2016 Subaru Outback Electrical Problems

2016 Subaru Outback (purchased new) with severe electrical problems in the form of (frequent) battery discharge/non-start. This has been a reoccurring issue since early 2017 and is still a problem, even after replacement of the previous battery. I've had the replacement battery tested on several occasions after recharging and the result has always been that the battery is in good operating order.

This is the 6th time this week the car starts fine in the morning, I stop at a gas station or store come out and its dead! Concerning safety this is a major deal for me as I take care of my mother whom is on oxygen at 2L if this happens with her in the car or by herself,, it could very easily turn into a life or death situation!

Car has 66,000 miles on it. VIN#[xxx]--- horn does not work in any position. Is available for inspection at any time.

For the past four years the car has insufficiently charged the battery. On two occasions the car would not start and had to be jumped. At first I attributed it to something I may have done like leaving an interior light on, but after the second incident I found out that other owners of the same car were having similar problems.

Battery dies unexpectedly within a few minutes of the vehicle off and in accessory mode only (I.e. Car off, radio or lights on). Vehicle will not start without jump from battery pack or another vehicle.

My 2016 outback about 3 months ago had a dead battery while out on a family trip to arkansas. Just took a battery bump from another vehicle and worked fine. Then this friday it ran fine for five hours away from home.

I was driving in the city and it just turned off on me. Very quickly too. No time to pull over.

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. While driving approximately 45 MPH on a local roadway, the eyesight pre-collision brake assist suddenly activated and caused the vehicle to completely stop. The brakes released shortly after the failure.

The battery is dying very quickly The DCM Data Communication Module is draining the battery causing the vehicle to become stranded This is the fifth battery in this vehicle Subaru is aware of this issue but refuses to find a solution to fix it

Since owning this new Subaru vehicle, I have replaced the battery once. Today I had the car towed to the dealer with them diagnosing the car telling me it needs a certain module that has been draining the battery. Due to this problem, I have had to take an Uber to work.

Car has has 4 new batteries since I bought it new. Had to have this car jumped at least 12 times and some times at night late in downtown Portland where I have not been in a safe location. Once in the snow after hiking to come back at dusk with only one person around at trailhead.

Something is draining the battery when the car is not in use. This left me stranded and that is a safety issue. On 12/01/21 I had a new battery installed at the Subaru dealership.

2016 Subaru Outback has a flawed electrical system that drains the battery. We are on our 3rd battery. Prior to a road trip in Nov.

There is a great possibility of being stranded with this car. And in winter weather, it could be deadly. The car is draining the battery abnormally quick.

Summary of Electrical system issues: 1.pertaining to battery draining and 2. eyesight randomly goes out and other dash board lights flash and later goes away. As well as, 3.

•Yes available upon request. My Subaru Outback has issues starting up even with a battery that tests good. The problem started off as intermittent and continues to happen more often.

I had a two-year-old battery that kept dying or starting very weakly, intermittently. I had this battery replaced by the dealer 09-16-22 at my expense. This new battery died overnight on 10-01-22, in just two weeks.

My 2016 Subaru Outback has required 3 battery replacements between Jan 2020 and July 2022. I have been stranded with a dead battery on 4 separate occasions beginning around April/May of 2016, leaving me unsafe and vulnerable until help could arrive. AAA provided battery jump service twice and strangers helped twice.

Battery discharges too quickly, leaving me with a car that won't start. I've already replaced the battery once - to the tune of over $300 because I needed roadside assistance - and I'm looking at having to do it again. I've been stranded multiple times and have had to find someone to jump start my car.

Hello, Since February, we have replaced our battery 3 times. Eventually we discovered from a mechanic that the car had a parasitic draw that will drain the battery if the car is not driven every day. We put the battery on a trickle charger every night just in case.

I’ve had my Outback for almost 6 years. I’m on my third battery. Recently in the past 3 months the battery I’ve had since 2/21 keeps going dead.

The battery constantly drains until dead when not driven for as short of time as one day. My wife has been left stranded at home and work multiple times and had to rely on strangers for assistance. The problem was inspected and confirmed by mechanics here in NC.

I’m on my third battery. Since date of purchase the car has a battery drain issue that cannot be resolved. Minimal electoral use while the car is not running causes the car to not turn over.

My vehicle battery died and I replaced it. The next day the new battery was found to be dead. I check the car battery terminals and found a parasitic drain of the battery.

We are original owners. Starting a month ago, after car sat for a couple of days, battery was 100% discharged. Jump started and drove for 30 minutes, then parked.

I Had to jump start battery on several occasions, leaving myself and my family stranded. I took the car to my dealer on 12/3/2018. Dealer (Glanzmann Subaru) could not identify problem, performed two software updates.

In January 2020 my Outback failed to start. Battery was totally discharged and had to be jumpstarted. Took the car to dealer where technician tested battery and said it was good.I had him recharge the battery and test it again.

The battery in my car has been replaced 3 times (twice by the dealer and once by me) and the alternator once due to deep discharge, in addition I have had to "jump" the car one or more times. Subaru has paid the cost of all repairs for this issue despite the fact they don't admit there is an issue.

Battery dies after car is parked for more than 3 days. Car is available for inspection. I have been stranded/inconvenienced at least 5 times.

I drove my car several miles to a ferry without any problems. I turned off the ignition and the car sat on the ferry for less than five minutes. When I tried to start the car, the battery was completely dead.

2016 3.6 Subaru Outback has required battery replacement 4 times. If the battery dies while operating the car a dangerous shutdown of various electrical systems. This has happened twice, one instance no power steering, the next time the braking systems engaged.

Two different batteries have been completely drained in the last two weeks. The first time I thought it was that the the current 27 month old battery had failed. There were no warning lights or symptoms of electrical issues either time.

model Year 2016 Outback vehicle purchased new in Dec.2015. The OEM 2015 battery was replaced gratis by dealer ( Flemington Subaru) in Feb 2020 at 26,016 mileage. 2020 replacement battery was changed Jan.27,2021 by Flemington Subaru due to ‘dead check’ found during a recall service for telematics updating.

