2016 Subaru Forester Electrical System Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 405 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Subaru Forester overview page.
What owners report
“MY VEHICLE ALARM SYSTEM CAME ON UNEXPECTEDLY TOWARD THE END OF A DAY-LONG DRIVE, WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT, HILL ASSIST, EYESIGHT, AND OTHER DASH WARNING…”NHTSA complaint 11141651 — filed 10/21/2018
“WATER IS ENTERING THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THE CARPET IS STARTING TO SMELL OF MILDEW. I…”NHTSA complaint 11129391 — filed 09/13/2018
“I DROVE FROM NJ TO ME (BOUGHT IN 2017). I NOTICED DIFFICULTY WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE/PASS CARS FROM THE LEFT LANE. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF…”NHTSA complaint 11123966 — filed 09/01/2018
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2016 Subaru Forester have electrical system problems?
Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2016 Subaru Forester: 90 of 405 complaints on file (22.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2016 Subaru Forester have in total?
405 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 39 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
