The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 4 official safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Subaru Outback in AutoUtility's current federal dataset. The primary affected vehicle systems include Powertrain & Transmission, Air Bags & Restraints, Steering System. NHTSA records include 1 campaign carrying an official Do Not Drive safety advisory.
Key Recall Findings
- • Official Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns on file with NHTSA
- • Primary Affected Subsystems: Powertrain & Transmission, Air Bags & Restraints, Steering System
- • Urgent Safety Advisories: 1 campaign carries urgent Do Not Drive or Park Outside instructions
- • Official Remedy: Detailed per campaign in official NHTSA records below
- • Most Recent NHTSA Report: December 19, 2019
VIN-Specific Notice: Safety recall campaigns apply to specific production date ranges and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). A campaign listing on this model-year page does not establish that every vehicle or trim is affected. Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or with an authorized dealer to verify whether a safety repair is needed.
Vehicle Subsystem 2 campaigns
Powertrain & Transmission
NHTSA records also contain 45 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Air Bags & Restraints
NHTSA records also contain 15 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Steering System
NHTSA records also contain 24 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Domain Mapping Methodology: A single NHTSA recall campaign may involve more than one vehicle subsystem (such as electrical wiring affecting fuel delivery), so domain totals can exceed the total number of unique recall campaigns. Complaint and recall counts are grouped by broad vehicle system; component co-occurrence does not establish that an individual owner complaint is related to a specific recall campaign.
NHTSA Campaign #16V292000 Steering System
🛑 Do Not Drive Advisory
Affected Component: STEERING:COLUMN
NHTSA Report Date: May 11, 2016
Safety 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #19V910000 Air Bags & Restraints
Affected Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
NHTSA Report Date: December 19, 2019
Safety Defect Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Safety Risk / Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #15V794000 Powertrain & Transmission
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
NHTSA Report Date: November 24, 2015
Safety 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: If the drive shaft detaches from the rear differential, it may strike the fuel tank and result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the fastening nuts, and tighten or replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 10, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is WQV-57.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: 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.
NHTSA Campaign #15V502000 Powertrain & Transmission
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
NHTSA Report Date: August 10, 2015
Safety 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: 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.
Source Data Notice: Campaign summaries, safety consequences, and remedy descriptions are direct text extracts published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation.
Historical Reporting Note: Recall campaign counts are shown by model year and should not be interpreted as a vehicle reliability score. Campaigns may cover multiple model years, and newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time for new safety campaigns to be issued.
Safety recall campaigns on this page are associated with this make, model, and model year in NHTSA federal records. A campaign may apply only to certain vehicles based on production date, equipment, manufacturing details, or other campaign-specific criteria.
AutoUtility cannot determine whether a particular VIN is affected or whether a recall remedy has already been completed.
For vehicle-specific recall status, check the 17-digit VIN using NHTSA's official recall lookup or contact an authorized dealer. Campaign-specific remedy information shown above is reproduced from official NHTSA recall records.
Official NHTSA Safety Resources:
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 711)