UsedScore

2016 Subaru Forester: Use caution

Owners filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 122 for every 100,000 sold: 1.2× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's above average, so use caution.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the air bags (25% of complaints, median 40,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.2×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Forester year
Rank
9th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
217
first five years; 122 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
3
campaigns
4th generation, 2014–2018 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i (U.S.-spec, photographed in the Netherlands)

Photo: 2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i (U.S.-spec, photographed in the Netherlands) · Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Air bags25% · 54 complaints · median 40,000 miles
  2. Brakes10% · 22 complaints · median 24,000 miles
  3. Speed control8% · 18 complaints · median 15,000 miles
  4. Powertrain13% · 28 complaints · median 31,000 miles
  5. Electrical15% · 32 complaints · median 39,000 miles
  6. Engine12% · 26 complaints · median 39,000 miles
  7. Steering5% · 11 complaints · median 15,000 miles
  8. Body and structure3% · 7 complaints
  9. Seats and belts4% · 9 complaints · median 40,000 miles
  10. Visibility9% · 19 complaints · median 36,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Owners of this Forester report the front passenger airbag intermittently showing as off due to a faulty occupant detection sensor, even with someone sitting in the seat. Repairs often require a costly seat or sensor replacement, and some say the issue returned after a recall repair.

Warning signs:
Owners report an SRS or airbag warning light flashing or staying on, dashboard messages saying the airbag system needs to be checked, and chimes or dinging sounds.
What shops did:
Dealers often diagnosed a faulty occupant detection sensor or seat cushion, sometimes replacing a wiring harness under recall, but many owners say the seat itself needed replacement at a cost, with parts frequently on backorder.
Mileage:
most between 30,000 and 55,000 miles, among 43 complaints that give it

“My passenger airbag light go on and off to signal if the passenger seat airbag system is activated or not.”

“the passenger airbag system would initiate an alert that it needed service, at which time the passenger airbag would turn off with somebody sitting in the seat”

Brakes

Owners of the 2016 Forester describe brakes that sometimes fail to stop the car or a sudden surge forward despite pressing the pedal, often while parking at low speed. Warning lights for ABS or stability systems frequently appear, and dealers have sometimes struggled to find or fix the cause.

Warning signs:
Many report ABS, traction control, or hill-assist warning lights, a soft or spongy pedal, or the pedal sinking to the floor before the incident.
What shops did:
Some owners say dealers replaced a brake light switch, sensor, or rotors, while others report the dealer could not duplicate or diagnose the problem.
Mileage:
most between 15,000 and 55,000 miles, among 24 complaints that give it

“Brake pedal goes to floor when stopping with maximum load when stopping on street or highway.”

“When stopping/stopped it will suddenly accelerate/surge forward and I need to slam on brakes”

Speed control

Owners describe their Foresters suddenly accelerating on their own, often while parking with the brake applied, sometimes causing crashes into walls, poles, or other vehicles. Others report separate incidents of high-speed stalling, cruise control dropouts, or hesitation that dealers frequently could not diagnose or reproduce.

Warning signs:
Many describe the car lurching or surging forward or backward with foot on the brake, RPMs climbing on their own, or the engine sputtering, stalling, or dropping out of gear with dash warning lights before the event, though some report no warning at all.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate the problem or find diagnostic codes; some replaced sensors, injectors, or an EGR valve, but a few owners say the issue returned afterward.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 30,000 miles, among 23 complaints that give it

“The car accelerated on its own over a parking barrier, over a 1.5' stone barrier, up a small grade and into and partially thru a concrete patio wall”

“The RPM's all of a sudden shoot up and it feels like my car falls out of gear”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (3)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V701000October 2019366,282 vehicles

    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.

    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 the event of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V149000February 20191,303,530 vehicles

    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.

    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.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V162000March 201618,187 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 450 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2016 Forester. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • Subarunet Announcement · July 2024This announcement provides information on Takata Recall Escalated Towing Program.
  • 06-90-24 · June 2024This bulletin provides diagnosis and procedure information to be applied when diagnosing potential fluid leaks on front and rear brake calipers.
  • 17-19-24 · March 2024Due to limited part supply, the availability of the passenger front seat cushion may not satisfy demand.
  • 16-112-18R · October 2021This bulletin announces a design change to the CVT select lever (shifter) mechanism in response to isolated customer concerns of not being able to remove the key from the ignition switch when the…
  • Subarunet Announ · October 2021(Owner Letter) As part of Subaru of America’s dedication to customer satisfaction, this letter is to inform you of an extension to the Basic New Car Limited Warranty for your vehicle’s CVT…
  • 06-59-17R · February 2021This Service Information bulletin announces availability of a new front brake pad shim kit to specifically address customer concerns of a squeaking or squealing sound on the models listed above.
  • 05-70-19R · December 2020This bulletin announces a design change made to the rear wheel / brake backing plates.
  • 17-17-13R · March 2020This bulletin provides information regarding Event Data Recorder (EDR) functionality which has been incorporated into the airbag system.

All 2016 Forester bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2016 Subaru Forester reliable?
Owners filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester in its first five years on the road, about 122 for every 100,000 sold: 1.2× the rate of a typical Forester year. That's above average, so use caution. Ratings compare Forester years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2016 Forester problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the air bags (25%), the brakes (10%) and speed control (8%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2016 Subaru Forester been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru Forester, the most recent in October 2019 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2016 Subaru Forester on NHTSA.gov · How we rate