Defect Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
The 2016 Subaru Legacy is associated with 146 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 35 reports (24% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 23 to 29 MPG combined.
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 146 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Electrical System (35 / 24%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 9 crash / 0 fire / 3 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 23–29 MPG (2 variants)
What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy AWD | 2.5L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S6) | 26 MPG | 35 MPG | 29 MPG | — | $2,100 / yr |
| Legacy AWD | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S6) | 20 MPG | 28 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | 10.100000000000001% |
Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Subaru Legacy models.
What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
Summary of 146 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2016 Subaru Legacy problems & component breakdown (41 categories) →Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA
Defect Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016 Legacy vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 16, 2015, and Outback vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 17, 2015. Due to the improper tightening of the securing nuts, the drive shaft may separate from the rear differential.
Defect Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
- NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
- U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.