2016 Subaru WRX 4 DR AWD
Safety Ratings.
NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings help consumers compare vehicle safety when searching for a car. More stars mean safer cars.
Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.
Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.
The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.
25 Complaints
Several batteries that have died prematurely, last one only 2 months since last use. Vehicle has refused to start on several occasions, despite the battery being okay. Suspect issues with controller area network.
The battery on my 2016 Subaru WRX has drained - twice - while parked for a week or less. This has occurred before and after replacing the battery at the dealership. Both times the battery was recharged by AAA and driven for 30-45 minutes to bring the battery back to full charge.
While driving in below zero temperatures I received a warning "Headlights Disabled" and my headlights were inoperable. I was able to use the high beams otherwise, complete darkness causing an immanent safety concern and potential for financial loss in terms of legality and ticketing. The failure remained in effect for approximately 10 minutes and then the warning disappeared and the light regained full operation. Upon googling, this is a common issue with other owners. Please note, I am in Canada and have provided a state/zip code of the nearest US location. Sorry if not allowed :)
2016 WRX drains its battery while the vehicle is turned off. After 3 days of being outside in 20-40 degree Fahrenheit weather, the battery was completely flat and would not start. This has happened 2 winters in a row now.
VEHICLE DID NOT MEET INSPECTION / WHEEL ALIGNMENT VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEAR A HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE DURING WHICH ATMOSPHERIC / AND NATURAL OCCOURANACE ELECTRIC DISTURBANCE CAUSED A ELECTRIC DISTURBANCE VEHICLE IS BEEN RECALLED HOMELESS AT THE TIME OF THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TURNED OVER TO DEALER SHIP FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN STORAGE I BELIEVE ITS SAFETY / NOT COMPLIANT WITH NTSB FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS IS NEEDED.
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 AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMMENTED STATING THEY HAD THE SAME ISSUE. RANGING FROM 15 WRX TO 18 MAYBE EVEN NEWER. WHATEVER THEY USED TO GLUE THE AIR BYPASS CONNECTOR TO THE TURBO DUCT DOES NOT HOLD UP. IT CRACKED AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE PART. THIS ALLOWED DIRTY AIR TO CONTAMINATE MY TURBO AND ENGINE. POSSIBLY CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE THE CAR CAN COMPLETELY STALL IF IT FAILS.
WINDSHIELD KEEPS GETTING CHIPPED AND CRACKED. ALREADY HAS GONE THROUGH ONE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. NOW THE SECOND ONE HAS TWO CHIPS ALREADY AND CAN PRETTY MUCH CRACK ANYTIME.
"TAKATA RECALL" TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP BECAUSE IT WAS LACKING POWER AND HAD LOW MPG READINGS. FOUND A BOOST LEAK IN THE TOP INTER-COOLER AND EXPRESSED THAT ALL THE 2016 WRX THAT COME IN THIS HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN. FORUMS AND ONLINE POSTS VERIFIED THIS PROBLEM, THE CAR IS A 2016 SO ITS FAIRLY NEW THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
RECALL CLUTCH CHANGE BRAKES ELECTRICAL AND EMISSIONS SEEM TO BE FAILING TUCSON, AZ SUBARU PALM SPRINGS ,CA SUBARU IN MOTION SYSTEMS SYSTEMS FAILURE
DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK IN KEY FOB PRESS. WILL BEEP CONTINIOUSLY, ONE DOOR WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT OPEN. ONLY AFFECTS MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR.
FRONT END COLLISION VS DEER ON INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. 4-5 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE ALL WERE OUT OF THE CAR AT THE TIME THE FIRE STARTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU WRX STI. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT, BUT NO SMOKE WAS PRESENT. THE ODOMETER GAUGE NEEDLE MOVED TO THE HOT INDICATOR. THE CONTACT WOULD TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SPURR SUBARU (6331 BROCKPORT SPENCERPORT RD, BROCKPORT, NY 14420, (585)-637-9582) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE'S LEASE EXPIRED IN TWO MONTHS AND TO TURN IN THE VEHICLE AFTER IT EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF JACKSONVILLE (10800 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225) FOR THE FAILURES AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS SERVICED, BUT THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
OUT OF NOWHERE, THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN THE CENTER OF THE DASH DISPLAYED "HEADLIGHTS DISABLED" THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFFI FLICKED THE SWITCH ON AND OFF AND IT CAME BACK ON AND THEN ONLY ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND THE OTHER WAS OFF AND WOULDN'T COME BACK ON. ONE HOUR LATER TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OK
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR LOST A LITTLE POWER START TO SLOW DOWN TILL IT EVENTUALLY STALLED OUT AND NOW IT STARTS BUT DOES NOT STAY RUNNING.
