2016 Subaru Outback Visibility/wiper Problems

NHTSA component category: VISIBILITY/WIPER · data through 07/14/2026

83Visibility/wiper complaints

13%Of all 639 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How visibility/wiper ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM302 · 47.3%

Unspecified / other124 · 19.4%

VISIBILITY/WIPER83 · 13%

ENGINE52 · 8.1%

POWER TRAIN42 · 6.6%

Share of the 639 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING MY OUTBACK THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE BASE AND WENT UP AND OVER. I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AT A COST OF…”NHTSA complaint 11118220 — filed 08/07/2018

“SPONTANEOUS CRACKS ON WINDSHIELD AND THEIR EXTENSION DURING HOT, SUNNY DAY. FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE, IT HAD TO BE REPLACED.”NHTSA complaint 11102877 — filed 06/20/2018

“DRIVING ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY IN A RURAL AREA AT 7:30 IN THE MORNING, NO OTHER TRAFFIC AROUND. I HEARD A SOUND LIKE A…”NHTSA complaint 11101812 — filed 06/14/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Visibility/wiper complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Subaru Outback have visibility/wiper problems?

Visibility/wiper is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2016 Subaru Outback: 83 of 639 complaints on file (13%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Subaru Outback have in total?

639 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's visibility/wiper category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VISIBILITY/WIPER category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.