2016 Subaru Forester: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 601 complaints
601
Total Complaints
39,000mi
Median Mileage
AIR BAGS
Top Issue
77
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

15,000 25th Percentile
39,000 Median Mileage
52,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS
90
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
88
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
67
ENGINE
60
POWER TRAIN
47
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
36
SERVICE BRAKES
29
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
24
VISIBILITY/WIPER
20
SEATS
20

Severity Assessment

77
Crashes
6
Fires
37
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"2016 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR HATCH DOES NOT RAISE HIGH ENOUGH ABOVE HIS HEAD TO ALLOW IT TO CLEAR UNDERNEATH IT, TO PRECLUDE CONTACT WITH HIS FOREHEAD. *SMD"
"MODELS W/ MANUAL CLIMITE CONTROL: VERY HARD TO SEE SETTINGS, ESPECIALLY IN DAY TIME, AND IF NEED TO ADJUST WHILE DRIVING SUCH AS TO DE-FOG WINDOWS, MAY RESULT IN DRIVING OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WRECKING."
"THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE DRIVER STOPPED TO MAKE A U-TURN THEN SLOWLY STARTED TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO THE RIGHT (OPPOSITE DIRECTION). THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHIC..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28