Battery has failed repeatedly, at least 4 or 5 times over the last year. Took to dealer who checked it out and said they found no issues. Please note no lights or doors were left open that would have resulted in a batter drain.

original battery dead in less than 2 years, needing replacement in January 2018. Subaru dealer advised replacement, local repair store confirmed it was dead. Purchased replacement local as dealer quote was over $300.

My battery dies intermittently and will not start until I receive a jump start. it seems to occur after day trips in the mountains,, but no emergency lights come on to indicate a low battery while driving. we have had to get an emergency jump start an now must carry around a spare battery charger to jump start my car.

continual drain causing battery to go dead we are on battery number 4 since buying the vehicle new in August 2016 Have taken it to 2 different dealers and are told there is nothing wrong. Have been stranded multiple times both day and night causing unsafe environment while trying to wait for a jump start

My 2016 Subaru OUTBACK has experienced 6 separate incidents where my vehicle battery was inexplicably drained, and hence the entire electrical system was shut down. I was unable to start it without an external boost in each occasion. Fortunately these incidents posed no safety threat to me or others as the car was parked at my home, or in a parking lot.

Frequent and unexplained battery drain. The car has 47,520 miles and we had to replace the battery and have had 2 incidents where the battery has completely died leaving us stranded on the highway.

Frequent battery draining and sometimes not recharging when driving. While turned off in the garage battery will drain in as little as 9 days. Have to keep it on a trickle charge when not in use in order to be able to start it.

I purchased my 2016 outback sept 2019 from a dealership with 38,000 miles. They had replaced my battery about 4 months before I got it. It has a 30 month full warranty.

The car battery has died multiple times in the past three years. The battery was factory replaced in 2019 because of this issue and has since needed to be jumped at least 3 times. There is also corrosion on the new battery already.

In early january, of 2018, the vehicle wouldn't start because the battery was dead. We had to have it jump-started. This continued at least a dozen times.

This vehicle is 5 years old. The first battery lasted 4 years. The second battery was dead in 10 months.

Battery drains unexpectadly and swiftly. Turned off motor and left key in ignition while we sat outside the vehicle. We were stranded in the desert on more than one occasion.

Car electrical system get stalled without any reason after parking car for some minutes. Nothing works. I needed to call aaa or friend for help (battery jump).

Our subaru outback originally died after my wife was sitting in the car listening to the radio for 10 minutes. The dealer stated that listening to the radio was the cause and charged up the battery. Couple weeks later and the car dies again this time just sitting in the driveway.

2/15/21 dead battery vehicle parked in home garage stationary. Battery one month old replaced on 1/21/21 plus upgraded software. Previous battery was still under warranty less than 3 years old.

The battery will not hold a charge. I had a new battery installed exactly one year ago and for the last two months the car will not start if it is not driven for more than a day or two. I've had the car jumped multiple times and had the terminals replace last week due to corrosion.

Vehicle battery has unexpectedly gone dead three times since march 2020. This is after a new subaru battery was installed in 2019. I understand this is an ongoing problem with subaru outbacks (2016-2020).

We are reporting this today, but this issue has gone on for 2 years. Purchased an outback used from the dealer. Battery continually dies, leaving us stranded at home or away from home.

Car was purchased brand new from dealer. It rained within a couple days and discovered the wipers didn't work. Dealer fixed.

Purchased this vehicle 3/2019, started having problems with the battery dying in a few months, even having the hatch open during cleaning would drain the battery. We would jump it with another vehicle and the battery would drain in a few days whether we used the vehicle or not. I have been stranded alone in not a safe environment n more than one occasion.

Battery died after driving 10 miles and parking for an hour. couldn't move shift lever or release electronic parking brake. Someone finally jumped the car for me y and I immediately bought a new battery (battery $151.19 and jumper cables 26.99 at pepboys, dbpower jumpstarter 74.59 at amazon).

Since vehicle was purchased, the vehicle's battery does not remain charged if the car is not started for a period longer than two days. The vehicle is only four years old with 50,000 miles and the battery has been replaced three times. This has caused the vehicle owner to be stranded while away from home, which could have LED to unsafe conditions.

About a year ago, my outback occasionally would not start, especially after I returned from a trip. My car's battery was dead. However, my wife's car would start right up.

Battery runs down often. I've had the battery checked multiple times and no problem with the alternator either. I know it will run down during loading or unloading that lasts more than 30 minutes, so I manage that situation.

Dead battery at 38,000 miles. No indicator lights of any existing problem. Left stranded and out $150 for new battery.

I cannot remove my key from the ignition or open the rear hatch when in park. The neutral safety interlock system does not recognize that the transmission is in park. The front console shows the car in park and the transmission is in park.

Problem: 360 cca batteries installed in new cars are not enough and they cause problems. My first indication was a year ago when I went to the store, was in there 10-15 minutes, and when I came out the car did not start. A friend came 2 hours later to jump it but tried it first and it started right up.

Driving 75 MPH on freeway with a little over quarter tank of gas on gas gauge and system info on car said 110 miles left till empty tank. Car slowed very quickly and engine died. Pulled over on freeway in the middle of desert.

Vehicle starting becomes slower for about 1 week and then it will not start at all. I then got a boost from a service garage in the first instance and drove the car to my selling dealer 40 km. They did all the testing, battery, alternator and it did not show any codes.

Car battery dies cold weather. No warning. Obvious defect either battery or electrical drainage.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine recall repair, and it was diagnosed and determined that the steering roll connector/clock spring had short-circuited.

Eye sight goes out shortly after reconfiguration (has happened several times), brand new battery has been drained causing complete shut down, has been in shop for six weeks and dealership cannot find reason for this happening and has replaced battery and driven the car waiting for a replica to happen.

My 2016 Subaru Outback has gone through 5 batteries since purchase in 4/2016. The reason for my contact with you is that the Navigation function “eyesight” has been problematic for at least two years and began with the third of five batteries. The function stops working randomly at any hour of the day and in all conditions.

We have had multiple incidents on this MY16 Subaru Outback draining the battery over the past several years. Sometimes the battery is dead after a couple or few days of driving. There seems to be a battery / electrical management (current draw when vehicle if off) issue as noted in multiple incidents and there was even a class action lawsuit.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the key failed to release from the ignition switch. There were no warning lights illuminated.

Chronic issue with the vehicle draining batteries. I’ve gone through 4 new batteries in the time I’ve owned the vehicle and find that they die in what’s sometimes only a few months after purchase. No lights or other electronic accessories in the Outback are ever left on and we’re careful to keep doors closed when we’re not actively shuffling people or cargo in or out of the vehicle.

My battery failed to turn over one day and at the beginning there was a battery icon lit up in the dash, but later did not show up again. I received a jump from another person. The next morning my battery did work but not my radio.

Since we've owned the car it has gone through 3 batteries and the blind site and lane assist go on and off all the time. Windows lock. Dealership said there is nothing wrong with the car.

I have replaced the battery 3 times in 6 years. I see there is a class action lawsuit that I want to join or receive compensation.

The battery has died multiple times from minor power draw. For example, opening the windows when the engine was off or briefly charging and iPhone with the key in auxiliary. I have replaced the battery at my own expense and this continues to happen.

Replaced battery. Two and a half years after replacing battery, I had to replace the battery again. No warning, just didn't start one morning.

Car failed to start five times. No cranking. No nothing.

This incident occurred on Friday July 29, 2022 @ 5pm. I was pulling into a parking space while my foot was on the brake I proceeded to put the car in park when the car suddenly lunged forward into the concrete patio of the Market/Store. I was in disbelief at what just happened.

The battery keeps going dead for no obvious reason(s). The battery was tested at an auto repair shop and was determined to be fine but, nonetheless, continues to go dead.

Dead battery. Replaced battery twice since owning vehicle. Will not start even with trying to jump.

Experienced intermittent starting problems, with other odd warning light behaviors, including unable to turn them off to try again. I know another 2016 Outback owner that was given a new battery at no charge. I paid $203.60 for new battery on 03/02/2022

I bought this used 2016 Subaru Outback about a year and a half ago from McCords Vancouver Dealership. I've had the battery dying problem ever since I got it. I have had to call AAA for jump starts.

2016 Subaru Outback, original owner, the battery constantly drains in this car. I have come out to a dead battery many times, and have had to jump and service my battery several times a year. I have had my battery replaced at least once as well.

Complete electrical failure after battery completely drained during normal driving conditions. Car has required 4 battery replacements since ownership when car was brand new. Subaru has denied warranty claims for this.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, her vehicle would fail to start up without warning. The contact had taken her vehicle to the dealer numerous times and had several battery replacements performed; despite each replacement, the failure persisted.

I have just had to put my fifth battery in my 2016 Subaru outback. I have experienced a dead battery twice. The first time this happened I was at a remote campsite and had the stock battery in the car.

For months, there have been incidents of battery drain where the vehicle is unable to be started without a jump charge. I have replaced the battery several times; electrical testing by the dealership does not diagnose any problem.

I am about to replace battery in my 2016 subaru outback for the fourth time. obviously an ongoing problem with this vehicle . my wife had to wait 4 hours for subaru roadside assistance to respond with tow.

The contact's wife owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts without warning. Since owning the vehicle, the battery was replaced four times.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback The contact stated that after placing the vehicle into PARK, the key could not be removed from the ignition switch. After turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the key was removed from the ignition switch. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not yet repaired.

Battery drains - just goes dead. In the past six months it has happened @4 times. Checked twice at my garage and no problem found.

We purchased this vehicle as a private sale in Nov 2018. In May 2020, the battery failed and was replaced, thinking it had reached end of life.. One month later, in June 2020, this new battery was dead, and was replaced under warranty under the premise that it was a bad battery.

My Outback lost AC/Heat and even after repair at an Outback dealership, it still goes out intermittently. My car battery seems to drain for no reason at all, without any consistency to the drainage of power either. I have it looked at, and the dealership said there isn’t a cause and there isn’t anything that can be done.

The adjustment of the passenger side side view mirror has malfunctioned. The mirror can not be adjusted properly for visibility of cars to the side of the vehicle. Only the driver-side window is operable.

The car drains the battery to the point of not being able to turn the engine on after >10 minutes of playing the radio while the engine isn't turned on. Happened three separate times where I had to request a jump. I replaced the battery with a new one but the problem persists.

The original battery drained when a door is left open for an extended period of time. We replaced the battery in 2019 and also bought a battery booster because of this issue. We thought replacing the battery would fix the, however, the draining issue still occurs from time to time.

The battery keeps draining and needing to be replaced. I need a new battery every 18 months or so. Also, please note that there is not one incident.

The electrical system drains the battery. It happened first in Feb 2020. Car was locked and could not be opened with manual key, so AAA Roadside Service had to use a bladder and bar to break in and open car, damaging the driver door.

Unable to remove key from ignition when car is parked. I am unable to leave car without threat of it being stolen. An internet search indicates this is a common problem and repair cost can be several hundred dollars

Battery has died several times over the past few months. The last time (7/3/21) within 48 hours of being fully charged. Subaru replaced the battery several months ago, so it’s a fresh battery.

Over the last 7-8 months. Has gotten progressively worse. With car parked and turned off cannot get key out of ignition.

On 8/30/2018, the car wouldn’t start after it was driven to a parking lot. The battery was jumped, car taken home, and then the battery was charged at local car parts store. On 6/7/2021, the car wouldn’t start after two days of no use.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the battery had failed on several occasions after starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the battery warning light intermittently flashed during the failure.

Lately when I put the car in park I can not remove the key. I need to either play around with the shift lever or usually start the car, back up, and forward and try again until I get the key out. Not a good solution.

