2016 Subaru IMPREZA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
75 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
27,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 75 complaints (25.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 21.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 13.3% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 12.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 9.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 19 |
| Electrical System | 13 |
| Power Train | 13 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Steering | 5 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 |
Unknown Or Other: 19; Electrical System: 13; Power Train: 13; Air Bags: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Service Brakes: 6; Steering: 5; Visibility/Wiper: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 34 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2016: 7; 2017: 4; 2018: 7; 2019: 16; 2020: 12; 2021: 8; 2022: 7; 2023: 8; 2024: 3; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10877160 · 2016-06-28 (June 28, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 34,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10877160 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10908013 · 2016-09-19 (September 19, 2016)
THE 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA STARTED TO GO FORWARD WHEN THE SHIFT KNOB WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN A ROW AND ON THE THIRD TIME THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BRAKE HARD IN ESSENCE "FIGHTING" THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, TRIED AGAIN, MADE IT HOME. IT WAS A RAINY DAY. MADE APPT. WITH DEALER. AFRAID TO DRIVE IT!
Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908013 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11062403 · 2018-01-12 (January 12, 2018)
CVT WILL NOT SHIFT IN COLD WEATHER. I TOOK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE TACH REACHING 2600 RPM'S AT 30 MILES TO 55 MPH AND CVT WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR, WOULD NOT SHIFT. I SAY THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, NOT NORMAL FOR THIS OR ANY CAR. GAS MILEAGE IS BAD, ENGINE WEAR IS BAD AND NOT SAFE ON HIGHWAY. THIS HAPPENED )1/3/18, 1/6/18 AND 1/8/18.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11062403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10949640 · 2017-02-05 (February 5, 2017)
I TURNED MY CAR ON ONE AFTERNOON AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT STAYED LIT ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE, I DISCOVERED THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE (I.E., VERY HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL). HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, SINCE ONLY 1 YEAR OLD. DEALER INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE. THREE DAYS LATER, AFTER THE PART ARRIVED, THEY INSTALLED IT AND FOUND MORE ERROR CODES INDICATING A POWER SUPPLY ERROR. MORE NEW PARTS WERE ORDERED THAT TOOK ANOTHER THREE DAYS…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10949640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11151546 · 2018-11-14 (November 14, 2018)
I WAS DRIVING ON A DECLINE AT 10 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR ON A SNOWY EVENING AND WHEN I TRIED TO BREAK, MY BREAKS LOCKED UP AND I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF MY AUTOMOBILE EXCEPT FOR STEERING AND MADE THE CHOICE TO GO TOWARDS THE GUARD RAIL TO SLOW MY AUTOMOBILE DOWN SINCE I HAD NO BRAKES. I BOUGHT MY AUTOMOBILE 16 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HAD DIFFICULTIES WITH TIRE LIGHTS COMING ON AND MANY OTHER ISSUES AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS AUTOMOBILE.
Owner-reported narrative. 23,745 miles reported. Look up ODI 11151546 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11231541 · 2019-07-13 (July 13, 2019)
WHILE CAR WAS SLOWING IN A PARKING LOT AREA, TURNING AND BRAKING (HAVE WITNESS TO ATTEST TO THIS), IT HAD SUA (SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) AS I WAS ABOUT TO PARK AND THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CURB AND THROUGH A BUILDING WALL IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS CAR ALSO HAD A RECENT RECALL INVOLVING THE ELECTRICAL BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHTS/SENSORS. THERE WAS NO ALCOHOL, PILLS OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT INVOLVED AND NOR WAS A CELL PHONE IN PLAY AND NO DISTRACTIONS. THE CAR WAS BEING PARKED, AS IS THE CASE EVERYDAY AND THERE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,817 miles reported. Look up ODI 11231541 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10872648 · 2016-06-06 (June 6, 2016)
WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY FROM A STANDING OR SLOW MOVING POSITION THE CAR STALLS OFTEN TIMES LEAVING YOU MOMENTARILY STOPPED IN THE FACE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.THIS ACTION IS SPORADIC, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME YOU MASH THE ACCELERATOR FOR TAKE-OFF . THE DEALER MECHANIC SAYS IT HAS BEEN A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10872648 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11521083 · 2023-05-08 (May 8, 2023)
I bought my 2016 Subaru Impreza brand new and take great care of it. The car has 80,300 miles and when I did a sharp U turn the car stalled out and I was almost rear-ended. At a busy intersection a few weeks I was at a red light and my car was noticeably idling rough and when the light went green my car stalled out causing the road to be blocked. After taking my car to a certified mechanic I find out that the head gasket has already failed and has coolant leaking into it. It aslo showed a PO302 code. Subaru years before stated that this probl…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11521083 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11427705 · 2021-08-04 (August 4, 2021)
The component / system that fails is the fuel system / fuel pump. The 2016 subaru impreza has the same fuel pump that later motels have and they where recalled due to the fuel not being delivered correctly from the fuel tank to the engine. it is typically winter fuels that make the fuel pump fail. (there is a handful of information on other websites) The safety issue is that the car will shut off and is difficult to get started again. this happens when the car has about 2 gallons left in the tank or 50 ish miles to empty. this situation has ha…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11427705 at NHTSA ↗