2016 Subaru Impreza 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
Key will not turn past ACC after driving and so will not allow key to be removed from the car. This is a sporadic issue but could be a safety concern if needing to leave the car for an emergency as it runs down the battery and will not allow me to secure the vehicle. Driving around for 5 to 10 minutes more usually solves the problem but I might not have that extra time in an emergency! This has occurred several times, most recently today.
Windshield cracked with a small pebble
Recently, when trying to park and turn off the vehicle, the key gets stuck in the battery position. The engine will turn off, but the car doesn't fully turn off so you can remove the key. The shifter is in park and there is no steering wheel lock or anything else that might ordinarily prevent the vehicle from being turned off. This process is no different from every other time I've turned the vehicle off previously. To finally retrieve the key, the car needs to be restarted numerous times (often 1-3 more times) while trying a combination of moving the steering wheel, putting the shifter into drive and back into park, and/or releasing the brake pedal and reapplying it firmly. My car is only lightly used and judging by internet research, this is a common issue with Subaru vehicles around this age due to a faulty part, not normal wear and tear.
For the past few months, whenever I reach my destination, my key has been getting stuck in the ignition when I'm trying to park the car. This happens intermittently although it's becoming more frequent. I park the car, shift into "P", turn the key and it only turns partially . I have to keep shifting in & out of "P" until it finally turns the rest of the way and comes out. I've started to carry a second key with me. I have an appointment with a dealer next week.
AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN TRYING TO TAKE KEY OUT, KEY GETS STUCK IN THE KEY SLOT - CANNOT TAKE OUT. COMPLAINED TO DEALER AND DEALER IMMEDIATELY SAID IT IS IS A BRAKE SHIFT LOCK PROBLEM AND WILL COST $700 TO FIX - SO SUBARU KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM. CAR IS ONLY 24K MILES OLD. MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING IT ONLINE. DEALER SAYS IF I DO NOT FIX IT, YOU WILL GET STUCK OUTSIDE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TAKE KEY OUT AT A SUPER MARKET, FOR EXAMPLE
KEY ON THE SUBARU IMPREZA WOULD NOT TURN TO THE OFF POSITION. DIFFICULT TO GET KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. TOOK CAR TO NAPLETON'S SUBARU IN PALATINE AND MECHANIC TECH REPLACED PARK SWITCH. I BELIEVE MECHANIC STATED THE KEY WOULD HAVE FALLEN OUT OF THE IGNITION IF THIS WAS NOT FIXED. MY IMPREZA HAS 28,289 MILES AND IS IN GREAT CONDITION. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? CAR HAS KEY IGNITION AND WOULD NOT GO TO FINAL POSITION.
KEY IGNITION REQUIRES MULTIPLE TRIES TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION LOCK. THIS HAPPENS EACH TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT RESTARTING THE CAR AND COMPRESSING THE BRAKES OVER AND OVER.
WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED AND TURNED OFF, THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND CAN'T BE REMOVED WITHOUT TURNING THE CAR BACK ON AND SHIFTING FROM PARK BACK TO DRIVE AND THEN BACK TO PARK AGAIN. HAVE TO DO THIS TWICE TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION.
WHEN MY CAR IS PARKED I CANNOT REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION. I HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK PUT IT BACK IN PARK PRESS PARK ALL THE WAY FORWARD JIGGLE MY KEY MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL AND THEN TAKE MY KEY OUT. SOMETIMES IT STILL WILL NOT REMOVE AND IT WILL TAKE ME A VERY LONG TIME TO REMOVE IT. OTHER TIMES I HAVE TO REVERSE MY CAR AND DRIVE FORWARD AND PARK TO TRY AND TAKE IT OUT.
THE KEY ROUTINELY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, REQUIRING ME TO SOMETIMES RESTART THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER RIP REMOVE IT. I HAVE SEEN POSTS ON THE INTERNET SUGGESTING A SENSOR DOES NOT TELL THE CAR THAT IT IS IN PARK AND GOVE DIRECTIONS TO DISCONNECT IT.
WHEN CAR IS STOPPED/PARKED I AM UNABLE TO TURN IGNITION OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY. THIS HAPPENS 25% OF THE TIME. IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
THERE IS A COMMON KNOWN ISSUE WITH SUBARU'S THAT WHEN PUT INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF, THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO BE TURNED ON AND OFF, WHILE PUTTING INTO DRIVE, MOVING AND THEN BACK INTO PARK. WITH CHILDREN AROUND, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND AN UNNECESSARY RISK. CURRENTY THIS IS ONLY COVERED UNDER STANDARD WARRANTY AND DISSUADING PEOPLE FROM REPAIRING. SUBARU'S ANSWER TO OUR INQUIRIES AT THE SHOP AND ONLINE IS THAT IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE SHOP SAID THEY SEE THIS COMMONLY. HTTPS://WWW.SUBARUFORESTER.ORG/VBULLETIN/F88/CANNOT-REMOVE-KEY-698170/ SUBARU NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW BEFORE IT CAUSES SOMEONE HARM.
INTERMITTENTLY UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION AFTER PLACING CAR IN PARK. UPON RESTARTING VEHICLE AND TURNING IT BACK OFF, KEY IS ABLE TO BE REMOVED.
THE BLUETOOTH HAS A CONNECTIVITY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, WHEN I'M STATIONARY. THERE IS REALLY NO TELLING WHEN IT WILL SKIP, BUT IT HAPPENS ONE TO TWO TIMES EVERY HOUR. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT CAUSES MY HEART TO RACE AND SOMETIMES I FEEL I'M HAVING A PANIC ATTACK. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW, THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE CAR, IT'S NOT THE PHONE, BUT IT'S THE WAY IT CONNECTS, AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA AND IT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE RADIO UNIT, MADE SURE THE CAR'S OPERATING SYSTEM IS UP TO DATE, AND BASICALLY TOLD ME IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2016 Subaru Impreza has 14 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.