- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- —
- combined
Open recalls on record
3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Subaru Forester
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 405
- Complaints citing a crash
- 39
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 19V149000high
Brake system issue
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
- 19V701000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
- 16V162000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Consumer complaints
405 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 405
- Total
- 39
- Crashes
- 3
- Fires
- 16
- Injuries
Most reported components
- AIR BAGS95
- ENGINE91
- ELECTRICAL61
- OTHER52
- BRAKES28
Notable Issues
405 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 16 reports involve injuries. 39 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Unknown
- Drive type
- Unknown
- Engine
- 0L 0-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Unknown
- Seats
- 0
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE19009
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
- Recall
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 the event of a crash.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE19009
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
- Recall
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
- Recall
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.