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2016 Subaru WRX STI
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
34 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (29% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#37 of 494Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Subaru WRX STI ranks #37, scoring higher than 91% of them. See the 2016 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Subaru WRX STI, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (10) · Engine (9)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
29%10 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The Seconary Air Injection pump stayed on for days. Burnt a hole in the side, relay possibly damaged, and now setting off other components and computers.”
Engine
26%9 complaints
“THE TURBO CHARGER INTAKE DUCT CRACKED ON MY CAR, THIS IS THE NEW ONE THAT REPLACED MY RECALLED ONE. BUT CLEARLY WAS NOT A SOLUTION. I POSTED THIS ON A FORM AND A LARGE…”
Transmission & drivetrain
12%4 complaints
“IN MY 2016 SUBARU WRX I HAVE HAD THE CONSISTENT PROBLEM OF GETTING IT FROM NEUTRAL INTO 1ST GEAR. IT IS EITHER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE CAR INTO FI…”
Fuel system
6%2 complaints
“RECALL CLUTCH CHANGE BRAKES ELECTRICAL AND EMISSIONS SEEM TO BE FAILING TUCSON, AZ SUBARU PALM SPRINGS ,CA SUBARU IN MOTION SYSTEMS SYSTEMS FAILURE”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 34 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Exterior Lighting · 22V522000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
Engine And Engine Cooling · 16V162000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
Forward Collision Avoidance · 15V366000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
Risk: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru WRX STI. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Subaru WRX STI beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every WRX STI model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Subaru WRX STI against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.