2016 Subaru Forester UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The horn on my Subaru doesn’t work a mechanic told me it happens a lot to Subarus the clock Spring broke Now nothing works in the steering wheel and I feel this should be a recall since this is happening to many other Subaru it has not been inspected and no lights came on to warn me I have seen it’s been a recall in the past to other years of Subaru so I feel mine should be included
For a couple years I have been battling with the ignition and my key getting stuck. We have tried switching to the second key we received when we bought the car but that hasn't made a difference. It has gotten worse and I have been stuck a many times in parking lots, unable to remove my key so I can't leave my car safely. I have been late for appointments because of this problem. We did contact the local Subaru dealer today and was told this could be a $700.00+ repair but after seeing there were 17 complaints on the NHTSA site alone, it appears Subaru needs to do a fix/recall to address this faulty ignition system.
I was backing up and the way that the sun came through the passenger window, I was unable to see people walking behind my car using the back up camera because of the squiggle lines throughout the screen. When the sun hits the screen, you cannot see anything. Whether it is changing the radio station, or backing up. Had I had only relied on the backup camera ( which most people do) I would’ve hit the pedestrians. I notice in newer models, the issue is not there as the screen is different. This is extremely dangerous. I’m grateful no one was hurt but the radio screen needs replaced. This needs to be a safety recall.
My tire pressure warning light came on even though all tire pressures were correct. My key fobs also stopped working to lock/unlock the car at the same time. There are hundreds of posts online in Subaru forums, people experiencing the same issues. The TPMS/keyless entry module fails because moisture get into the area it is mounted due to poor design. I had to spend $800.00 parts and labor to get this fixed. Subaru should assume responsibility for this issue. They changed the location of the TPMS module in later models, but those of us with older cars shouldn't have to pay such an expense. The tire pressure monitoring system was deemed necessary by NHTSA. Subaru should have to ensure is it free from defect and initiate a recall.
On 8/13/23 one of the lift gate struts on my 2016 Forester sheared off at the bolt while I was loading groceries into the back. It crashed onto my shoulder with no warning, no sound, and very quickly. I was unable to reach up to stop it in time and was standing under the gate. While I did not require medical attention it did cause a bruise and muscle soreness for a few days. I should still have the lift gate strut that broke unless the dealer took it from my car. I have photos either way. This situation could be extremely dangerous for a couple reasons, one because it sheared off at all, and also because the other lift gate strut does not support the weight of the gate by itself, and it was 11 days before I could get the broken one replaced. It could have hit me in the head, broken a bone, landed on a child or pet, etc, either when it sheared off initially, or when the gate crashed down onto me or another person during the time I was waiting to get the repair. You also cannot close the gate without removing the broken lift gate strut which is dangerous by itself. I am aware that there is an extended warranty, but Subaru told me it only applies if the lift gate strut breaks or doesn't work, so I could not get them replaced prior to this under the warranty. I feel this should be a recall, not a warranty extension, because if consumers have to wait until the lift gate strut fails, then it's more likely to cause serious injury. On a Forester owner's forum online I looked for similar issues and immediately found a couple other people to whom this happened. I did not look much farther than that, I just wanted to know if it was only me, and it wasn't. So the dealer did replace the one that broke, under the warranty, but they said the non-broken one was not covered. That means I have to either pay them excess money to replace it (vs. going to my own mechanic, paying less but thereby voiding the warranty) or wait until the second one fails. This needs to be a recall. The contact stated on 8/26/23 the second lift gate strut sheared off and the gate again crashed down. Fortunately I was clear of it this time. But I need to amend or add all of this information and more (including photos) to the original complaint.
The potential safety issue is with my 2016 Subaru Forester. I'm aware of a recall on the 2017 & 2018's for the a/c condenser assembly. My vehicle has the same issue. The passenger side output is cold, as it should be. The drivers side output is hot air. I've also been made aware that the 2015 Forester's with a sunroof & navigation (which my vehicle also has) had a recall for a wiring harness in the a/c system which apparently could lead to a fire. Knowing that there have been recalls for the Foresters made the year prior to, and for the 2 years after my own.....and experiencing the exact same issue, has me greatly concerned. I would be curious to know if there is any chance they are preparing to recall the 2016's for the a/c condenser. And if not, how can my concern be added to other 2016 Forester owners complaints for the same problem, so it can be brought to the attention of those who are in charge of issuing recalls. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was into hour 6 of a 7 hour drive. I had 2 bars left on the gas meter. I was on the highway driving about 70 MPH on a major interstate. Suddenly the car acted like it shifted into neutral (though I did not) and could not accelerate and all the lights on the dashboard lit up. Luckily I was in the left lane and could get to the side quickly, but the car essentially suddenly quit without any warning. If I were in the middle lane I fear I could have been in a terrible accident since I was decelerating quickly and have no idea if my brake lights or anything was working properly while this happened. No engine lights on the dash came on prior and the car was running just fine the entire trip up until that moment. After I pulled over I opened the hood and nothing seemed overtly wrong. I tried to start up car at least 3 times and when I did it acted like it was trying to do something and lights flashed on dashboard as it was trying to turn over, but I could not get it started again. Had it towed to a subaru dealership and they are telling me it started right up after sitting overnight there and they can't find anything wrong when they run diagnostics. I don't feel comfortable driving the vehicle again knowing this happened and could happen again without warning. It could have been in a terrible accident involving myself (and my kids) and other people on the highway.
MY FORESTER HAD AN ISSUE WHERE I COULD NOT GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION ONCE I WAS STOPPED AND IN PARK. I HAD TO REPEATEDLY TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF AND MOVE THE SHIFTER BACK INTO AND OUT OF GEAR TO GET THE KEY OUT. I HAD MY CAR REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF $419. I FIRST HEARD ABOUT AN ISSUE LIKE THIS WHILE WAITING IN THE DEALERSHIP LOBBY LISTENING TO ANOTHER FORSTER OWNER WHO HAD THIS ISSUE. SINCE THEN OUR FRIEND AND OUR DAUGHTER HAVE ALSO HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR SUBARU CROSSTREKS. THEREFORE, SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THEM ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT?
THE KEY IS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION AFTER PARKING. THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES.
KEY DOES NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION WHEN CAR IS STOPPED, TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK AND FOOT BRAKE IS APPLIED.
IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK AND CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM CAR AFTER DRIVING AND THE CAR IS TURNED OFF
I TOOK MY 2016 SUBARU FORESTER IN FOR SERVICE AND MENTIONED A STICKY IGNITION. I WAS TOLD THE SHIFTER PLATE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A REPAIR OF $600.00. THE CAR HAS 45,000 MILES. I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW OFTEN THIS HAPPENS WITH IT BEING A RELATIVELY LOW MILES CAR AND HE STATED THAT HE IS REPAIRING 3 OTHERS IN THE DEALERSHIP JUST TODAY. I ALSO READ THAT SUBARU REPLACED THE ASSEMBLY DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LAST ITERATION. I AM CONCERNED THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THIS ASSEMBLY AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION OR AUX POSITION AND WOULD NOT COME OVER AFTER SHIFTING THE LEVER TO PARK POSITION.
THE KEY OCASIONALLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SO THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE AND LOCK THE CAR. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A MONTH BEFORE I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED.
THE EYESIGHT HAS TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY AND WON'T TURN BACK ON UNTIL I STOP AND RESTART CAR. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 3.5 YEARS AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. THERE WAS NO SUNLIGHT AND VERY LIGHT MIST THIS LAST TIME. THERE WAS NOTHING BLOCKING THE EYESIGHT CAMERA AT ALL. THIS IS NOT THE SAFETY FEATURE THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR.
WHEN I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK I CANT REMOVE MY KEY WITHOUT TURNING IT ON AND BACK OFF A COUPLE TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A MONTH NOW SINCE IF OWNED IT.
KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. THIS STARTED ABOUT 4 MOS AGO. PARK CAR, TURN OFF, BUT KEY WON'T RELEASE AND COME OUT. HAVE TO SOMETIMES RESTART CAR, REVERSE, SLAM INTO PARK. USED TO HEAR A "CLICK" OR LIKE SOMETHING "LOCKED IN", BUT NO LONGER. IT'S GETTING WORSE; CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND COSTS SEEMS TO BE 500-600 REPAIR. *TR
KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER I COME TO A STOP AND PUT CAR IN PARK AND FIRMLY APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CAN SOMETIMES START THE CAR AGAIN, PUT IT IN PARK AND PULL THE BRAKE AND THE KEY WILL COME OUT. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION.
SUBARU IS AWARE OF FAULTY COMPONENTS IN THEIR AC COMPRESSOR/CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BUT REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE COMPONENTS FALL APART AFTER A CERTAIN TIME. THEY ISSUED A TSB TO THEIR DEALERS AND TECHNICIANS ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT NEVER NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THE ISSUE WHEN THE TICKET WAS CREATED ONLY 4 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE.
NOTICED A CRACK IN MY FRONT WINDSHIELD ONE MORNING WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND BY THE END OF THE DAY THE CRACK HAD MOVED INTO MY LINE OF VISION AND WOULD HAVE IMPAIRED MY DRIVING, IF I WOULD HAVE NOT FIXED IMMEDIATELY I HAD IT IMMEDIATELY FIXED BY SAFELIGHT, WHICH COST $452.03
HAVING TROUBLE GETTING KEY OUT OF IGNITION. WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN "PARK", I CANNOT TURN THE KEY ALL THE WAY TO THE "LOCK" POSITION SO IT CAN BE REMOVED. INSTEAD, THE KEY WILL STOP AT THE "ACC" POSITION, WHICH PREVENTS ME FROM TURNING THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF. EVEN WITH CONTINUALLY MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT BACK TO "NEUTRAL" THEN INTO "PARK", AS WELL AS TURNING THE KEY TO "ON" AND BACK, IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES FOR THE KEY TO RECEIVE THE SIGNAL THAT ALLOWS ME TO TURN IT TO "LOCK" SO I CAN REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS STARTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, AND NOW HAPPENS MOST TIMES WHEN I PARK THE VEHICLE.
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION ABOUT 1/2 THE TIME AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND HAVE IT IN PARK. AND HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
WHEN USING THE NAVIGATION FUNCTION, THE AUDIO STOPS PROVIDING VOICE DIRECTIONS, FORCING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO PHYSICALLY LOOK AT THE MAP DISPLAY FOR DIRECTIONS, TAKING EYES OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON HIGHWAYS AS WELL AS IN CITY DRIVING. THIS ALSO LOCKS THE RADIO DISPLAY WHICH PREVENTS ANY OTHER USAGE OF THE INFORMATION SCREEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 10 MONTHS, THE LAST TIME IN APRIL 2019..
SIRIUS RADIO WILL NOT LIST ALL CHANNELS AVAILABLE CAUSING USER TO HAVE TO MANUALLY TUNE RADIO, WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX AFTER SIX MONTHS. HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT A WIDE PROBLEM BUT DEALER IS SEEING A FEW OTHER FORESTERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO FIX.
HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION ABOUT 1/2 THE TIME AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND HAVE IT IN PARK. AND HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON OVER ABOUT THE LAST MONTH OR 2 MONTHS.
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Quick Summary
The 2016 Subaru Forester has 34 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.