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EnginePart report

2016 Subaru WRX Engine Problems

Complaints
8about this part
Share
26%of 31 total for the year
Median mileage
32,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 8 complaints about the engine of the 2016 Subaru WRX, 26% of the 31 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 32,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“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. …”

NHTSA complaint #11395420, filed 2021-02, 78,000 miles

“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.”

NHTSA complaint #11210266, filed 2019-05, 40,000 miles

“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.”

NHTSA complaint #11151840, filed 2018-11, 34,000 miles

“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.”

NHTSA complaint #11099429, filed 2018-06, 30,000 miles

“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. …”

NHTSA complaint #11098135, filed 2018-05, 20,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202417%
2023222%
20221560%
2021538%
2020317%
20191137%
20181228%
20171223%
2016826%
20151835%
2014233%
2013114%
2009410%
200823%
2006214%
2005211%
200425%
200220%

Other parts of the 2016 Subaru WRX

Electrical system
10 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
4 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsElectronic stability control
2 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsExterior lighting
1 complaintsTires
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2016 Subaru WRX

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology