2016 Subaru Crosstrek Problems
Compared with other Subaru Crosstrek years
Typical for this model
49/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 1.0× that of a typical Subaru Crosstrek year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 24 of its 132 complaints were filed by the end of 2018.
- Most reported problem: Ignition key will not release in park (30 complaints, median 40,000 mi).
- 1 recall campaign on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 132filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 37,620miles, 76 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- —not in EPA data
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe the key staying in the ignition switch after the car is put in park, sometimes requiring several shifts in and out of park before it releases. A second common theme is a sudden loss of acceleration at highway speeds, along with wheel bearing noise, intermittent power steering loss, and occasional sunroof glass breakage.
- Electrical system
Ignition key will not release in park
- 30 complaints (23%)
- median 40,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (23 state mileage)
- filed 2018–2021
Owners report that after shifting into park and turning the car off, the key will not turn fully to the off position or come out of the switch. Many describe shifting in and out of park, cycling the ignition, or restarting the engine several times before the key releases. Some dealers diagnosed a faulty park position switch or micro switch plate in the shifter, and owners describe being quoted a few hundred dollars for the repair, while others say the dealer could not find a problem. Reported from roughly 5,000 to 90,000 miles, most often around 30,000-60,000 miles during routine parking.
What to check: Before buying, shift into park and turn the car off a few times, confirming the key turns fully and releases every time. Ask whether the shifter park-position switch or plate has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I put my car into park and I try to turn my car off the key turns half way and stops. I can't get the key out. I try again by turning the car on and off. Sometimes that works. Sometimes putting it into drive and and then park again works. It is becoming a problem more and more frequent. It can take up to 3 minutes of fidgeting to get the key out of the ignition.”
NHTSA complaint #11340391, filed 2020-07, 53,000 miles“While putting my vehicle in park the key will not release from the ignition. It takes multiple attempts of going back and forth to get the key to release from the ignition. From what I have read, numerous people have had this issue and Subaru has yet to issue a national recall. I have attached a document that details the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11323197, filed 2020-05, 80,000 miles - Engine
Sudden loss of acceleration or stalling while driving
- 27 complaints (20%)
- median 43,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (19 state mileage)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2016–2024
Complaints describe the accelerator going unresponsive and the vehicle losing power or stalling at highway speeds, with the engine sometimes still idling. Owners say restarting the car usually restores power, and several describe the car later being towed. Dealers reportedly found no codes or could not reproduce the problem; in some cases a brake light switch or fuel pump was mentioned as a possible cause. Mostly reported on the highway at 60-80 mph, between about 13,000 and 133,000 miles, with several under 75,000 miles.
What to check: Ask whether the brake light switch recall work was completed and whether any diagnostic codes were stored. A test drive that includes highway speed and a long idle can help reveal hesitation.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The vehicle was losing power and getting close to the point of stalling but never stalled. It would periodically not switch gears as well. Seems like it could have been a faulty brake light switch. Apparently I was told that my vehicle was not covered under the recall put out earlier for this issue. So I had to pay out of pocket.”
NHTSA complaint #11288735, filed 2019-12, 65,000 miles“Twice now my car has gone limp on the freeway. It doesn't shut down but the accelerator stops working and I have to coast off the side of the road and restart it. When I do restart it it's fine. Both times the engine doesn't even rev when I press the gas; it's just unresponsive. No check engine light or anything either. It's always been when I was going around 70 MPH and the outside temperature has been hot; probably 88-90 degrees.”
NHTSA complaint #10898634, filed 2016-08, 12,000 miles - Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
Sunroof and rear glass shattering
- 8 complaints (6%)
- median 23,200 mi at 3.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- filed 2016–2023
Owners report the panoramic sunroof glass breaking outward or shattering while driving, often with no sign of an impact, and glass scattering inside the cabin. One owner described the rear window shattering as the defroster was activated, and another reported condensation and ice forming on the inside of the windshield in cold weather. Complaints do not describe a consistent dealer resolution. Reported between about 7,000 and 40,000 miles, often at highway speed or in cold weather.
What to check: Inspect the sunroof and rear glass for chips, stress marks, or prior replacement, and ask whether the sunroof assembly has ever been repaired.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“While driving my 2016 Subaru on a highway in the rain, the sun roof unexpectedly exploded outward. There wasn't any sign of being hit by debris to cause the glass to shatter. Broken glass flew all over. I took photos of the glass roof that clearly shows the shattered roof broke upward.”
NHTSA complaint #10926181, filed 2016-11, 7,001 miles“The glass of my sunroof exploded while I was driving on the freeway. I was not close behind any car and I was not going under an overpass. Luckily the inside of the sunroof was closed so the exploding class did not hit me.”
NHTSA complaint #11175004, filed 2019-02, 33,400 miles - Steering
Wheel bearing noise (rear and front)
- 7 complaints (5%)
- median 41,500 mi at 3.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- filed 2018–2022
Owners describe growling or grinding noise from a wheel area and report repeat rear wheel bearing replacements, in some cases the same corner more than once. Others describe a clicking noise from a wheel area that led to a CV axle replacement. Repairs were typically done by a dealer or independent shop after the noise was identified. Reported from about 40,000 to 53,000 miles, with repeat failures noted within that range.
