This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Subaru Outback body problems
severe Owners of the 2016 Subaru Outback have filed 17 NHTSA complaints about the body, typically surfacing around 24,645 miles at roughly $1,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
| Model year | body complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Outback | 7 |
| 2014 Outback | 7 |
| 2015 Outback | 29 |
| 2016 Outback (this page) | 17 |
| 2017 Outback | 20 |
| 2018 Outback | 12 |
| 2019 Outback | 21 |
| 2020 Outback | 17 |
1crash
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body 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.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) Quality Assurance has identified an increase in the number of cracked windshields on some 2015 and 2016MY Legacy and Outback models. SOA has now further extended the warranty to 8 years / unlimited miles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides a procedure for diagnosing and repairing customer concerns of a âpoppingâ or âsnappingâ -type sound heard when opening the sunroof. The sound may occur when the rear portion of the glass lid weatherstrip contacts or catches the roof frame when the sunroof is opened.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides a procedure for diagnosing and repairing customer concerns of a "popping" or "snapping" -type sound heard when opening the sunroof. The sound may occur when the rear portion of the glass lid weatherstrip contacts or catches the roof frame when the sunroof is opened.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces a design change to the power rear gate (PRG) rod. The new rod will address isolated cases of one end of the rod coming off the ball stud just as the latch releases and the gate starts to open / move.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report a cluster of body structural and latching failures on 2016 Outbacks. The rear passenger-side child safety lock frequently seizes in the engaged position and cannot be manually disengaged—passengers cannot exit from inside the vehicle unless someone opens the door from outside. Multiple owners found this common online and called it a safety hazard; Subaru dealers have denied warranty coverage citing corrosion from lack of use, even on vehicles under 36,000 miles.
Door and hatch issues include driver-side door latches opening while the vehicle is moving at highway speeds (held partially open by a secondary catch), and front passenger door panels with missing factory screws causing excessive movement. The rear tailgate has opened unexpectedly while parked with no key fob activation in range.
Glass and panel failures include spontaneous windshield cracks without impact—one owner had six cracks in 18,000 miles with dashcam footage showing crack formation with no object strike. Two owners reported sunroof or moonroof panels exploding at highway speeds (65–75 mph) without external cause, leading to water intrusion.
Owners also report all four doors freezing solid in winter requiring excessive force, hood unlatches while driving, exhaust fumes entering the cabin, rear hatch hydraulics failing to open fully, and factory paint scratches that dealer buffing cannot remove. A collision mitigation system produces audible warnings but fails to engage braking despite multiple tests.
Same Subaru Outback body reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Collision Mitigation System failure
System produces audible warning beep but fails to engage automatic braking. Owner tested system multiple times including dealer observation in carwash; beep sounded but no braking felt. Owner concludes warning is unreliable and driver cannot trust automatic braking intervention.
When: Tested at low speed in driveway, during snow storm evasion, and multiple real-world scenarios
Symptoms owners cite: Audible warning beep sounds but automatic braking does not engage; No felt reduction in vehicle speed when system activates; System tested by dealer at carwash—beep present but no braking
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer tested and claimed system working as designed; owner not satisfied with response
Driver-side door latch failure—unexpected opening while in motion
Door latch mechanism failed to keep door fully closed, allowing door to swing open partway (caught by secondary latch) during highway driving at various speeds. Issue occurred multiple times despite dealer inspection. Ultimately resolved by replacing entire door latch assembly.
When: First at 4000 miles (early October 2016), second at 4500 miles (mid-October 2016), third at 5071 miles (after inspection); occurred during left and right turns on smooth roads in humid 60–74°F conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side door cracked open unexpectedly during motion; Door held partially open by secondary catch mechanism; Occurred at speeds ranging 20–65 mph
Repairs/costs cited: Door latch assembly replaced at 5071 miles; no recurrence since repair
Rear passenger-side child safety lock seized in engaged position
Child safety lock on rear passenger door seized in the engaged position and cannot be disengaged manually. Door can only be opened from outside handle. Owners report this is a common problem online and creates serious safety concern—passengers trapped if door needs emergency exit. Subaru denied warranty coverage, citing corrosion from lack of use despite vehicle under 36,000 miles.
When: Occurred within first 36,000 miles; one case noted less than 36 months of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Child safety lock switch seized in engaged position; Cannot disengage lock using interior switch mechanism; Door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle; Door opens only from outside handle
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer denied warranty coverage, claiming corrosion due to lack of use despite vehicle warranty eligibility
Rear tailgate opens unexpectedly
Tailgate suddenly beeped and opened fully while vehicle parked and off in garage with no key fob activation within range. Creates safety risk if occurs while vehicle in motion, under low overhead, or parked in public space where theft or intrusion becomes possible.
