2016 Subaru Legacy: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
146 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2020 Subaru Legacy, which has 121 complaints, six recall campaigns and a score of 45, and treat the 2015 to 2019 cars, all CAUTION with between 117 and 159 complaints, the same way. Buy a 2021 or later car, where the 2021 has 31 complaints and scores 86 and the 2023 has 10 and scores 90, or a 2013 or 2014 car with its air bag inflator recall list confirmed. Read the full note on the model page. 2016 specifically: 146 complaints on record, score 65/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Ascent and Legacy: the years to avoid, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 146 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 14.6
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
While traveling approximately 70 mph, my 2016 Subaru Legacy experienced a sudden drivetrain failure. The vehicle made a loud bang, immediately lost acceleration/power, and approximately five seconds later the front drivetrain locked, causing the tires to skid and leaving a long skid mark. The engine remained running. After stopping, the vehicle would not move forward and felt as if it was stuck in Park, but it could …
The factory touchscreen infotainment system is experiencing severe screen delamination (internal adhesive failure). This defect causes uncontrollable 'ghost touching,' where the screen registers phantom inputs. The system cycles through radio stations, changes audio sources, and changes navigation without driver input, causing an extreme, sudden driver distraction. Furthermore, the system frequently freezes and cras…
Battery dies all the time. Parasitic drain from the Starlink program in the car. There is/was a lawsuit. It involves some DCW fuse or something. Ive had to prematurely replace my battery. It also seems to be affecting the radio. It switches stations randomly.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V502000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. |
| 16V292000 | Steering:Column | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. |
| 15V794000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016 Legacy vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 16, 2015, and Outback vehicles manufactured October 24, 2015, to November 17, 2015. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System51 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other41 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Visibility/Wiper17 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Steering16 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Power Train13 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Vehicle Speed Control9 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Subaru Legacy years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (51 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Subaru Legacy a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 65/100, computed from 146 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Subaru Legacy's most common problem?
51 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Subaru Legacy sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Subaru Legacy cost to run per year?
About $4,447 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,235 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Subaru Legacy, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/08/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Subaru Legacy really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 146 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 146 NHTSA complaints on record (14.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (8.5/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems