Home · 2016 Subaru Outback Wilderness · Complaints

What 638 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Subaru Outback Wilderness

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (638)Crash / fire / injury (27)Electrical system (308)Visibility & wipers (91)Engine (51)Transmission & drivetrain (45)Steering (24)Speed control (20)Body & structure (19)Brakes (17)Fuel system (12)Airbags (10)

7 of 638 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 28, 2026BrakesCrash

On 05/08/2026 the brakes failed while in a queue at a drive-up restaurant. The car was steered away to a flat part of the parking lot. After a restart the brakes returned to operation and the car was taken to the dealership where the brake line were flushed and the brake fluid replaced. On 05/25/2026 the brakes failed after backing out of an inclined parking space in a parking garage. The car came to a stop when it backed into a concrete wall. The car was towed to the dealer. The dealer inspected inspected the car and reported that the brakes were working as they should.

NHTSA ODI 11740555

Aug 1, 2022Electrical systemBrakesFuel systemCrash

This incident occurred on Friday July 29, 2022 @ 5pm. I was pulling into a parking space while my foot was on the brake I proceeded to put the car in park when the car suddenly lunged forward into the concrete patio of the Market/Store. I was in disbelief at what just happened. I would happily make my car available for inspection. I want to find out what is wrong with the car. I believe this could happen again and I am fearful for my life and the lives of others. I was so lucky that the table and chairs were roped off that evening for some reason. People could have been sitting or walking there at the time of this incident. This incident has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or independent service center. I brought the car to the Subaru dealer for them to do a diagnostic test and any other things needed to give me some answers & repairs. I was told no issues were found. They also told me they would like to have my car for a week so they could drive it & do more test. I asked for a loaner and they said they could not do that. I can’t afford to rent a car for a week. And I feel they will come back to me with the same answer of not being able to find an issue. I have had this car for almost 3 years and I park by putting my foot on the brake and then shift into park. There was a malfunction! What it was I don’t know. But I do know something went very wrong with the vehicle. There was never any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this failure.

NHTSA ODI 11477046

Jan 7, 2021Speed controlBrakesCrash

UPON SLOWING DOWN & PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, TO PARK MY CAR IN FRONT OF A BUSINESS, MY VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED FORWARD, UP OVER THE SIDEWALK. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED A 2ND TIME AS I TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE WALL OF THE BUILDING.

NHTSA ODI 11387050

Apr 10, 2019BrakesCrash

WHILE TRYING TO COME OUT OF DRIVE WAY ONTO THE STREET, I TRIED TO STOP BY PRESSING THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED

NHTSA ODI 11195331

Mar 17, 2017Electronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesCrash

THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM FAILED TO BRAKE THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY.

NHTSA ODI 10966529

Feb 22, 2017BrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE INCREASED IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 10956290

Sep 25, 2016BrakesCrash3 injuries

I EXITED THE EXPRESSWAY. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. THIS WAS WHERE I USUALLY MAKE A RIGHT TO GO HOME. OBVIOUSLY I WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR, AND I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I CONTINUED PUMPING THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. MY WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT. AS THE BRAKES FAILED, I CONTINUED ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE CAR. ULTIMATELY, WE WERE INVOLVED IN A TWO-CAR COLLISION IN WHICH THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL-WELL OF MY CAR WAS CRUSHED. MY WIFE, MY MOTHER-IN LAW, AND I SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES. MY WIFE SUFFERED FRACTURED RIBS, A FRACTURED STERNUM, A FRACTURED PELVIS, AND HER ANKLE WAS CRUSHED. MY MOTHER-IN LAW SUFFERED FRACTURED RIBS AND A CONCUSSION. I SUFFERED FRACTURED RIBS, AND THE TRAUMA HAS LED TO A FLAIR UP OF MY PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, WE WERE RUSHED BY EMS TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE WE RECEIVED TREATMENT FOR OUR INJURIES. WHILE MY MOTHER-IN LAW AND I WERE RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL NEXT DAY, MY WIFE CONTINUES TO RECEIVE TREATMENT AT THE HOSPITAL. SHE HAD ON HER ANKLE EXTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY THAT REQUIRED THREE METAL PLATES TO HOLD HER BONES TOGETHER WHILE THEY HEAL. SHE WILL SOON BEGIN REHABILITATION, LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN. MY WIFE'S RECOVERY IS EXPECTED TO TAKE MANY MONTHS. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR, IT WAS RECALLED DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CAR'S STEERING COLUMN. RECENTLY, MANY MORE OF THE SAME CAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CAR'S BRAKE CALIPERS. I BELIEVE MY CAR MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE BRAKE ISSUES TOO. I WOULD APPRECIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE BRAKES OF 2016 SUBARU OUTBACKS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10909511

Working with the data? Download all 638 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Subaru Outback Wilderness verdict →