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2016 Subaru Outback
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2016 Subaru Outback — Safety Summary
The 2016 Subaru Outback has 4 NHTSA safety recalls and 642 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 5 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is electrical system. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for a buyer analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
Should you buy the 2016 Subaru Outback in Canada?
The 2016 Subaru Outback shows a higher level of recall or complaint activity in public data. That is not a reason to rule it out, but it does mean a careful inspection and VIN-specific check are especially worthwhile.
The best next step is to run the exact VIN and, if the car still looks promising, get a Smart Buyer Report for a model-specific reliability read and an inspection checklist before you visit the seller.
What owners complain about most
The complaint categories reported most often for the 2016 Subaru Outback, based on owner reports in the public NHTSA data.
Complaint patterns suggest where to look — they are not proof any specific vehicle has that issue. Treat them as inspection prompts.
What to check before buying a used 2016 Subaru Outback
- Owners report electrical system concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report unknown or other concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report visibility/wiper concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report engine concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Confirm any open recall work was completed by running the exact VIN.
Canadian ownership considerations
General things worth checking on a used Outback in the Canadian climate — winter, road salt, and cold-weather wear.
- Check AWD or 4WD operation if equipped — driveline components are costly to repair.
- Road salt drives corrosion on underbody and subframe points; inspect the undercarriage on salt-belt vehicles.
- Verify heater, defroster, and rear demister all work ahead of winter.
- Battery and cold-start reliability are worth confirming for Canadian winters.
Pre-purchase inspection priorities
- Bring a qualified mechanic or book an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Check the undercarriage for rust and corrosion, especially on salt-belt vehicles.
- Confirm all open recalls have been repaired using the VIN.
- Review maintenance records and look for gaps in servicing.
- Test all winter-critical systems: heater, defroster, battery, and (if equipped) AWD/4WD.
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Unlock the full buyer reportNHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
4 recall(s) for this year/model
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
19/12/2019Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
STEERING:COLUMN
11/05/2016Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
10/08/2015Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
24/11/2015Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016 Legacy vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 16, 2015, and Outback vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 17, 2015. Due to the improper tightening of the securing nuts, the drive shaft may separate from the rear differential.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the fastening nuts, and tighten or replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 10, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is WQV-57.
Transport Canada Recalls
5 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Powertrain
2015-08-06On certain vehicles, during the manufacturing process of pressing the seal cap onto the propeller shaft yoke, the seal cap may have been positioned incorrectly. This could result in the seal leaking transmission oil onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of fire resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the propeller shaft assembly.
Powertrain
2015-11-23On certain vehicles, the nuts securing the propeller shaft to the rear differential may have not been tightened to specification during assembly and could loosen over time. This could cause the propeller shaft to come loose from the rear differential, which would result in excessive noise and may contact and eventually damage the fuel tank, which may result in a fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will inspect the nuts fastening the propeller shaft to the rear differential and tighten or replace the nuts and bolts as necessary.
Steering
2016-05-11On certain vehicles, steering column components may not have been manufactured to specification and therefore may not engage correctly, which could result in a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the steering column. Note: In the interim, owners are advised to not drive their vehicle until an inspection of the steering column has been completed.
Brakes
2022-07-21Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, a connector for the electronic parking brake (EPB) could disconnect. If this happens, you won't be able to apply the parking brake and the vehicle could roll away. If this happens and the parking brake is set, you won't be able release it. Note: This problem will cause the brake warning lamp to turn on or flash. Safety Risk: A parked vehicle that moves unexpectedly could increase the risk of an injury or a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the adapter cord connector for the electronic parking brake, and if necessary, install an additional retaining clip. To reduce the safety risk, Subaru recommends that you should park the vehicle in a flat location and leave the transmission in gear whenever possible until the recall repairs have been completed. Additionally, when parking uphill, the front wheels should be turned away from the curb and the shift lever should be placed into first gear. When parking downhill, the front wheels should be turned into the curb and the shift lever should be placed into reverse gear.
Label
2024-08-15Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Subaru has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
642 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
Want the full picture?
The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds buyer analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.