What to check: Listen for humming or grinding that changes with vehicle speed and cornering, and ask whether any wheel bearings or axles have already been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“There is a grinding noise coming from one of my wheels . I'm pretty sure it's a bad wheel bearing . Noticed the noise after braking very hard to avoid a collision .have had the SUV looked at test driven by an independent mechanic . He believes it is the wheel bearing”
NHTSA complaint #11375714, filed 2020-11, 38,000 miles“When turning clicking noise was coming from wheel area. Car has only 50,000 miles. When I took car in for oil check mechanic checked it out for me. They ended up replacing the passenger cv axle.”
NHTSA complaint #11341570, filed 2020-07, 53,000 miles
Buying note. Check that the ignition key releases cleanly when parked and that the brake light switch recall was performed, since these come up often. A highway test drive and a listen for wheel bearing noise at speed are worth doing before purchase.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 132 consumer complaints for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek. 76 of the complaints include a mileage, and 70% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 37,620 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 353 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 8 Subaru Crosstrek model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 49 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system37 28%
- Other or unknown34 26%
- Engine14 11%
- Steering13 9.8%
- Fuel system8 6.1%
- Vehicle speed control6 4.5%
- Brakes5 3.8%
- Body and structure5 3.8%
Also reported: Air bags (4), Suspension (4), Wheels (3), Electronic stability control (2), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seats (2), Engine cooling (1), Exterior lighting (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “My car just has had backup camera issue since a month ago. I called the local Subaru service but they would charge me for a diagnosis which I don't like the idea to pay it. I learned that Subaru recalls other Subaru models (non Crosstrek) for its backup camera issue. I would like to see my backup camera to be fixed which that is a safety concern. Vehicle has not been repaired. Consumer stated Crosstrek was not included in the recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11297483, filed 2020-01, 67,000 milesOther or unknown: “I made several complaints about the car not starting, too much oil consumption etc...then on november 11, 2018, at 3.42pm I was driving on highway 87 when car stopped suddenly, smoke came out and flames. It burned down in 15 minutes. Police and fire department came to turn the fire down. The car is total loss. I could have died”
NHTSA complaint #11162213, filed 2018-12, 65,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “I was driving on the interstate highway for approximately 110 miles. I slowed down to pay a toll and the vehicle stalled and would not restart. This was the second time this vehicle has stalled during interstate highway driving. The first time was around 17,000 miles and this time 38,000 miles. It took approximately 2 1/2 hours before the vehicle would restart. Had it towed to the dealer.”
NHTSA complaint #11043004, filed 2017-11, 38,000 milesEngine: “The ignition key does not come out after turning off the car. Sometimes I have to start it on and turn it off multiple times until it does come out. Btw, my sister owns the same car, and she has the same problem. I have had this issue for about five months.”
NHTSA complaint #11361897, filed 2020-09, 37,240 milesMileage when problems were reported
70% of the 76 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 20,000 and 53,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crosstrek · SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 · 15.1% risk |
| Crosstrek Hybrid · SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 4 / 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 · 15.1% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2016 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.
Neighbouring years: 2017: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Recalls and investigations
- 19V149000Feb 28, 2019Exterior lighting › Brake lights › SwitchCovers: Subaru Crosstrek 2013–2017, Impreza 2008–2016, WRX 2008–2014 +1 more
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake…
Recall details for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 353 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11037943Oct 5, 2026Other or unknown, Electrical system. This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
- 11037940Sep 18, 2026Other or unknown. This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
- 11037930Sep 15, 2026Other or unknown. This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
- 11037929Sep 14, 2026Other or unknown, Electrical system. This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- 11037927Sep 14, 2026Electrical system. This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- 11036810Aug 20, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body. The updated valve body incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. This is an revised version of the…
- 11036807Aug 20, 2026Electrical system. This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
- 11036796Aug 13, 2026Electrical system. This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
- 11036794Aug 5, 2026Electrical system. Techtips newsletter locator index.
- 11036789Aug 1, 2026Electrical system. This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
Other model years of the Subaru Crosstrek
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | — | 1 | — | 29 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 46 | 8,000 | 0 | 5 | 29 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 120 | 10,100 | 2 | 5 | 29 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 35 | 16,500 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 34 · Fewer | Too new |
| 2022 | 31 | 34,000 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 15 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2021 | 115 | 2,460 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 93 · More | Stable |
| 2020 | 70 | 5,200 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 64 · Typical | Falling |
| 2019 | 285 | 10,542 | 7 | 5 | 29 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2018 | 195 | 18,000 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2017 | 94 | 27,800 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2016 | 132 | 37,620 | 1 | 5 | — | 49 · Typical | Falling |
| 2015 | 17 | 50,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2014 | 16 | 60,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2013 | 26 | 68,050 | 1 | — | — | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
All Subaru Crosstrek model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek?
Owners of this model year most often describe the key staying in the ignition switch after the car is put in park, sometimes requiring several shifts in and out of park before it releases. The issues reported most often: Ignition key will not release in park; Sudden loss of acceleration or stalling while driving; Sunroof and rear glass shattering.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek have?
NHTSA recorded 132 consumer complaints for the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 37 complaints (28% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 34.
Has the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
At what mileage are problems with the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek reported?
Among the 76 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 37,620 miles and the middle half falls between 20,000 and 53,000 miles; 70% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.