cars covered under the recall. My car is available for inspection. This exhaust failure poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisioning. The problem in my car was identified by an independent mechanic who works exclusively on Subarus and has seen this failure in other clients' vehicles. He referred me to Subaru for repairs and recommended I look into why I hadn't received a recall notice. I contacted Subaru, opened a case, then didn't recieve a response in the timeframe they defined. After waiting a few days, I called back to learned my case had been closed. Their customer advocacy representative responded the next week and said my car was not recalled because it was manufactured on 11/3/2015, after the end date of the recall on 9/30/2015. She also cited a lack of service history with a Subaru retailer (I offered to provide records) and being out of warranty by time and miles (I mentioned 2017-18 Foresters received warranty extensions to 15 years or 150K miles for this failure.) I asked what their escalation process is for making exceptions and was told the representative was the only customer-facing person I would be able to speak with about this and she declined to offer any assistance, but did offer a loyalty discount on a new vehicle. My car has not been inspected by anyone else. I'm willing to take it to anyone who should look at it. There were no warning lights or messages related to the issue. It was diagnosed when I took the car in for regular maintenance and it explains the more noticable smell of exhaust in the car, that I had attributed to other traffic, when I'm sitting at stop lights.

Exhaust leak in or near exhaust manifold / bellows / flex pipe identical to problem identified in WUJ-95 recall, confirmed by both dealer and independent mechanic. Problem produces 'growl' and fumes in passenger cabin. This problem likely existed when we purchased the car used from LaFontaine Subaru in Commerce, MI.

Excessive oil consumption. Have to add a quart every 3300 miles. Twice in last two months on highway and city street, low oil warning came on. Mileage on auto is 72000 miles. All scheduled maintenance performed by Subaru dealer.

The lock on the side of the door that turns on the child lock so kids cannot open the door from the inside is stuck in the lock position and will not disengage.

The catalytic converter on my vehicle has an air leak causing my engine light to come on and almost all features such as cruise control become disabled. There is a recall that was issued in 2020 for the exact same problem my vehicle is having and the recall covers the same year, make and model of my vehicle. I was told that my vehicle isn’t under the recall but the representative was unable to specify why. I am trying to get the part replaced as the vehicle is polluting the air and causing my vehicle to not perform as expected.

The "SELECT LEVER COMPLETE" or fear shift neutral park sensor switch stops working. Subaru has acknowledged the issue and issued a TSB (NUMBER: 16-112-18R). The issue is that the car does not sense it is in park or Neutral, even though the shifter is in that position. For keyed cars, the key cannot be removed and for push to start the car rear gate does not open and an alarm sounds when doors are open when the ignition is on. The car warns to move shifter to Park, even though the car is shifted to park. Car has been serviced several times with complaints indicating symptoms of issue, but was never informed of cause and lever select was never replaced.

My 2016 Subaru Outback has gone through 5 batteries since purchase in 4/2016. The reason for my contact with you is that the Navigation function “eyesight” has been problematic for at least two years and began with the third of five batteries. The function stops working randomly at any hour of the day and in all conditions. This year it went off and on in excess of 300-400 times. Each time it stops, cruise control, lane warnings, etc. are off. This can be harrowing with highway driving. On the three occasions I took it to the dealer the past two years they could not find a cause. After I replaced the battery again recently, they reset a DCM whose warranty had been extended by Subaru and that I brought in myself. There have been a number of parasitic drain tests, some finding a drain, others not on the batteries When the car was returned to me, the navigation system went off only once that same day but I presume it will go off in the future. I do not find the car or system reliable. The problem appears to be exceedingly hard to diagnose. Since these are the types of systems used with automatic and self driving car functions, I thought it important that you be made aware of the hazards these systems present.

The Eyesight system will malfunction and turn off at random times. The Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning will activate when there is nothing in front of my car causing it to brake abruptly. I have almost been in numerous collisions due to the random safety systems malfunctioning.

Can not take the key out of ignition.

Media screen failure. Is available for inspection. Safety of pedestrians or other accident at risk because the screen is useless in bright sunlight. Planning to complain to dealer. No warning signal or alert when backing up when screen is unreadable. This has caused accidents x 3 for my family. Backed into another car with no warning.

Recently, My daughter noticed the strong smell of exhaust in the car. It turns out the there is a leak in the exhaust manifold. Subaru issued SERVICE PROGRAM BULLETIN WUJ-95R to address a issue where a bellows in the exhaust cracked and allowed the leakage of exhaust gases in front of the CC, releasing noxious gases into the air and into the driver compartment. Problem is they only applied this to a small amount of the production of the 2016 outback. This issue has been occurring on 2015 to 2019 models since and they did not include them in the recall. To fix this issue because of a design flaw the CC (Catalytic Converter) also needs to be replaced at a cost of over 3000 dollars. My ask is that they should extend this recall to cover all the cars with this design as it is a serious health issue to drivers of the cars. This is not an issue where rust is causing exhaust to break out, This is a manufacturing design issue where cars are having the issue which were only a couple years old. In my case, the Bellows in question were replaced by the previous owner at less than 4 years old and I did not know about that. So when that repair failed(not the permanent fix offered in the service bulletin) Subaru told me I am on my own though the CC should be covered to 150K in New York State. I feel they should be responsible to address this issue for all the models with the defective design.

