Eyesight and cruise control intermittent shutdown and restart. On an increasingly frequent basis, when the cruise control and eyesight are engaged, both will disable and can be a few seconds to minutes before the eyesight re-enables and the cruise control can manually be re-engaged. When this happens, vehicle goes from auto-drive to manual-drive. Also, an e1 error appeared on the odometer…
2016 Subaru Forester cruise control problems
severe 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
10crashes
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 25 cruise control complaints filed for the 2016 Subaru Forester, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 18 model years of Subaru Forester in our records for cruise control problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2016 Subaru Foresters describe dangerous unintended acceleration events, primarily during low-speed parking maneuvers with foot on brake—vehicle surges despite braking pressure, crashing into walls, barriers, other vehicles, and structures. Several owners sustained injuries from collisions. A separate highway-speed event shows cruise control engaged at 65 mph, engine RPMs climbing to rev limiter while the transmission appears to disengage; vehicle coasts in neutral despite gear remaining in Drive, with engine finally shutting down.
Throttle issues also reported: accelerator pedal stuck at floor, requiring engine restart to recover; loss of acceleration power for 3–4 seconds during low-speed turns; and engine racing to high RPM during braking that owner stops by shifting to Neutral.
Multiple owners report Eyesight camera-based cruise control and adaptive cruise disabling unexpectedly, especially during heavy rain, forcing transition to manual driving. One owner reports Eyesight failing to detect a large vehicle ahead at 70 mph. Separate fuel system issue documented with O2 sensor, fuel injectors, and EGR valve replaced without resolving stalling and misfire; stability, traction, and cruise control disabled simultaneously.
Dealers have struggled with diagnostics—one found no error codes despite repeated overspeed events; another could not locate electrical issue during rain. Most owners did not return to dealer after initial crashes, and no recall has been issued.
Same Subaru Forester cruise control reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration During Parking/Slow Speed Maneuvers
Engine surges when driver has foot on brake while parking or maneuvering at low speed. Vehicle accelerates against driver's braking effort, resulting in crashes into walls, barriers, fences, other vehicles, and structures.
When: Typically during parking maneuvers or low-speed operations; multiple reports occur shortly after purchase or within first few years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates with foot firmly on brake; Occurs during parking lot maneuvers, reverse-to-drive transitions, or right-turn parking attempts; No warning lights in most cases; Driver unable to control vehicle despite brake pressure
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had independent mechanic attempt repair but problem persisted. Most owners did not pursue dealer diagnosis or repair.
Cruise Control System Malfunction with Engine Overspeed
While cruise control engaged at highway speed, engine RPMs climb uncontrollably toward rev limiter while transmission appears to disengage (car coasts in neutral). Engine eventually shuts down, leaving driver without power or steering assist.
When: Occurred at 11,000 miles and repeated at low mileage. First incident 10/8/2015, second 1/2/2016
Symptoms owners cite: Engine RPMs increase to rev limiter; Vehicle coasts as if transmission is in neutral despite gear remaining in Drive; Prolonged engine overspeed lasting 30 seconds before shutdown; Transmission delay when shifting from Reverse to Drive (5-second lag with rollback); No error codes found by dealer diagnostic
Repairs/costs cited: First incident required towing; dealer found no error codes. Second incident also resulted in towing.
Throttle Position Sensor / Accelerator Control Failure
Accelerator pedal sticks at full throttle position or does not respond to driver input. Driver must use extreme brake pressure to control vehicle or pedal returns to normal position after restart.
When: Occurred unprovoked; one instance at startup after brief parking lot visit at low mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal stuck at floor; No resistance to pedal depression; Pedal returns to normal operation after engine shutdown and restart; No warning lights
Repairs/costs cited: Not inspected by dealer. Owner reports floor mats were not the cause.
Fuel Injection / Engine Misfire with Multiple Control System Disables
Check Engine Light triggered with engine stalling and sputtering. Cruise control, traction control, and stability control disabled simultaneously. Dealer replaced O2 sensor, brake-light sensor, all fuel injectors, and EGR valve without resolving issue. Vehicle remained undriveable.
When: At 57,000 miles; problem recurred multiple times over several months despite repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Check Engine Light illuminated; Continuous engine sputtering and stalling in intersections; Stability control disabled; Traction control disabled; Cruise control disabled; Vehicle skids on wet surfaces; Lag in throttle response followed by sudden high-rate acceleration; Required engine revving to prevent stalling
Repairs/costs cited: O2 sensor replaced; issue resolved for 50 miles then returned. Brake-light sensor replaced. All fuel injectors replaced. EGR valve replaced. None resolved problem.
Eyesight Cruise Control Intermittent Disable and Electrical Dropout
Eyesight camera-based cruise control and adaptive cruise control disable unexpectedly during highway driving or rain conditions. System may restart after seconds to minutes, leaving driver in manual control mode. Separate reports of Eyesight system failing to detect large vehicles at highway speed.
When: Reports from 2016 model year through multiple years of ownership; one incident at highway speed (70 mph) with Eyesight-equipped vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control disables without driver input; Eyesight system disables (includes lane monitoring and crash avoidance); Vehicle transitions from auto-drive to manual-drive; E1 error code appears on odometer display; Frequent recurrence on increasingly regular basis; System failure during heavy rain storms affecting electrical systems (ABS, hill assist, fuel gauge also affected); Eyesight fails to detect vehicle in front at 70 mph
Codes mentioned: E1 error (odometer display)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to locate source of electrical issues during rain conditions.
Throttle Response Hesitation at Low Speed
Loss of acceleration power for 3-4 seconds at speeds under 15 mph, occurring intermittently during turns. Nearly caused collision during left turn before oncoming traffic.
When: Intermittent; occurred 8 times over 3-month period
Symptoms owners cite: Hesitation in acceleration response; Loss of power for 3-4 seconds; Occurs during turns at low speed; Repeatable on both left and right turns
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; owner purchased replacement 2017 model.
Engine Overspeed / Racing While Braking
Engine races to high RPM when driver applies brakes, particularly when shifting or coming to a stop. Driver must shift to Neutral to stop engine racing.
When: Multiple recent complaints; one instance occurred 3+ times over 3 months
Symptoms owners cite: Engine races at high RPM; Occurs when braking or coming to a stop; Happens at various speeds (5, 10, 20, 60 mph); Requires shift to Neutral to regain control
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2016 Subaru Forester?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2016 Subaru Forester?
It's a meaningful issue. 25 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 16 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 9,000 and 35,000 miles, with the median around 17,279. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,000; a quarter make it past 35,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Subaru/Forester.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.