When: At 9 AM, April 20, 2016, while parked in garage with ignition off
Symptoms owners cite: Tailgate beeps and opens without key fob activation; Vehicle not locked at the time; No fobs within 20 feet of vehicle
Front passenger door panel loose—missing inner screws
Inner door panel on front passenger door has three missing screws causing excessive panel movement when door handle pulled. Owner believes defect existed from factory assembly and was not covered under manufacturer warranty.
When: Discovered during service at 2016 model year ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Door panel pulls in excessively when handle pulled; Loose panel detected during door closure
Repairs/costs cited: Three screws found missing on inner door panel
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Defect not covered by manufacturer warranty
All four doors freeze and require excessive force to open
All four doors failed to open and required excessive force to operate. Owner states ice buildup caused failure, occurring multiple times. Dealer was contacted but vehicle was not repaired, and manufacturer was notified.
When: Multiple occurrences at approximately 12,029 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All four doors fail to open; Excessive force required to open doors; Ice buildup during winter conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Taken to dealer but not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no repair completed
Windshield spontaneous cracking
Windshield cracks without apparent impact or road debris. Multiple cracks have occurred on replacement glass as well. Owner reports four cracks while vehicle in motion on highway with no object impact, and two cracks while parked. Owner has dashcam footage documenting spontaneous crack formation. Extended recall warranty applied (NHTSA 12-192-15R) but issue persists across model years.
When: Six total cracks in 18,000 miles; wavy and linear cracks observed while driving highway speeds and while parked
Symptoms owners cite: Spontaneous windshield cracks without object impact; Four-inch and six-inch cracks on lower windshield; Cracks occur while vehicle in motion on highway and while parked; Replacement windshield also cracks; Dashcam shows crack forming without impact
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replaced multiple times; cracks recurred; six replacements in 18,000 miles
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty recall NHTSA 12-192-15R applied; issue noted on forums for model years 2015–2017
Moonroof and sunroof spontaneous failure—panel explosion
Moonroof or sunroof panel exploded during highway driving at 65–75 mph without apparent cause or impact. Owner had dashcam documentation in one case. Incident caused wind noise and water intrusion damage to vehicle interior.
When: During 75 mph interstate drive and 65 mph freeway pass; one case mentioned passing a truck at moment of failure
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof/moonroof explodes suddenly while driving; No prior impact or external cause; Wind noise from opening; Water leakage into vehicle interior
Repairs/costs cited: Owner temporarily taped cover to vehicle pending repair
Hood unlatches unexpectedly
Hood latch mechanism releases unexpectedly while vehicle in motion, causing hood to open partway. Secondary safety latch has held, but owner notes risk of complete release especially at interstate speeds with wind pressure. Issue has occurred approximately six times in one year.
When: Multiple occurrences over one-year period; one incident on interstate at unspecified speed
Symptoms owners cite: Hood unlatches without driver input; Hood opens while vehicle in motion; Secondary safety latch prevents full hood release so far
Rear hatch hydraulics failure—incomplete opening and partial closure
Rear hatch hydraulic struts failing, preventing hatch from opening completely and causing hatch to partially shut when manually opened. Also reported in complaint mentioning exhaust odor.
When: During vehicle operation and use
Symptoms owners cite: Hatch will not open completely; Hatch partially closes when opened; Hydraulic assist failure
Exhaust fumes entering vehicle cabin
Exhaust fumes enter cabin during low-speed driving, idling, or when parked. Only remedy is activating interior air recirculation to prevent fumes from entering. Indicates potential exhaust system leak or misrouted exhaust flow.
When: During low-speed driving, idling, and while parked
Symptoms owners cite: Exhaust odor and fumes in cabin; Occurs at low speeds and idle; Occurs while vehicle parked
Repairs/costs cited: Only mitigation is use of interior air recirculation
Paint defect—surface scratch present at delivery
Black paint has visible scratch on both sides of vehicle present at delivery. Dealership buffing attempt did not remove scratch, indicating paint system defect rather than surface contaminant.
When: Present at vehicle delivery; discovered after cleaning at home
Symptoms owners cite: Visible scratch on both sides of black paint; Scratch persists after dealership buffing attempt
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership buffed entire vehicle without resolving scratch
Vehicle squeaking noise
Very loud squeaking emanates from vehicle during driving. Cause not specified in narrative.
When: During driving
Symptoms owners cite: Loud squeaking noise while vehicle in motion
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had body trouble with your 2016 Subaru Outback?
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 body problem on the 2016 Subaru Outback?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 12,029 and 51,000 miles, with the median around 24,645. A quarter of owners report trouble before 12,029; a quarter make it past 51,000. 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 $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/Outback.
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.