AFTER LEAVING WORK AND DRIVING LESS THAN ONE MILE, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STALLED WHILE APPROACHING A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PLACED INTO PARK AND RESTARTED. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES; MOST AUXILIARY SYSTEMS WERE NOT IN USE AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED EXCEPT FOR THE RADIO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING OPERATED IN ITS OPTIONAL "PADDLE SHIFTER" MODE--IT WAS IN THE STANDARD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SETTING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING ASSESSED AT A DEALERSHIP, ALTHOUGH PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS FROM A DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE INDICATES THERE IS "NOTHING WRONG." HOWEVER, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH OF "2015+ SUBARU WRX CVT STALLING" YIELDS A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE--THE VEHICLE STALLING WHILE AT LOW SPEEDS. SOME OF THE OTHER OWNERS HAVE INDICATED THEY HAVE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF OIL CONTROL VALVES FROM THEIR OWN POCKET TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. SINCE THE VEHICLE IS PRONE TO STALLING, THIS CREATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE FOR WRX OPERATES AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS.
PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I KEPT GETTING "HEADLIGHT DISABLED" MESSAGE ON DASH, WITH CONDENSATION BUILDING UP ON THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT, BUT THE HEADLIGHT KEPT WORKING SO I GAVE IT A WEEK AND NOW PASSENGER SIDE IS COMPLETELY OUT. I TOOK IT TO SUBARU AND THEY SAID THEY WILL REPLACE THE BULB. AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN TO REPLACE THE BULB, THEY REALIZED MY CAR REQUIRES A FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADLIGHT. IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO YEARS AND IT COSTS $840 FOR THE HEADLIGHT AND $1000+ WITH LABOR JUST TO FIX A LOW BEAM. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPLETE PACKAGE AND IT WASN'T COVERED. THERE IS A BAD SEAL AND A BAD DESIGN IN THESE MODELS. TWO YEAR OLD CAR SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE KIND OF ISSUES.
MY COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO MY 2016 SUBARU WRX CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 14,000 MILES AND 15 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU OF AMERICA HAVE JUDGED THIS TO BE REGULAR USER WEAR AND TEAR AND ARE NOT COVERING IT UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE SOA THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE. THE CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING IN DECEMBER 2016 WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH. I HAD PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHILE COASTING DOWN A HILL. WHEN I TRIED TO RE-ENTER GEAR AT THE BASE OF THE HILL I FOUND THE GEAR BOX RESISTED ENTERING ALL GEARS. I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR AND WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY EXIT FROM THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER. MY CAR ONLY REENGAGED INTO GEAR WHEN I TURNED IT OFF, PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR (WITH SOME STRUGGLE), AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO A SERVICE STATION. I WAS EXCEPTIONALLY LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY EXIT FROM TRAFFIC WITHOUT GETTING INTO A CRASH. SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES ON ISSUE. FIRST, THE CAR HAD UNDERGONE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR. THAT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE INCLUDES AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION. THE AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE MAINTENANCE REPORTED NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. SECOND, THE VEHICLE IS PRIMARILY USED AS A HIGHWAY COMMUTER. IT HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR ANY MOTORSPORT, TRACK RACING, EXTREME DRIVING. THIRD, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH ' I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR. THIS IS MY 6TH MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR IN 15 YEARS AND THIS IS MY FIRST-EVER CLUTCH ISSUE. FOR A VEHICLE TO FAIL IN SUCH A SPECTACULAR FASHION WITH NO WARNING SO SOON AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE IS, IN MY OPINION, A SERIOUS HAZARD.
THE BLUETOOTH SYSTEM HAS A DEFECT. THE FIRST TIME A PHONE IS CONNECTED, THE CONNECTION WORKS. IF THAT PHONE IS DELETED FROM THE SUBARU'S SYSTEM, AN ATTEMPT TO RECONNECT FAILS. I HAVE TRIED THIS WITH AN IPHONE 5, IPHONE 6, AND BLACKBERRY. THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMS THE RE-CONNECT PROBLEM. THIS MEANS THAT HANDS-FREE CALLING IS IMPOSSIBLE, CREATING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZZARD FOR DRIVERS WHO INSIST ON USING THE PHONE EVEN WHEN THE BLUETOOTH FUNCTION IS NOT AVAILABLE. SUBARU, TO WHOM I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM, CLAIMS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE PHONES, EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER AND I HAVE REPLICATED THE PROBLEM WITH NO LESS THAN 4 DIFFERENT PHONES.
THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MOVING LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE THE CAR IS STOP. IT ALSO MAKES A CLUNK NOISE WHILE GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STRUTS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I'M AFRAID THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND GOD FORBID WHAT COULD HAPPEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,200. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 (NA) SUBARU WRX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RESET P CODES 1449, 1604, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOW UP TO SUBARU STANDARDS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,833.
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 FIRST FROM A (I.E. TRAFFIC LIGHT) STOP. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING BLOCKING THE SLOT FOR THE GEAR- SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT INTO 1ST IS TO COMPLETELY RESTART THE CAR. IF I DRIVE 30 MILES IN A DAY AROUND TOWN ON THE STREET, THIS 1ST GEAR STICKING ISSUE HAPPENS 6/10 TRAFFIC LIGHTS. I TOOK THE CAR INTO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP SHOP BUT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE DURING A TECHNICIAN TEST DRIVE.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2016 SUBARU WRX DOWN A MAIN ROAD AT ABOUT 11PM. I WAS IN 3RD GEAR GOING 30MPH DRIVING STRAIGHT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY CAME TO A GRINDING HALT. I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY MOVING FORWARD IN 3RD, THE CLUTCH WAS NOT PRESSED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL ON ONCE THE CAR STOPPED AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED AT ALL, AND THE CAR STOPPED STILL CENTERED IN THE LANE AND FACING THE CORRECT DIRECTION 1/4-1/2 A BLOCK FROM WHEN IT STOPPED ITSELF WHILE I WAS STILL DRIVING IT. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS EVEN CAME TO POTENTIALLY WARN OTHER CARS THAT IT WAS SUDDENLY STOPPING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR COMPLETELY AND THEN RESTARTED IT AND DROVE STRAIGHT HOME. LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON A DIFFERENT ROAD AROUND 5:30PM. I WAS DRIVING IN 2ND HEAR GOING ABOUT 12 OR 13MPH IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WITHOUT ANY SPEED CHANGES OR PEDAL MOVEMENTS. AGAIN, THE CAR STOPPED CENTERED IN THE LANE WITH THE ENGINE STILL ON AND NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING HAD HAPPENED AT ALL. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE CAR.
I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION IN MY 2016 WRX AT 580 MILES. I WAS EXITING A HIGHWAY AND PULLED THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF 6TH. AS I WAS ABOUT TO SHIFT INTO 3RD TO GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR (STUCK IN NEUTRAL) WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. I HAD TO PULL OVER TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT BEFORE I COULD GET THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 3500 MILES. THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY SHIFTING FROM 5TH INTO 6TH. I PRESSED THE CLUTCH PULLED THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF 5TH AND COULD NOT GET IT INTO 6TH OR ANY GEAR. I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND STILL COULD NOT GET THE CAR INTO ANY GEAR. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT BACK TO RESTART, WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, WHEN I LET UP OFF THE CLUTCH THE CAR STALLED. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO 1ST, PRESSED THE CLUTCH AND STARTED THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR STARTED THIS TIME IT LUNGED FORWARD. I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THE CAN DO UNTIL THE ARE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE SECOND OCCURRENCE I STARTED NOTICING A STRONG BURNT SMELL AT LOW SPEED (SHIFTING 1ST TO 2ND) AND AT CRUISING HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN 6TH GEAR. ABOUT 1000 MILES LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS TIME NOT ONLY COULD I NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR I COULD NOT GET THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO COME UP ALL THE WAY, THIS OCCURRED AT 35MPH. I HAD TO PRESS THE CLUTCH SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET IT TO COME UP FULLY, THEN I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE BURNING SMELL WAS PRESENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO CLAIM THEY CAN'T WORK ON THE CAR UNTIL THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.
2 Recalls
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.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
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.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
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Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.