My battery dies often and doesn’t seem to hold a charge as long as a typica new car I’ve had to jump it 6 times in the last 8 months- Regarding the side marker lane assist- it has been diagnosed as a loose sensor and had been re adjusted by dealership multiple times but end up failing again a couple weeks later.

Battery failure numerous times, battery replaced 1/02/19. Battery drain several times during 2017 through 2021 .

My car's battery dies frequently for no apparent reason. No faults have been reported by the dealer or repair shops during service calls. I had to purchase a jump starter in order to be able to start and operate my car.

In june 2020 I complained that my battery drained to the point where car would not start a few times causing me to charge the battery. I took car to my subaru dealer and they told me the battery was ok and alternator was charging. I insisted the battery be replaced and it was.

Frequent battery replacement in 2016 subaru outback purchased 9/29/2016. Dealer replaced the battery under warranty on 12/11/2017, dealer replaced again on 3/22/2019 with subaru batteries both times. I replaced it again on 1/01/2021 with a walmart battery.

Battery went bad after being replaced just 3 months prior. They didn’t want to admit it.

The battery randomly drains down to the point where it won't start, if it has not been driven in a few days. We replaced the factory battery with a larger aftermarket battery when the car was less than a year old, because it kept going dead. The factory service dealer told us that they had never heard of this, so we ended up replacing the battery on our own.

Battery drains much more quickly than normal. I have replaced it 3 times in 5 years.

I have a 2016 subaru outback. I bought it 2019. I had the car 2 weeks 7/2019 and I drove it 25 minutes to train station.

Repeated failure to start stemming from a dead battery, despite daily or more often trips. When parked temporarily to pick up my children from school, the car failed to start. Received a 'jump' to restart.

Moonroof will not close once opened. Dealer quoted $1400 repair cost. Dealer suggested disabling the moon roof as an alternative to repair.

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. The contact stated that battery was replaced three times in the vehicle however, the battery failure persisted. The contact stated that a battery charger was carried in the vehicle because of the recurring failure.

Battery will not keep charge while parked. Fully depletes without warning. Will not start.

Within one week of purchase the battery was drained by the simple act of loading the car for a trip over the course of one day. Twice during the first year we found the battery inexplicably dead. We replaced the oem with a new battery 13 months after purchase.

Battery needed charge repeatedly then died about year 3. We replaced with larger800 amp battery. But at 2 year it starts failing the same.

Battery is suffering excessive drain. Last replaced battery failed within 2 years.

The car will be driven normally and then when you go to start it the battery is dead. This has occurred after multiple years and multiple times the battery has been replaced multiple times. The dealer has refused to look for a problem since they say it is my fault.

I have replaced the battery 4 times since buying the car in 2016. I can't let it sit more than 3 days if its cold out or the battery dies. I have to jump the batteries quite frequently.

The battery has a slow drain on it. I end up having a dead battery about every 4-6 weeks and need to jump the car. I've replaced the battery, and still happens.

My car has electrical issues which cause the battery to drain. If I don't drive my car for a few days, sometimes it won't start without getting jumped or charging the battery directly. Once the vehicle is moving, everything appears to be working fine.

Battery would not recharge during short, frequent trips. Battery would not restart the car.

My battery keeps going out. I replaced a new battery and it still dies. I took the new battery back to the retailer who tested the new battery and said it was still good.

Almost new battery failed. Had replaced previous battery on sept 15, 2020 with interstate battery, and on apr. 13, 2021 in the morning the battery was found discharged despite nothing being on in car overnight.

Key will not come out of ignition cylinder intermittently. This is a known issue for subaru under their own TSB 16-112-18r.

Battery drain to zero, I can't start the engine, battery was replaced 2 years ago under warranty, and now again I do have the same problem. When I try to charge the battery it shows 100% charged, but for some reason, I can't start the engine, seems like does not have enough batter to start it.

I have had >10 events of dead battery needing charged or jumped. I almost missed my daughter's wedding due to this inconvenience. I had my battery tested and found in good operation.

The car was parked in the garage and it was above freezing. None of the lights had been left on/doors open... The car doesn't have a fob kept too close...

I purchased my outback as a new car. I ordered it. I picked it up in august of 2015.

Battery drains after the car sits for a few days. I had the battery replaced last year, and had the new battery checked recently at the dealer. They (dealer) said it was fine and saw no parasitic drain.

I purchased our outback new from a dealership in pennsylvania in march, 2016. Since that time we have had the ome and two replacement batteries fail and we are now on our 4th battery. I called the dealership and the service manager said he was unaware of any reason the batteries may have failed.

Battery often goes dead. Have replaced battery 3 or 4 times since we purchased in november 2015. Battery died in garage and in parking lot.

Battery does not hold a charge. Drains in a day just sitting in my garage. can't go anywhere for fear it will not start.

Battery continues to get drained of power for no apparent reason. I have had to get a jump start several times even after driving for 3 or more hours. When I took it to the dealership, I was told that the battery was fine, but needed to be charged.

Key intermittently cannot be removed from ignition. It is occurring more frequently.

In four years and 18000 miles, I am now on my third battery as of today. I have read of recurrent issues with 2016 outback battery failures. The second battery I bought at the original dealership when the vehicle had 13888 miles.

The car battery started dying frequently. It was replaced twice, functioned fine for a few months, and then died again. It was jumped one day, died again 4 days later, jumped again and was dead again 5 hours later.

Battery drains constantly. Car cannot sit for more than a few days without battery being dead. Subaru dealer says there is no problem.

I am continuing to have an issue with my 2016 subaru outback where it struggles to start almost all the time in cold temperatures and the battery often dies. My subaru dealership "fixed" the issue last year by replacing the battery. Now that cold weather is back, the problem is back.

Replaced original battery with subaru battery 12/2019. Needed two jump starts after virus travel protocols began (3/2020). Car parked for 3 days (1/28-30/2021) battery won't start engine.

Steering wheel locks and all lights light up on dash then vehicle completely shuts off. Tried to jump vehicle and vehicle will start but turns off a few seconds later. Subaru advise it was a defective battery.