Travelling on I-95 southbound at approx. 70 mph in the right lane at least 8-10 car lengths behind another vehicle in front of me. Clear skies, 78* F, calm weather. I heard a loud, sudden noise followed by wind and what sounded like glass on my roof, thought it was fireworks or a gunshot. Pulled over to make sure my dogs are OK (all good, just spooked!) and see what happened to the car when I observed a large hole and continued cracking noise in the sunroof - glass was pushed outwards/ convex rather than concave as if an object had struck the glass from above or in front of my vehicle. Notified insurance then carefully drove home the remaining 20 or so miles, called dealership and started researching the issue. There are nearly 40 reports of spontaneous sunroof explosions on NHTSA website for Subaru Outbacks. Dealing with Subaru Corporate and a local dealership for repairs.

There is a strong smell of engine exhaust in the cabin as other people have submitted similar complaints.

The battery is dying very quickly The DCM Data Communication Module is draining the battery causing the vehicle to become stranded This is the fifth battery in this vehicle Subaru is aware of this issue but refuses to find a solution to fix it

The blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning system stopped working. It was safer to drive on the highway when it was working. I had it looked at and I was told that the sensors are known to fail. It is an expensive replacement and not under warranty or recall.

The child lock of right side is stuck its on on position we can't open the door from inside nd now the button is broken.

Car exhaust inside the vehicle when driving at low speeds, idling, or parked into the cab of the vehicle. Only way to stop the exhaust fumes is to use the recirculate interior air. Rear hatch hydraulics are failing, hatch will not open completely and partially shuts when opened. When driving very loud squeaking from vehicle.

Windshield cracked on its own, this is the 3rd time I will be replacing windshield.

Windshield cracks on its own. This is my 3rd time replacing windhield.

Front Passenger Side window will not roll down. The electrical button on the driver's side is not functioning to allow it to roll down. This was a similar problem with the back passenger side window which was taken care within the first year of purchase.

The 8 month old battery on my 2016 Subaru Outback just died. I understand that the warranty on the DCM was extended by a year, but the dealership said that if it turned out the DCM was not defective, I would have to pay for the test ($185) . The warranty only covers having the battery recharged or replaced. If the DCM is the cause of the battery drain, than the warranty should pay for replacing the DCM, in addition to replacing the battery. Otherwise the problem will continue to reoccur. There should be a recall on the DCM!

Since owning this new Subaru vehicle, I have replaced the battery once. Today I had the car towed to the dealer with them diagnosing the car telling me it needs a certain module that has been draining the battery. Due to this problem, I have had to take an Uber to work. When the vehicle would not start, I had AAA come out and was told that the battery had 13% power on the one call out and 20% on the second call. In speaking with the tow truck driver for AAA he told me that this battery problem has been going on for a while with the 2015 to 2020 Subaru's. Now the dealer wants to charge me nine hundred and fifty-eight dollars to replace the module. If there was a problem with the module, why was I not told sooner about it? It seems to me that the factory battery is not strong enough to hold a charge and they are blaming it on the module. There were no warnings or messages telling me there was a problem with the battery.

Dead battery issues and DCM battery issue

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was occupied and parked at residence and attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the underneath the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at various speeds there was exhaust fumes entering the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that front exhaust manifold connected to the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the technician inspected the vehicle and became aware that the exhaust pipe was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to a Service Program Bulletin: WUJ-95R (Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking); however, the VIN was not included in the bulletin. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 171,000.

We have had multiple incidents on this MY16 Subaru Outback draining the battery over the past several years. Sometimes the battery is dead after a couple or few days of driving. There seems to be a battery / electrical management (current draw when vehicle if off) issue as noted in multiple incidents and there was even a class action lawsuit. The SW update associated didn't resolve the issue. One can find many others with similar problems with Subaru Outbacks. (note: our MY17 Crosstrek also is experiencing the same issues). We have changed multiple batteries, needed multiple battery charges, required to buy a battery charger, buy a multimeter, and still have continued issues. Subaru corporate and the local dealership have done little/nothing to resolve the continued issue which causes disruptions in personal schedules, and just hope we don't have a dead battery/vehicle in a dangerous situation.

Ignition key cannot be removed quite frequently. It requires restarting engine, jiggling shift lever to finally release. I see a Subaru TSB 16-112-18R has been released for this issue.