2016 Subaru Wrx: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2016 Subaru Wrx
On the 2016 Subaru Wrx, the failure owners report most often is cruise control failure, with 4 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 30,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2016.
High risk for a 2016 — 173rd riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 40 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2016 Subaru Wrx
Owners have reported 23 named failure modes on the 2016 Subaru Wrx, and the three most-reported carry 30% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Cruise control failure leads with 4 reports and about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other engine problem follows with 4 reports, median 30,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Other electrical problem follows with 4 reports, median 50,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (10), adas (6) and electrical (5).
The mileage the reports cluster at
23 of the reports on the 2016 Subaru Wrx came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 30,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 70% by 50,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 10,000 and 20,000 miles, which alone holds 35% of the dated reports.
57% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 23. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 1 mentions a crash and 2 a fire. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.78, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: cruise control failure at $200–$1,400, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and oil leak at $250–$2,200. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
35% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise control failure | adas | 4 | 1 | — | 36k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 4 | 4 | — | 32k | — | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 4 | 1 | — | 50k | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 2 | 1 | — | 19k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 20k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 14k | — | 0.1 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.1 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 47k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 50k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 62k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 3 | 3 | — | 62k | — | 0.2 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2016 Subaru Wrx draws about 2.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 79th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 14,342 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Cruise control failure
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru wrx. The contact stated that the check engine indicator illuminated and the cruise control failed to function. The vehicle was taken to subaru of jacksonville (10800 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl 32225) for the failures at least three times and the electrical system was serviced, but the failures persisted. The dealer stated that the sensor failure was due to a faulty computer system that needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed. The failure mileage was 36,000.
Other engine problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 (na) subaru wrx. While driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician reset p codes 1449, 1604, and the engine light. The technician stated that the vehicle was now up to subaru standards; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,833.
Recalls on the 2016 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2016 Subaru Wrx, affecting an estimated 27,450 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover exterior lighting:back up lights:switch, engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger and exterior lighting:brake lights:switch. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH
59,934 vehicles 2022-07-21- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
- Consequence
- Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
18,187 vehicles 2016-03-21- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 WRX vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 21, 2015, and Forester 2.0XT vehicles manufactured April 10, 2015, to October 20, 2015. The turbocharger air intake duct may crack and possibly result in an engine stall.
- Consequence
- An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the turbocharger air intake duct, and replace it as necessary, free of charge, depending on the lot number found on the duct. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTA-62.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
71,710 vehicles 2015-06-12- Defect
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will…
- Consequence
- If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2016 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2016 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2016 — 173rd riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 15 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2008 comes out best at 64 and 2022 worst at 83, with 2016 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 2008 scores lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2015–2021 generation specifically, 2016 is the strongest year at 69 and 2018 the weakest at 79.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2015-2021 generation, 2016 Subaru Wrx scores best at 69 and 2018 Subaru Wrx worst at 79.
The limits of complaint data
40 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 40 reports, 23 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 58% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Subaru Wrx?
The most-reported failures are cruise control failure (4 reports, median 35,000 miles), other engine problem (4 reports, median 30,000 miles) and other electrical problem (4 reports, median 50,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2016 Subaru Wrx reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 173rd riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Subaru Wrx is best?
Within the 2015–2021 generation, 2016 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2018 worst at 79. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed