AI Damage2016 Subaru WRX: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Subaru WRX filed 34 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 272 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 34
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 272
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 6% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (29% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 124.
- Engine: 9 complaints (26% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 24.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (12% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 29.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 1 complaints
- manual, 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 34 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 10 | 0 | 124 |
| Engine | 9 | 1 | 24 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 29 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 82 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Seats | 0 | 0 | 9 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
4-5 minutes after the accident the engine caught on fire. The car is a total loss. No one was injured. We all were out of the car at the time the fire started.
While driving, the clutch became stiff and unusable. Ultimately the car could not be shifted resulting in using a lower gear than normal to limp the car to safety. The car had to be towed to a mechanic.
On a drive in december 2022 I experienced hesitation and/or stuttering under load or when attempting to accelerate, and car began getting very hot, and close to overheating, and the engine was knocking loudly.
I have faulty rear lights and a faulty rear view camera. According to MotorSafety.org there is currently a recall for this exact issue for WRX’s from 2015-2021. [link]
recurring battery drain, which has happened before. subaru dealer replaced the battery for the same reason less than 2 years ago. now it needs it again. car is inoperable as is.
Started having issue with the engine making loud rattle noises and oil pressure was not consistent. Upon further investigating I removed the oil pan and removed the oil pickup. The oil pickup screen was full of RTV sealant causing the oil pickup to struggle with maintaining proper oil pressure and flow to the engine.
My power steering one day lost all fluid out of no where. I have this awful sound and go buy new power steering fluid. It’s continuing to leak. I joined a Subaru Wrx/STi group on Facebook and found that this is a reoccurring problem for many Subaru sti owners around the year I have.
While driving in below zero temperatures I received a warning "Headlights Disabled" and my headlights were inoperable. I was able to use the high beams otherwise, complete darkness causing an immanent safety concern and potential for financial loss in terms of legality and ticketing.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,029 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 49% most complained about).
On average one model year of the WRX has 22 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 34, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles
- "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs
DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and…
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw…
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
- This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
- Techtips newsletter locator index
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
- This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing…
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
- This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from…
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
NHTSA lists 272 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru WRX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 34. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (15%), stalls while driving (15%), infotainment or screen glitches (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Subaru WRX?
NHTSA lists 272 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Subaru WRX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.