2016 Subaru Legacy Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 51 Electrical System complaints for the 2016 Subaru Legacy, 35% of all complaints filed for the year. No related recall is on file, and the most common pattern is the ignition key sticking or refusing to release from the park position, typically after around 51,000 miles.
- Electrical System complaints
- 51
- 35% of 147
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 51,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners report the ignition key becoming stuck and refusing to release even when the shifter is fully in park, often requiring multiple attempts or forcing the gear shift.
- Several owners describe having to shift through gears repeatedly, or restart the car, before the key will finally turn and release.
- Some describe rodent damage to the wiring harness, which they attribute to soy-based insulation attracting animals while the car was parked.
- One owner reported the key release problem appearing intermittently at first, then becoming a consistent, worsening issue over time.
- A dealer visit for a key-release failure produced no diagnosis or repair in at least one case, leaving the issue unresolved.
When 2016 Subaru Legacy electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Aug 14, 2017, latest Jun 8, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2016 Subaru Legacy
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Electrical System complaints by Legacy model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2016 Subaru Legacy have an electrical system recall?
- No. NHTSA lists no related recalls tied to the Electrical System complaints for this model year.
- What is the most common electrical complaint on the 2016 Subaru Legacy?
- The dominant pattern is the ignition key sticking in the park position and being difficult or impossible to remove, reported by multiple owners.
- At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up on the 2016 Legacy?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 51,000 at the time of failure for Electrical System complaints.
- How does the 2016 Legacy compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2016 model year has 51 Electrical System complaints, 35% of that year's total, which is higher than most other Legacy model years, including 2010 (15%), 2013 (11%), and 2020 (13%).
- Are the electrical issues linked to crashes or fires?
- NHTSA records zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries among the 2016 Legacy Electrical System complaints.