When I tried to start my car the battery was dead. This happened twice last year and I then replaced the battery. This new battery is only 4 months old and yesterday it was dead again.

2016 outback has had battery problems since it was new, first battery replaced by subaru in late 2017. Now needed third replacement in jan 2021. Subaru will pay 50% which is $120 which is robbery as a new battery is about that much.

I have a 2016 subaru outback purchased september 2019 last year replaced the battery, yesterday the car would not strat. Jump it got it to the shop and they showed the battery, & alternator were good. I sreached and seen several complaints the are the same on 2016 to 2020.

Purchased jan 2016. Battery died 3 times while on trips & car sat for 2 weeks. Replaced battery dec 2018.

Purchased vehicle in august of 2015. Have had the battery replaced multiple times as follows: *11/20/2018 (608805) *11/01/2019 (630860) *05/18/2020 (641572) as of 01/05/2021, the vehicle battery is dead again and at moore subaru in richmond, virginia for service.

At about 71,000 miles, there is an intermittent problem with removing the ignition key from the lock. The vehicle is always stationary when this problem is noticed.

I replaced the initial battery on 10/22/2018 with a battery recommended for this vehicle. 4/17/20 I replaced the battery again. On november 15, 2020 the car battery was completely drained.

2016 subaru outback - this started back in march 2020 when we reduced travel due to covid-19. If the car is stationary/parked and not driven or started the battery will go down within 7 to 10 days. At that time the car remote will not open any door or tailgate but the security dash light will still be blinking.

I am the original owner having purchased the vehicle on 10/13/2015. I have had 4 batteries since initial ownership: 1.10/13/2015 2.10/21/2017 (subaru replaced under warranty) 3.4/14/2019 (purchased battery from csaa) 4.10/28/2020 (replaced by csaa) it appears to have a defective electrical system.

Purchased the vehicle, certified pre-owned, in 2018. After only one year of ownership, the battery died and it was replaced.

Vehicle's battery continues to drain for no apparent reason. This has been an issue since we bought the vehicle. The vehicle was take to subaru for warranty service and they deemed there was not an issue.

We purchased a 2016 outback in 2019 with relatively low mileage and within the first few months of owning the battery failed on us multiple times and the car required a jump in order to start. This happened when on grocery trips, outside our house in the morning, and even multiple times in the middle of winter when returning to the airport after a business trip.

Battery dies when parked in garage, sometimes only after sitting overnight. Careful to be sure no lights are left on or doors ajar. I'm now on my third battery in 4 years.

I am not able to remove the key from the ignition switch when the vehicle is in park. The vehicle is stationary yet when traveling I need to leave the key in the ignition, restart the car stressing my ignition system, or move slightly in reverse and back to park to remove the key. Each time is different, sometimes I can remove the key, sometimes I cannot.

My keys kept getting stuck in the ignition because of an electrical malfunction that caused the steering column to be unable to detect when the car was put into park. I had the entire gear shifter replaced. This seems to be a far too common problem on this model of subaru outbacks.

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. The contact stated that while her vehicle was in the driveway of her residence, the vehicle failed to start without warning. The contact asked a neighbor for assistance with the vehicle.

I have had 3 batteries replaced in the past four years. Periodically the battery just drains unexpectedly and I am stuck wherever the vehicle happens to be parked. This is not a result of lights being left on, doors open, radio on, etc.

When the liftgate is closing a "clicking" noise is made due to stress on the liftgate motor. This is caused because of the significant amount of strain on the motor to open the liftgate. This is a significant safety issue because the motor was designed to be under significant stress and when it fails, will cause the liftgate to fall potentially injuring my children unloading the trunk.

Unable to remove key from ignition when turned off. Intermittent issue, appears many people have the problem. Appears that dealers want to charge big $$ to fix, subaru needs to step up, there is a tsp on this issue

About 4 weeks ago we started having trouble removing our key from the ignition after driving and putting the shifter in park. Our 2015 outback has just over 58,000 miles. The key won't turn to the final "click" for removal.

Since purchasing vehicle on 6/16/2016 we have had a recurring problem with drivers side window engaging the auto-reversing (anti-entrapment) feature causing an inability to close window. We have mentioned this issue to dealership numerous times sometimes documented, sometimes not. They reset switch, only for the problem to return.

This morning 7/21/2020 my battery failed for the 4th time in 4 years. I purchased the car new on 2/29/2016-yes leap year. Each time the battery was totally drained.

This morning 7/21/2020 my battery failed for the 4th time in a little over 4 years. Dead, completely drained according to aaa. First the original subaru battery, then a better delco replaced that, then another better delco, now another.

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru outback. The contact stated that the ignition switch failed to allow the removal of the key while the gear shifter was in the park position. The contact was able to remove the key from the ignition with the gear shifter in the drive position.

Battery runs out for no apparent reason, especially when not driven far or frequently. First battery replaced by dealership before 2 years, after 3 incidents. Second battery just began the same problems, it is only 2 years old.

After approx. Two weeks of inactivity, battery was completely dead. Required a jump start.

Car was purchased brand new in march 2016. Battery died august 12, 2017 during a trip from houston, texas to nebraska while sitting/eating at a sonic drive-in in edmond, oklahoma. Manufacturer reimbursed me for replacement battery cost which I purchased from walmart while on an out-of-town trip.

Irregular battery and electric issues. When car was 3-1/2 years old we drove 2 highway hours for a meeting. After the meeting (while still in the parking lot) the car was dead.

Parked on a city street and private driveway on numerous occasions, and occurring more frequently, I was unable to remove the key from the ignition; and sometimes the key would not turn in the ignition. Dealer repaired at a cost of $535.38 on feb 28, 2020. Since the repair, I have driven the car very infrequently.

Intermittently unable to remove keys from ignition, as though the electrical system is not detecting the car is in park. Work-around is usually to pump brakes, move from drive back to park, sometimes restarting ignition and then trying again. Sometimes this requires several attempts.

