INTERMITTENTLY UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION AFTER PLACING CAR IN PARK. UPON RESTARTING VEHICLE AND TURNING IT BACK OFF, KEY IS ABLE TO BE REMOVED.
2016 Subaru Impreza
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2016 Subaru Impreza do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 56.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impreza years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
41 reports with mileage · 34 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
75 reportsTHE AIRBAGS TURN OFF WHEN IT IS RAINING OR HUMID OUTSIDE. PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS TURNED OFF WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT; DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAS ALSO TURNED OFF DURING RAINING/HUMID CONDITIONS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES…
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THE AIRBAGS TURN OFF WHEN IT IS RAINING OR HUMID OUTSIDE. PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS TURNED OFF WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT; DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG HAS ALSO TURNED OFF DURING RAINING/HUMID CONDITIONS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
REAR AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK/UNLOCK USING KEY FOB OR AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK FEATURE ON INTERIOR OF CAR. IT SEEMS TO BE MORE AFFECTED DURING HOT OR COLD DAYS. THE ONLY WAY TO LOCK/UNLOCK IS TO MANUALLY DO IT. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, NO WATER DAMAGE OR HAS HAD ANY OTHER ISSUE.
CVT WILL NOT SHIFT IN COLD WEATHER. I TOOK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE TACH REACHING 2600 RPM'S AT 30 MILES TO 55 MPH AND CVT WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR, WOULD NOT SHIFT. I SAY THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, NOT NORMAL FOR THIS OR ANY CAR. GAS MILEAGE IS BAD, ENGINE WEAR IS BAD AND NOT SAFE ON …
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CVT WILL NOT SHIFT IN COLD WEATHER. I TOOK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE TACH REACHING 2600 RPM'S AT 30 MILES TO 55 MPH AND CVT WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR, WOULD NOT SHIFT. I SAY THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, NOT NORMAL FOR THIS OR ANY CAR. GAS MILEAGE IS BAD, ENGINE WEAR IS BAD AND NOT SAFE ON HIGHWAY. THIS HAPPENED )1/3/18, 1/6/18 AND 1/8/18.
THE BLUETOOTH HAS A CONNECTIVITY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, WHEN I'M STATIONARY. THERE IS REALLY NO TELLING WHEN IT WILL SKIP, BUT IT HAPPENS ONE TO TWO TIMES EVERY HOUR. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT CAUSES MY HEART TO RACE AND SOMETIMES I FEEL I'M HAVING A PANIC…
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THE BLUETOOTH HAS A CONNECTIVITY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, WHEN I'M STATIONARY. THERE IS REALLY NO TELLING WHEN IT WILL SKIP, BUT IT HAPPENS ONE TO TWO TIMES EVERY HOUR. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT CAUSES MY HEART TO RACE AND SOMETIMES I FEEL I'M HAVING A PANIC ATTACK. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW, THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE CAR, IT'S NOT THE PHONE, BUT IT'S THE WAY IT CONNECTS, AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA AND IT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE RADIO UNIT, MADE SURE THE CAR'S OPERATING SYSTEM IS UP TO DATE, AND BASICALLY TOLD ME IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON A CIITY STREET WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF HER. SHE SWERVED TO MISS THE DEER, LEAVING THE ROAD AND ENTERING A HEAVELY WOODED LOT. SHE CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY SIX FEET OFF THE ROAD STOPPED BY A TREE DEAD CENTER IN THE FRONT BUMPER. EVEN THOUGH SHE …
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MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON A CIITY STREET WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF HER. SHE SWERVED TO MISS THE DEER, LEAVING THE ROAD AND ENTERING A HEAVELY WOODED LOT. SHE CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY SIX FEET OFF THE ROAD STOPPED BY A TREE DEAD CENTER IN THE FRONT BUMPER. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, NEVER LOCKED UP THE BRAKES, AND HER REAR PUMPER WAS ONLY SIX FEET OFF THE ROAD, THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND SURGED WHILE MAKING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS TO CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND SURGED WHILE MAKING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS TO CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I TURNED MY CAR ON ONE AFTERNOON AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT STAYED LIT ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE, I DISCOVERED THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE (I.E., VERY HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL). HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, SINCE ONLY 1 YEAR OLD. DEALER INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROB…
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I TURNED MY CAR ON ONE AFTERNOON AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT STAYED LIT ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE CAR WAS STATIONARY. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE, I DISCOVERED THE POWER STEERING WAS COMPLETELY GONE (I.E., VERY HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL). HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, SINCE ONLY 1 YEAR OLD. DEALER INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE. THREE DAYS LATER, AFTER THE PART ARRIVED, THEY INSTALLED IT AND FOUND MORE ERROR CODES INDICATING A POWER SUPPLY ERROR. MORE NEW PARTS WERE ORDERED THAT TOOK ANOTHER THREE DAYS TO ARRIVE. UPON REMOVAL OF POWER STEERING RACK, TECHNICIAN FOUND RODENT DAMAGE ON WIRING TO MODULE ON RACK AND PINION UNIT. MY ONLINE RESEARCH SUGGESTS RODENTS ARE ATTRACTED TO SOY WIRE INSULATION THAT IS USED IN NEWER SUBARU VEHICLES LIKE MINE. I AM CONCERNED OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS CAN SHORT OUT IN THE CAR AT ANY TIME, SINCE I CANNOT AVOID SQUIRRELS AS MY CAR IS PARKED IN AN OPEN PARKING LOT AT HOME. MY PRIOR CAR (A 1999 SATURN SL2) WAS DRIVEN AT THE SAME INTERVALS AND PARKED AT THE SAME LOCATION FOR 5.5 YEARS WITHOUT A SIMILAR PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH AND A BLOODY NOSE, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH AND A BLOODY NOSE, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,047.
TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, I BLACKED OUT. FIRST TIME, RAN OFF EDGE OF ROAD; SECOND TIME, RAN OVER INTO ON-COMING LANE. TWICE, I HAD MAJOR ALLERGIC SYMPTOMS. FIRST, RIGHT AFTER BUYING CAR; SECOND, SIX MONTHS LATER. TWICE, I GREW BREATHLESS AFTER DRIVING CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. ONCE, I COULD NOT KEEP MY BALANCE AFTER DRIVING…
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TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, I BLACKED OUT. FIRST TIME, RAN OFF EDGE OF ROAD; SECOND TIME, RAN OVER INTO ON-COMING LANE. TWICE, I HAD MAJOR ALLERGIC SYMPTOMS. FIRST, RIGHT AFTER BUYING CAR; SECOND, SIX MONTHS LATER. TWICE, I GREW BREATHLESS AFTER DRIVING CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. ONCE, I COULD NOT KEEP MY BALANCE AFTER DRIVING CAR ON A HIGHWAY. ALL OF THESE EPISODES OCCURRED AFTER LONGER THAN USUAL DRIVES. NORMALLY, I DRIVE SHORT DISTANCES AROUND TOWN. TWICE, AN OPAQUE FILM FORMED ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, OBSCURING VISIBILITY - ONCE ON A DARK HIGHWAY; ONCE ON ENTERING A GARAGE. WIPERS, WASHER FLUID, RAIN DID NOT AFFECT THE FILM. *TR
Official recalls
119V149000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 28, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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