This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Subaru Legacy steering problems
severe 16 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 16 steering complaints filed for the 2016 Subaru Legacy, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Of the 9 model years of Subaru Legacy we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 16.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin announces availability of new Front Stabilizer Link assemblies equipped with a new dust boot material having enhanced durability and grease retention characteristics.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides a service procedure to address isolated customer concerns of a rattling sound identified as coming from the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) gear box (steering rack) assembly. The repair (when applicable) involves installation of a new tension spring for the worm gear to reduce / eliminate the condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides a service procedure to address isolated customer concerns of a rattling sound identified as coming from the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) rack assembly. The repair involves installation of a new tension spring for the worm gear to reduce / eliminate the condition. It should be noted the condition is NOT detrimental to the operation of the EPS system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides a service procedure to address isolated customer concerns of a rattling sound identified as coming from the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) rack assembly. The repair involves installation of a new tension spring for the worm gear to reduce / eliminate the condition. It should be noted the condition is NOT detrimental to the operation of the EPS system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2016 Legacy steering system shows five distinct failure patterns. Power steering assist gives out suddenly—light comes on, wheel won't respond, or requires excessive force to turn. Happens early (around 400-500 miles) or later in ownership, often intermittently. One owner's dealer identified a faulty power steering motor, but Subaru's warranty claim was denied; other owners had dealers run diagnostics up to 12 times without finding or fixing anything.
Key gets stuck in the ignition when shifting to Park. Owners describe needing to restart the engine, jiggle the key hard, or shift back-and-forth between Park and Drive just to remove it. Problem starts randomly, then becomes a regular headache. One dealer replaced a shifter assembly part that fixed it; most others left owners stuck.
A few complaints describe steering suddenly going uncontrollable—wheel veering left-right on its own, or no response when resuming cruise control on the interstate. Dealers say they can't duplicate the issue and the vehicle "operates as intended."
Transmission won't shift into Drive from Park (requiring restarts), or the car rolls forward while parked despite Park being engaged. One EyeSight adaptive-cruise/lane-keep system didn't work; another had rodent-chewed wiring with soybean-based insulation. No recalls appear to address these complaints.
Failure modes owners describe
Power steering assist failure
Power steering motor or assist system fails, leaving driver unable to turn the wheel or requiring excessive force. Occurs intermittently or suddenly during normal driving.
When: May 2017 (narrative #1); approximately 400-500 miles in early ownership (narratives #3, #5); mileage not specified in other cases
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering light illuminates; Wheel becomes unresponsive or extremely difficult to turn; Vehicle veers left and right independently; Excessive force required to steer; Loss of steering control on curves or bumps; Steering does not return to neutral after turns
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #1 identifies 'power steering motor' as the defective part. Dealers unable to reproduce failure in other cases despite multiple diagnostic attempts (up to 12 times per narrative #5). No successful repairs documented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru of America denied claim in narrative #1 citing prior accident damage, despite power steering being the core issue. Manufacturer notified in narratives #3 and #5 but no solution provided. Narrative #6 states vehicle not included in NHTSA Campaign 16V292000 (Steering) despite similar symptoms.
Key stuck in ignition / shifter interlock failure
Key cannot be removed from ignition when vehicle is in Park, or removal requires multiple attempts, jiggling, restarting, and shifting between gears. Problem occurs intermittently at first, then increases in frequency.
When: Narratives #7-#12, #15 do not specify mileage or exact timing beyond 'after stopped and engine turned off'
Symptoms owners cite: Key will not release from ignition; Multiple restart/shift attempts required before key releases; Problem occurs randomly at first, then becomes more consistent; Radio and lights may remain on when engine is off; Must physically move vehicle or shift in/out of Park to remove key
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #7 documents dealer replacement of 'faulty part in shifter assembly.' Narrative #10 confirms 'part had to be replaced' but does not specify which component. Other narratives do not report completed repairs.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No warranty action or recall mentioned. Narrative #12 asks if issue was part of a known recall; no confirmation given.
Cruise control malfunction with steering control loss
When resuming or engaging cruise control, steering wheel becomes uncontrollable with no directional response, distinct from power steering failure. Driver must brake and stop vehicle.
When: Narrative #4 does not specify mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel uncontrollable and unresponsive when cruise control engaged; No directional control available; Occurs on interstate at highway speed
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #4 states dealer found 'no issue' despite complaint.
Transmission shift interlock / Park disengagement
Vehicle does not shift properly into Drive or does not remain in Park. Gear shifting requires multiple attempts or vehicle moves forward when parked.
When: Narrative #4 during car wash (vehicle in Park); narratives #8, #10, #11 do not specify timing beyond initial occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not shift into Drive from Park despite multiple attempts; Vehicle moves forward when in Park (narratives #4, #10); Multiple shift attempts required to engage desired gear; Related to key-in-ignition issue (narratives #8, #10, #11)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #4 describes issue resolving after vehicle shut-off and restart. No repairs documented.
EyeSight system failures
Adaptive cruise control with lane-departure warning and automatic braking does not function. One case involves rodent-damaged wiring harness with soybean-based insulation.
When: Narratives #13, #14 do not specify mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Adaptive cruise control does not engage or function; Lane-departure warning does not work; Automatic braking does not work; Rodent damage to main wiring harness (narrative #13)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #13 identifies rodent-damaged wiring harness with soybean-based insulation as cause. Narrative #14 does not specify nature of failure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #14 states dealer refuses to fix EyeSight system malfunction.
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Experienced difficulty removing key from ignition after vehicle is stopped and engine turned off. Issue recurs frequent but randomly. Sometimes it require several attempts to restart and shut-off engine before key would release from ignition. Vehicle was returned to dealer for repair and faulty part in shifter assembly replaced.
Key will not remove from ignition when turning off car. Progressively got more frequent. Only way to remove the key is to move the car or to shift back in forth from park to drive. Part had to be replaced
Unable to remove key from ignition when vehicle is in park-engine/car turns off except radio/lights. Have to restart car put into reverse, back into park, then turn off car.
Having difficulty removing key from ignition when vehicle is in park - car will turn off but cannot remove the key without much difficulty, restarting jiggling with force - fear of key breaking in ignition
Had steering trouble with your 2016 Subaru Legacy?
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 steering problem on the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 18,000 and 55,000 miles, with the median around 31,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 18,000; a quarter make it past 55,000. 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 $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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/Legacy.
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.