Repeated and unpredictable battery failure with no apparent cause, I.e. Dome lights or other accessories not powered "on"., doors or rear cargo hatch not open. Dealer analysis of electrical system found no issues however replaced battery.

Intermittent problem where the key could not be removed from the ignition making it unsafe to leave the car in a public area. (the door cannot be locked with the key in the ignition). Required replacement of the shifter assembly.

Sometimes the key will not come out of ignition when put in park. Freezes up. won't allow power lift gate to open either.

When I stop my 2016 outback after driving it my key will not come out of the ignition. It does this intermittently and is acting like I am not putting the car all the way in park. I am forced to leave my key in the ignition at times and the car will be very easy to steal.

The original equipment battery for the vehicle has been insufficient to meet the demands that the "bells and whistles" put on the reserve power in the battery. As such, this puts the driver at risk that the vehicle will not start the vehicle. Either standards should be established for reserve battery capacity, based on electrical demand, or better indication provided on available charge.

Parasitic battery drain. Battery drains and does not allow proper functioning of rear hatch. Replaced battery after 2 years.

Repeated parasitic battery drain. Battery tests fine by autozone and dealer, but car will die over a few hours or a few days. Sometimes even 10 minutes.

The keys become stuck in the ignition when attempting to park the car. Unable to remove. Also unable to turn off the car fully.

Dead battery. Three times my car has failed to start and the battery when tested with a load tester says,"bad battery". After boosting and running for a few minutes it tests "ok" and the alternator and starter test ok.

Key I unable to be removed from ignition intermittently at an increasing rate. Driver has to repeatedly put the car in drive and then park to try to remedy the issue to be able to turn off the car and remove the key.

I had difficulty several times removing the key from the ignition. The last time this happened, I was able to remove the key, but the car died. I called the dealer and they gave me the local towing company.

Intermittently all the lights in the dash will go out for approximately two seconds, then come back on. During this period of time, I have nothing on the dash, no speedometer, turn signals, eyesight, radio, etc. To me this is a safety hazard.

We purchased a 2016 subaru outback 3.6, fully-loaded with every bell and whistle regarding safety, comfort, and convenience in the middle of december 2015.

I purchased a new 2016 subaru outback on october 6, 2015. The tire pressure monitoring system activated on january 25, 2016, even though all tires had 35 PSI in them as recommended. Since that day, the system has activated 17 times, again every time the tires had the correct pressure in them.

My car required 2 repairs 5 weeks apart of the wiring bundle controlling the fog lights and low oil level sensor due to a critter chewing the bundle while it was parked. I now have bounce laundry sheets stuffed around the engine compartment at the suggestion of the dealer; they see this often from cars out of the mountains.

I purchased a replacement battery in 2023. In August of 2025, the battery died, requiring a jump start. A local auto parts store checked the battery and it tested within acceptable limits, showing around 513 amps.

Known battery drain likely from DCM and also they designed the alternator not to completely charge battery causing frequent dead battery without warning and for no operator error and causing frequent need to replace car batteries over the years.There was a class action lawsuit but no recall for these issues so has not been addressed properly.

Front Passenger Side window will not roll down. The electrical button on the driver's side is not functioning to allow it to roll down. This was a similar problem with the back passenger side window which was taken care within the first year of purchase.

Dead battery issues and DCM battery issue

Ignition key cannot be removed quite frequently. It requires restarting engine, jiggling shift lever to finally release. I see a Subaru TSB 16-112-18R has been released for this issue.

Key remains stuck in ignition upon putting vehicle in park and shutting vehicle off. Failure comes from faulty switch in the selector lever assembly. Unable to remove key from vehicle for several minutes at a time.

My key keeps getting stuck in the ignition, and forced me to have to leave the key in the car while I went in to a store, when I got back someone was in my car. I realize that this is a different type of safety issue, but it truly is a safety issue.

Passenger window will not go up like it should. Gets to the top of the window and rolls back down. Will not go up unless we do short tiny bursts on the up button slowly to make it stay shut.

The software is designed not to allow the alternator to charge the battery fully. Subaru was made aware of this issue and came out with a software update which they are charging $200 for. This is a defect that causes the car to die every time the car is turned off, they should be updating the software for free.

Per my subaru code for checking a depleting battery after not using vehicle for 3 days and then not being able to start car without a jump they said I would owe $29 to check battery as it was not a subaru battery. The code I received is sb37469152. After checking battery which checked out ok their solution to my problem is to buy a battery tender and plug it in after I go someplace.

THE BATTERY is completely unreliable - I have had 3 batteries since I purchased the car in 2015 - REPEATED RECURRENT DISCHARGE WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE - SUCH AS LIGHTS LEFT ON - PARASITIC DRAIN IT SEEMS In recent research have discovered this is not a new issue and there is a class action lawsuit settlement - I did not exclude myself and somewhat now wish that I had, in order to attempt to get some buy back incentive from Subaru.

Have had to replace the battery 2 times in the last 4 years. And currently have an app that shows the strength of the battery in addition to its cells. If the car is not driven in two to three days then the battery depletes energy.

Battery drains on its own after about a week of light use (driving <10 miles daily)

Vehicle only has 42,000 miles and I'm already on my 2nd replacement battery. Continuous battery drain by the Controller Area Network (CAN) causes premature/sudden battery failure. My battery is already groaning on morning starts and the temps are only in the 40s.

Battery drains very fast. Speakers stop working, window won’t go up, audio system freezes

My 2016 Subaru Outback has some kind of an electrical malfunction such that the battery drains rapidly. I have had to replace the battery in my car four times since purchase in 2016. I am now on my fifth battery in six years of ownership.

Battery drains quickly. Car will not start when it has been unused for as little as a day.

Car will repeatedly will not start. This has happened many times. New battery and with in weeks would not start again.

This is the 4th battery in my 2016 Outback limited. Three battery replacements in 6 years. See mechanic's report that the charging system tested good but the battery was bad.

