This page covers 3 recalls, 31 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2016 Subaru WRX.
19–23 mpg combined
10.2–12.4 L/100km
Compact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
Electrical and engine complaints lead the pack for the 2016 WRX. On the electrical side, owners report rear lighting failures and rear-view camera malfunctions, along with secondary air injection pump issues where the pump runs continuously and causes downstream damage to relays and related components. Engine complaints center on knocking, hesitation under acceleration, and overheating. A handful of powertrain reports describe clutch system failures, with one recurring detail being the clutch fork pivot ball punching through the clutch fork itself, leaving the car unable to shift normally. Owners in that situation describe having to limp the car in a lower gear before towing it in for repair.
31
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
By System
The 2016 Subaru WRX has 3 recalls, the most serious involving the automatic pre-collision braking system, which can fail to detect an obstacle and leave the vehicle without any automatic braking response before an impact.
On the engine side, the turbocharger air intake duct can crack, allowing unmetered air into the intake and causing the engine to stall without warning while driving. A stall at highway speed or in traffic removes power steering and braking assist and can surprise drivers into losing control of the vehicle. There is also a visibility concern: the backup light switch can corrode and stop working, which leaves the rear of the vehicle unlit in reverse and also disables the rearview camera image. With neither the backup lights nor the camera functioning, the driver has significantly reduced awareness of what is directly behind the vehicle when backing up.
At a glance
What can fail
The backup light switch can corrode and stop working, preventing the backup lights from turning on and the rearview camera image from displaying when in reverse.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch at no cost to you.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The turbocharger air intake duct may crack, potentially causing the engine to stall.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the turbocharger air intake duct if necessary, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brake light activation switch may fail, preventing the automatic pre-collision braking feature of the EyeSight Driver Assist System from operating.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the driver assist system at no cost to restore pre-collision braking functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
