What 405 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Forester

I backed out of a parking space, put my foot on the brake and shifted into Drive to finish maneuvering out of the space. Although I didn't remove my foot from the brake, my Forester immediately accelerated at extremely high speed, striking the two cars parked next to me, and seriously damaging both. Rather than slowing down after hitting the other two vehicles, my car continued to speed up, only coming to a stop when it hit, head-on, a cement barrier surrounding the lot. My car hit with such force that every airbag in it deployed, and its front end was totally destroyed. No one was in the other two cars; I suffered minor injuries.

NHTSA ODI 11586376

I was driving very slowly in a long line of traffic due to a sudden downpour of hail, ice pellets, and frozen rain which blanketed the road in white. Suddenly, without warning, my 2016 Subaru Forester accelerated and veered to the right and into a grove of trees doing extensive damage to the front end. The vehicle was totaled by my insurance company. I suspect that there was sudden acceleration and because of the icy road conditions my car left the road instead of plowing into the car ahead of me. The airbags didn't go off and I wasn't hurt at all but the entire front end was beyond repair.

NHTSA ODI 11585676

Issue with the Front Passenger Seat Airbag Sensor. The Airbag Warning Light, indicating an issue with the passenger side airbag, has been illuminated recently. Passenger seat is also occasionally registering as occupied even when no one is sitting in it. Previous recall on the same seat's wiring harness was completed previously. Took the vehicle to the dealer and they told me that the seat must have gotten wet to cause the issue. The seat has not been wet. Dealer said a new seat is needed at a price of roughly 1500. This is a safety issue, as I am uncertain whether the airbag will deploy if needed. Googling "2016 Subaru Forester Passenger Seat Airbag Sensor Issues" indicates that this is a systematic issue across Foresters of this model year and not isolated to my car.

NHTSA ODI 11580479

SRS failure Passenger airbag default to off

NHTSA ODI 11579898

ODS failure on passenger side impacting air bag. Cost to repair is prohibitive, 1922.97. Complete seat needs to be replaced. There was never any damage to the seat.

NHTSA ODI 11577472

Continuous leaking of oil even after Subaru tested and verified it's "normal."

NHTSA ODI 11572175

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.

NHTSA ODI 11568139

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle and shifting into park with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle suddenly jerked forward and drove over the curb. The vehicle came to a stop after striking a fence. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

NHTSA ODI 11566932

- On 3/6/2023 upon exiting my garage I noticed the rear right spring had broken off and was on the ground. - On 3/7/2023 I took my vehicle to Pops Exhaust (CT Licensed repairer R6579) located at 53 Slater Street, Manchester, CT 06042, which repaired my vehicle, which consisted of replacement of the rear struts, for $200 labor and $480 parts and $43.18 CT Sales tax - total $723.18. Vehicle was broken and Pop's Exhaust notified me that it would be dangerous to drive with a broken spring and vehicle needed repair. - I learned of the recall on October 26, 2023 (WUT-05). I promptly mailed my receipt to Subaru, as stated in the Subauru Recall and Service Campaign Program letter. [XXX] - I followed up with a call to Subaru and opened a case [XXX] - Subaru refuses to repay me the for the recall as the state: "If non-Subaru parts were used, we would not issue any reimbursement." 1. The recall never states that Genuine Subaru parts must be used 2. The vehicle was broken and needed to be repaired and thus was brought to a CT licensed repair shop (R6579) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) The contact stated that the manufacturer has reimbursed them for everything and considers this complaint resolved.

NHTSA ODI 11559452

Concerned driver stopped me and said I had no brake lights , only the lights atop the hatch showed breaking. After returning home I checked all settings on light controls and none made lower break lights work when pedal depressed. This could cause someone not watching top of vehicle crash into my vehicle. If light on top malfunctions I will not have any brake lights. Running lights work fine but do nothing when breaking. At first though it had to do with setting on light controls. I think I’ve been told I had no tail lights only front running lights and had to turn control at dusk to have taillights of any kind.

NHTSA ODI 11558928

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the battery had drained and was replaced by an independent mechanic. A few months later, the vehicle received an oil change by a dealer. After leaving the dealer, the vehicle failed to startup while in a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the battery was defective, and the battery was replaced a second time. The old battery was taken back to the independent mechanic and tested. The contact was informed that there was nothing wrong with the battery. Several months later the battery failed. Upon investigation, the contact linked the battery failure to the STARLINK technology feature that came equipped with the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the DCM (Digital Control Module) needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 108,000.

NHTSA ODI 11558755

My horn stopped working. When I press the lock button three times the horn still sounds the problem is the clockspring on the steering wheel it is broken and this is a safety issue. It controls multiple things on the steering wheel including the Airbag. One evening on my way home a car was trying to enter my lane I tried to sound a warning and my horn didn't work, to avoid being hit I had to move over to on coming traffic lane which was thankfully empty. Subaru should be fixing the the issue. I have since found out the original part has been updated but that update has not been passed on to the consumer unless they need to replace the part. And the replacement cost is the consumers responsibility.

NHTSA ODI 11557289

October 31, 2023 at approximately 11:45 am was slowly pulling in to HEB Curbside parking spot #[XXX] at 651 N U.S. 183 in Leander, Texas and the car accelerated at a high speed without touching the gas pedal. I responded with braking but it did not stop the crash in to the concrete pylon. The pylon is fine but my front end on the 2016 Subaru Forester is not. It will need extensive repair. I got a ride for myself and my groceries, notified my insurance company but unfortunately, I am only covered by liability insurance. I am very fortunate that no-one was hurt including myself. The car remains at the scene of the accident in parking slot [XXX]. I am aware that this is not an isolated incident for this Make, Model, and Year of this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11552884

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that she was able to safely drive the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced for the third time, and the dealer informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced three times in less than two years. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.  The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11549344

BATTERY DRAIN ISSUE, 3RD BATTERY IN SINCE PURCHASE

NHTSA ODI 11548814

While driving my vehicle on my daily trip to work, I experience sudden power loss. My interior lights began to blink erratically, as my vehicle loss power and caused me to panic, as I was entering the highway. Some highways have no shoulders, so as quickly as I entered the highway, I pulled off took the next exit. I went into a shopping center, to see what the issue was. I noticed that my radio and my air conditioning loss illumination. I turned the car off, opened the hood. I did not see anything of significance, I started the car up again, now the radio would not even start nor did the air conditioning. I phoned the Subaru dealer, to be told that this happens often! What, I thought to myself? I asked them if this was a well-known problem, why this has not become part of a recall, or why the dealership not contact Subaru of America, to work with their customer base and remedy the issue. I was told, that all that is done in the "diagnostic process", any codes are cleared, and this should get you back on the road. Are you kidding me, this is truly any motorist's nightmare. Losing power on a major highway, any road at night, or on a turn will literally bring catastrophic consequences to us Subaru owners, but all other motorists as well.

NHTSA ODI 11548758

This 2016 Subaru Forester PCV Valve does not regulate the combustion system properly, this allows oil to enter this chamber. It causes loss of power and acceleration when driving. Hazardous driving conditions can cause accidents. crankcase ventilation issues engine oil system issues

NHTSA ODI 11545469

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.

NHTSA ODI 11544789

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.

NHTSA ODI 11540684

My 2016 Subaru Forester is having acceleration and possibly fuel propulsion issues. It stays in low gear, high RPM when accelerating. This happened after a Yellowstone week long road trip from San Leandro, CA. The MPG has dropped from 24mpg to 12mpg and has been at Hayward Subaru since 8/15/2023. They have not provided a known issue. Still trying to figure out what is wrong. There was a low oil warning light on the way home and we stopped for an oil change in West Sacramento within 15 miles of the light coming on. The issue has been happening since the oil change. Only oil change and air filter replacement done on 8/8/2023. Thought maybe its a fuel injector issue. Still at dealership. We did fill the fuel tank with 85 octane in Elko, NV once.

NHTSA ODI 11540145

The car caught on fire while in operation. A complete loss. It started in the engine

NHTSA ODI 11538170

The backup camera and reverse taillights stopped functioning soon after I bought this vehicle in 2020. I am the 2nd owner and bought it from Peterson Toyota dealership in Boise, ID. There was no particular incident, i just noticed that the backup camera no longer showed an image when putting the car into reverse. I later found out while getting an oil change that the reverse taillights were not functioning either. It is available for inspection, and I have taken it to 2 Subaru dealerships who assessed it and said they couldn't find any specific issue. They confirmed the problem however. It has not been assessed by insurance representatives or police. There was no warning lamp or indication that my reverse lights were not working, other than realizing why no one was letting me out of parking spots. I have tried both replacing the bulbs and replacing the fuses for these systems, with no change. Upon researching, I found an identical problem occuring in Subaru WRX's manufactured between 2015-2021 that is listed under recall 22V522000. I would like to get this fixed as soon as possible and would like to see if it is possible to extend the existing recall to include my vehicle?

NHTSA ODI 11535763

Lug nuts stripped off on the drivers rear wheel, that was corrected. Now my right rear lug nuts have been stripped completely off.

NHTSA ODI 11533993

While driving, 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. My, and my passengers', safety was at risk by the airbag turning off with a full-grown adult sitting in the seat. A Subaru dealership confirmed the alerts and reset them. The code they captured was 'occupant detection sensor malfunction'. The alerts persisted, as did the airbag turning off. There is a previous recall related to this issue - the dealership made it clear that they would do nothing beyond the NHTSA required 'solution', which had already been done and did not solve the problem. They said the only way to positively fix it would be to replace the seat, and quoted me $1500 to do so. I contacted Subaru of America multiple times regarding this issue. They agreed to cover the cost of the seat replacement.

NHTSA ODI 11534040

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)

NHTSA ODI 11533507