The battery dies and needs a jump start very often. Got the battery tested and there is no issue with the battery. My observation is when the vehicle is parked and the parking brake is ON then the battery discharges.

I'm having continuing issues with premature discharging of the battery even though I now have a heavy duty battery and also carry an emergency jump start battery in case. My Outback is equipped with Onstar so it does draw power at all times, my relatively new Optima battery has shown being drawn down to 25% charge on the Optima battery charger after only 24 hours. Of non use.

Replacement battery in under 35,000 mile Subaru discharged while sitting in garage for several weeks. There have been zero earlier problems with electrical system other than the original battery dying after about three years. When jump started the charging system seemed to work and the car started after sitting overnight.

Battery dies when parked for a few days or not driven enough. Needs to be jumped several times per week.

In my 2016 Outback, the OEM battery died after 3 years. AAA put in a replacement and gave me a 3 year full replacement warranty. That battery died after 2 years while in a gas station – had to get pushed away from the pump and luckily the guy behind me had jumper cables.

Battery is dead every morning

New battery, less than 10K miles completely drained when vehicle was not used for 3 days. Similar problem with previous battery, died with 10minutes or radio use.

Shift mechanism is not releasing the vehicle key while in Park

Ignition does not release key in a reasonable manner. Must wiggle key, start/stop car multiple times, and wait for 15-20 minutes before the key releases from the ignition. Started as an occasional issue, but has become more and more constant.

Multiple jump starts due to battery dying, even after replacement battery. Car is not reliable, not able to start after not driving it for 2 days.

Have had to replace battery twice. A short time leaving a light on drains the battery very quickly.

Several times the battery has been completely drained from something little like the back end opened or door open for a longer period

Battery drains when car is off and parked with no lights on, causing multiple jump starts to the car, and a need to buy a new battery.

On my third ( 3 ) battery since 2016.

after having the 2916 Subaru outback detailed, the car wouldn't start, apparently if a door is left open for 10 minutes or more the battery drains, Jump started the vehicle and it starts right up

The ignition sensor is faulty and doesn't consistently recognize when the car is in park, and as a result, will not release the key from the ignition. After some research, many other Subaru owners have experienced this same issue.

The issue I am reporting is an issue with the electrical system that is causing battery to drain to dear overnight. This past Sunday I experienced a completely dead battery without any warning lamps or messages and no prior symptoms to indicate battery was not charging. After replacing the battery the next day, the car started with no problem.

During winter vacation in Upper Michigan my 2015 Subaru Outback did not start, (I'm from Illinois appox 45 miles west of Chicago) nothing electrical in it worked at all. Battery was totally drained. There were no problems prior to this happening.

On two occasions, car would not start. Road service was able to start it by jumping. Third occasion of no start a jump start did not work.

Battery drains for any small electrical left on appears to be electrical defective

The battery barley starts the car. We have had to replace the battery two times. We have to carry a battery starter pack with use, because it will not start some times.so we have to jump it.

I have had to replace my battery twice already in 4 years

Battery is drained while parked.

I left my home to go get gas a few minutes away. After I filled up at the pump, my car would not start. I tried several times, and asked a gas station attendant for help.

Key stuck in ignition when pull out the key after park the car.

For the past 2 years, I have had to replace the battery 4 times because it kept dying on me. I always thought I had faulty batteries until I read an article on the problem with the outback.

My battery drains quickly when I have the car off and the hatch open for an extended period of time. This has been an ongoing issue since I purchased the car in 2016.

Filed a formal complaint with subaru america after my automobile's battery died for the 4th time.I have approx. 21,000 on the car which was bought new in 2016. The battery dies when the car sits overnight (it is garaged every night).

Battery drains excessively fast. If not driven frequently for longer distances battery dies.

The battery drained after a short drive when only 2 years old. The same thing happened to the next battery after only 1 year. Each time the car had to be jumped and the battery tested bad.

Vehicle was stationary. Car will not start unless charged. Bought new battery in february 2020.

With approximately 50,000 miles on the vehicle, I have had to replace the battery two times. This vehicle has a problem with its design that allows the battery to drain to a completely dead and irreversible state even when the vehicle is driven at highway speeds for a meaningful period of time each day. The first occurrence was in may, 2018 and the second occurrence was april, 2021.

Dead battery within first year of ownership, at 75,000 miles now and third battery has now failed.

Battery dying after short drive

Battery drains quickly. Changing battery doesn't help.

I had to replace the battery 3 times since I bought the car in 2016 due to it draining so low it couldn't be charged. Purchased a battery via aaa

Battery drain which caused electrical and lift gate to stop functioning.

Battery dies frequently without obvious cause, even after replacing battery sooner than expected. It happens after driving for 30 minutes, turning it off for a short period like 15-20 minutes, then trying to restart, as well as after sitting for 8-10 hours.

Parasitic drain of battery by faulty electrical system overnight.

Battery continues to die even after battery replacement. This issue started to happen 1 year post ownership

I believe I am experiencing battery drain due to some flaw in the electrical system. I'm on my 2nd. Battery and just found I couldn't start car and needed a jump.

I have now had two complete battery discharges requiring jump starts when the hatch is opened and closed several times without the vehicle being turned on. Over a period of a few hours when I opened and closed the trunk with the automated open/close about 4-5 times the battery completely discharged required jump start. The first time I bought a mew battery figuring it was bad.

We started drained batteries at 57,000 miles (we are at 61,000 miles now), which was about november 2020. As of today, this is our 4th time having a dead battery. We had a service check from van subaru kansas city, mo in the last month or so.

I if the car has not been started at least every 2 days the battery is dead and won't start. You also can't leave the doors open while vacuuming the inside or the battery will die on you. There has been a lot of chatter about this many places calling it a parasitic drain.

Our car battery has repeatedly died, without any extended use (I.e., no lights were left on, doors open, etc). We will drive it and then come back out to the car and the battery will be dead. We had the battery checked and were informed it was in excellent condition.

