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 Outback steering problems
severe Owners of the 2016 Subaru Outback have filed 24 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 9,500 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
24
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Outback | 9 |
| 2013 Outback | 34 |
| 2014 Outback | 17 |
| 2015 Outback | 13 |
| 2016 Outback (this page) | 24 |
| 2017 Outback | 23 |
| 2018 Outback | 35 |
| 2019 Outback | 35 |
| 2020 Outback | 12 |
3crashes
1injury
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 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
Owners describe critical steering failures that put lives at risk. On ice and wet pavement, the steering becomes virtually unusable — the car oscillates wildly side-to-side like it's fighting itself, making it impossible to maintain control. One driver on I-90 hit an ice patch at 65 mph and could only regain control by coasting down to 40 mph; another sideswiped a concrete barrier in a similar event. At normal highway speeds, some cars exhibit constant wandering, drifting left and right, unable to hold a lane. Others report sudden unresponsiveness where the steering wheel won't turn the wheels at all — one owner at 10 mph couldn't complete a 90-degree parking lot turn and had to shut the engine off and restart. Low mileage (under 10,000 miles) is common for initial failures.
A separate, widespread problem: the ignition key gets stuck and won't come out after the vehicle is turned off and parked, sometimes for 20 minutes or more. Owners report this happens 2–3 times per week or nearly every time they drive. The workaround is tedious — fiddling with the shifter, restarting the engine multiple times, shifting to Drive and back to Park — which drains batteries. One dealer acknowledged this is a known Subaru defect. Owners cite an existing steering recall (campaign 16V292000) but report parts unavailability delayed repairs for weeks.
Same Subaru Outback steering reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of steering control on wet/icy roads
Vehicle exhibits uncontrollable steering oscillation or loss of responsiveness when encountering ice, rain, or wet road conditions. Owners report the steering feeling like the vehicle is fighting itself with rapid micro-corrections, making the car difficult or impossible to steer.
When: Low mileage (under 10,000 miles); occurs on wet highways and bridges; 1,400 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Steering becomes extremely difficult to control; Rapid back-and-forth oscillations in steering feel; Loss of steering response when needed; Vehicle drifts sideways without responding to steering input; Rear end wants to come around; car feels caught in invisible ruts; Vehicle oversteers after brief loss of control
Repairs/costs cited: One case resulted in approximately $10,000 in front-end damage from collision with cement barrier
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner suspects an existing steering recall (campaign 16V292000) did not catch all affected vehicles; another complaint references notification of NHTSA campaign 16V292000 (steering) but parts were unavailable and vehicle remained parked unrepaired
Steering wheel unresponsive or stiffens
Steering wheel becomes unresponsive, stiff, or loose during normal driving, sometimes accompanied by a steering warning light. Vehicle may not respond to steering inputs or respond only after engine restart.
When: Low mileage conditions reported; one case at 40 mph; another at 10-15 mph during parking lot turn
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes unresponsive to driver input; Steering wheel very loose and unresponsive; Steering wheel stiffens; steering warning light comes on; Vehicle does not respond to steering wheel input (wheels act independently); Vehicle stuck at 30-45 degree angle instead of completing 90-degree turn; Steering wheel becomes very stiff; only forward and backward movement possible
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports steering column was replaced twice and steering rack replaced once; another took vehicle to dealership where technicians could not identify cause
Steering wander and lane-keeping system false activation
Vehicle exhibits constant steering wander side-to-side, inability to hold center of lane, or inappropriate steering wheel bumps from lane-keep assist feature when vehicle is actually centered in lane.
When: At highway speeds (55-75 mph, 65 mph); on wet highways; early in ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wanders from side to side; Cannot hold vehicle in center of lane; Strong steering wheel bumps from lane-keep assist when centered in lane; Vehicle sways significantly left or right when making steering corrections; Dead zone sensation when steering; Lane-keep assist activates inappropriately on wet roads
Key stuck in ignition
Key will not release from the ignition switch after turning off the vehicle and shifting to Park. Problem may be intermittent or chronic, sometimes requiring multiple restart cycles or steering wheel manipulation to enable key removal.
When: Starts after approximately one year of ownership; becomes progressively worse over time; occurs 2-3 times per week to nearly every drive
Symptoms owners cite: Key will not come out of ignition when vehicle is stopped and in Park; Vehicle remains in Accessory mode instead of fully turning off; Electrical systems remain powered with key stuck; Requires fidgeting with shifter and steering wheel, restarting vehicle, and shifting into Drive then Park to release key; Takes 10-20 minutes for key to release; Battery drained from repeated restart cycles
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports dealer repaired under warranty after waiting for replacement parts; one dealer cited computer relay not recognizing Park position as cause
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealer told owner this is a known defect with Subaru of America; owner complaint references NHTSA campaign number 16V292000
Power steering lockup with brake system warning
Power steering locks up while driving, coinciding with brake warning light activation. Vehicle becomes difficult or impossible to steer.
When: During normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Brake light comes on while driving; Power steering locks up simultaneously
Synthesized from 24 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Ignition key gets stuck everytime and I have to jam it into park to ge it out
Had steering 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 steering problem on the 2016 Subaru Outback?
It's a meaningful issue. 24 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 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 1,500 and 25,500 miles, with the median around 9,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 1,500; a quarter make it past 25,500. 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/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.