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2016 Subaru ForesterProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 416 owner complaints about the 2016 Subaru Forester, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-149 the manufacturer reports only 76% of affected cars repaired.

2016 Subaru Forester
31
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.2× the Forester median · #7 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 76%Owner complaints41658 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage40kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 22, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: LuvsMG481, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2016 Subaru Forester has problems

416 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags1009
Electrical system935
Engine606
Power train516
Vehicle speed control3716
Service brakes298
Fuel/propulsion system245
Seats240
Visibility/wiper200
13 other systems9720

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2016 Subaru Forester recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

87%repaired · 2021 Q2

Sensor: occupant classification

Recall 19V-701 · Oct 3, 2019 · 366,282 vehicles · 318,456 repaired

Risk. If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

76%repaired · 2020 Q3

Brake lights: switch

Recall 19V-149 · Feb 28, 2019 · 1,303,530 vehicles · 993,791 repaired

Risk. Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

40kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 43 air bags complaints. 91% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
10under 30k miles39under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

21 owners mentioned a cost

$1,244median

Middle half: $1,100 – $1,500

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2016 vs. every other Forester year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Forester median. How we score

'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2016 Subaru Forester safety ratings

2016 Subaru Forester SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2016 Subaru Forester frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2016 Subaru Forester side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2016 Subaru Forester side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (16.9% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2016 Subaru Forester, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Occupant Detection System (ODS) FailurePE19009 · closed Jan 22, 2020
    Led to recall 19V-701
In owners' words

What Forester owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11772973 · Oct 22, 2026
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…
Complaint 11764817 · Sep 16, 2026
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…
Complaint 11760589 · Aug 29, 2026

Own a 2016 Forester?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.