Have had to replace battery 4x in 18 months. Currently have another dead battery three days after replacing. Car cannot sit for more than 4-5 days without losing batter charge.

Premature battery failure has happened on a number of occasions. Whether at home or after a short trip, the car becomes unable to start without assistance. The vehicle won't start as if it has dead battery but then operators normally for a period of time after a jump start from another vehicle or after being placed on a battery charger.

The battery has gone dead at least 3 times, even after fresh replacement. The first time was due to rear inside light being switched on (according to the subaru service technician). The second time was while out running errands.

Battery drain issue when the vehicle sits for more than three days will have a weak start. Battery will drain if radio is on with car not running in between 15-30 minutes. My second battery is ready for replacement in 4 years.

Car repeatedly stopped working because of dead battery. Car was purchased new in 2016. First instance was when lift gate was left open over night in garage, 2 years after purchase.

Battery drains prematurely. The vehicle is 5 years old and is in need of a 3rd battery replacement. The vehicle has been jump started 4 times over the years.

Key will not release from ignition switch when parked after driving. Requires multiple shifting from park to drive and back to park before key will release. Frequency of occurrence is now every other day.

This is the second time we've had to replace our 2016 outback battery. It begins with a sluggish start and then eventually, the battery won't turn the engine.

My 2016 outback battery is constantly going dead for no reason what so ever. If it sits for one day without being driven, the battery will be dead. I can switch out the battery and it will fix the issue for a few months, then back to the battery being dead if the car sits for one day without being driven.

Battery is drained prematurely. Possibly by a drain from the ecm. I had to replace the battery after only 1 year of use.

With 39000+ miles on we are on 3rd battery. Waiting for relative to help..husband disabled and had to cancel dr appt today as it would not start...scared to go anywhere for fear it will not start. Not good.fortunately most times it has been in the garage.

Subaru service department bertera subaru of hartford stating ignition switch plate needs replacement $650 job multiple occurrences with other vehicles of same model year

The battery in the car has failed 4 times in 4 years. Subaru cannot find the reason for the failure. This is not normal and appears to be defect in the car.

The battery prematurely dies, typically after using the radio or other accessories for only a short while (10 minutes) without the engine running. This has happened to my vehicle 2 times in the last 4 months. In both cases, the battery has been tested and shown to be fine.

The car is stationary when this happens. The ignition key gets stuck in the ignition after turning the car off. Besides being annoying, this prevents the car from being locked thus introduces a theft risk.

I've had to replace the battery twice in two years. Normal operation drains battery prematurely.

The ignition key keeps getting stuck in the ignition. When attempting to stop the vehicle to park, the key cannot be removed. This is a well known problem as far as internet reports go yet subaru has not been called out on this.

The key cannot be removed from the vehicle approx 50% of the time. Key stays in the "on" position without the engine running. The car has to be restarted, shifted into reverse, then forward several times before the key can safely be removed.

Car dies frequently, keep replacing with new batteries . Many reported lawsuits online for electrical issues in subaru outback 2016.

Key sticks in ignition when parked and turning off the vehicle. Key turns, but not to the point where it reaches the position of removal. It often takes several starts and turn off's to achieve removal of the key.

The battery of the vehicle(subaru outback 2016 3.6 r) failed several times. The battery drains very quickly. Especially when the car ran for several short trips, the battery was suddenly dead.

Key is constantly stuck in the ignition due to a faulty sensor not recognizing the vehicle is in park.

Experienced repeated dead battery after not using the car for a week. First I thought I was leaving lights on or a door open, so I would call roadside assistance to get a jump, but the problem started getting worse. On the third year of ownership, after one or two days of not using the car, the battery was completely dead.

The battery on our 2016 subaru outback keeps discharging and car won't start. It is in the garage. Drove it to the store yesterday.

Battery fails regularly causing complete stop. Electric system to windows, especially passenger window, fails without any known reason

Repeated drained battery from multiple short drives

Once parking the vehicle and placing it in park, the key stays locked in the ignition. This isn't related to the steering wheel being locked in place, the key is stuck. Shifting in/out of park needs to happen multiple times.

My outback has around 42,000 miles on it. I am having trouble getting the key to come out of the ignition after putting it in park. So far about half the time I turn the car off I need to shift it into reverse and then jam it back into park in order for it to unlock the key from the ignition.

I cannot turn the key in the ignition to release the key after I've put the car in park the first time. It can take up to several minutes of attempts to turn the key to various point (lights on/accessories on/engine on), different brake positions, shifting to other gears and back to park. This seems to happen more frequently in the winter.

Car is in park and engine is off and can not get key out of ignition. I then have to start car and move vehicle and hopes that when I stop car again I can get the key out. This is a safey issue as I can not leave car with key in ignition in public place.

On multiple occasions while parked for only a few hours. The battery voltage has dropped to a level that required the vehicle to be jump started. The vehicle has no aftermarket devices.

I having problem getting my key out of the ignition from my suburu outback 2016, almost everytime I stopped an engine this problem occur.

Problem in shifter gate so that key will not release from ignition after placing in park and turning off the engine.

Ignition key gets stuck in the ignition and won't come out. Even after trying to turn the steering wheel which isn't locked. This happens when turning the car off.

Car won't start the next morning even after charging for 30 min via continuous driving/parasitic drain on battery

With car stationary, engine off and car in park, keyed ignition will not turn to lock position or release key. This has happened repeatedly for two weeks, often more than once a day, from 3/10/2019 and continuing through yesterday, the last time the car was driven.

Electronic parking brake engaged automatically due to switch assembly module failure while car was in motion at between 25-30mph. Car stopped instantly, passengers thrown forward, all-power died. Cars in rear stopped short.

The ignition key does not release whe the ignition is turned off and the car is put in park.

I have learned because my wifes car is also a 2016 subaru that soy based materials have been used in wiring and hoses of my outback creating a dangerous situation since rodents and squirrels are attracted to this product and will chew on them the manufacturer has not provided a replacement to the soy products so this is a long term safety concern that needs to be rectified.