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2016 Subaru Legacy Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 3 NHTSA recalls and 147 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

C
55/100

Elevated Reported Activity — 2016 Subaru Legacy

The 2016 Subaru Legacy shows elevated recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Make sure any recall campaigns are resolved before purchase and have the vehicle inspected thoroughly.

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3
NHTSA Recalls
3 recalls on record
147
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
9
Crash Reports
In NHTSA complaints
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NHTSA Recalls — 2016 Subaru Legacy (3)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Subaru dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft
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.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA #15V794000
🔧 Steering: Column
The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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….
NHTSA #16V292000
🔧 Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft
If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA #15V502000
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Most Common Problems — 2016 Subaru Legacy

Based on 147 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Electrical System
47
Unknown Or Other
23
Steering
16
Visibility/wiper
14
Power Train
12
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Structure
6
Service Brakes
4
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Subaru Legacy — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2016 model year is highlighted.

2010 150 complaints 2011 167 complaints 2012 90 complaints 2013 66 complaints 2014 53 complaints 2015 160 complaints 2016 147 complaints 2017 119 complaints 2018 117 complaints 2019 123 complaints 2020 121 complaints

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✅ Best model years: 2014 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2016 Subaru Legacy

Is the 2016 Subaru Legacy reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 Subaru Legacy has 3 recall campaigns and 147 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2016 Subaru Legacy have?
The 2016 Subaru Legacy has 3 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2016 Subaru Legacy are: Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Steering, Visibility/wiper. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2016 Subaru Legacy safe to buy?
The 2016 Subaru Legacy has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 3 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Subaru Legacy should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Subaru Legacy are: 2014. These show the lowest complaint rates.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.