2016 Subaru Forester reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru Forester from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 609
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS
- 94 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 3
- see below
- Reported harm
- 77 reported crashes · 37 injuries · 6 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#821
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Subaru median
+427
median 182 across 97 Subaru records
Vs 2014-2018
+312
median 298 complaints in 596 records
Top component share
15%
Air Bags: 94 complaints
What owners report fails — 2016 Subaru Forester
- AIR BAGS 94
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 90
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 68
- ENGINE 60
- POWER TRAIN 47
3 recalls on record for the 2016 Subaru Forester
- NHTSA 19V701000 · 2020 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the ri
- NHTSA 19V149000 · 2019 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, incre
- NHTSA 16V162000 · 2016 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLIN An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2016 Subaru Forester
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2016 Subaru Forester units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Subaru Forester reliable?
NHTSA has 609 consumer complaints on record for the 2016 Subaru Forester and 3 recalls. The most-reported problem area is air bags (94 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2016 Subaru Forester units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags (94), electrical system (90), unknown or other (68), engine (60). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2016 Subaru Forester?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2016 Subaru Forester. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.