Total Complaints
3 filings
SUBARU WRX STI · model year
2016 SUBARU WRX STI
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2016SUBARUWRX STI carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2016 WRX STI is exterior lighting with 1 filings, followed by engine (1) and unknown or other (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2016 WRX STI. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190222UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK IN KEY FOB PRESS. WILL BEEP CONTINIOUSLY, ONE DOOR WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT OPEN. ONLY AFFECTS MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR.
Mileage: 12,000
20180906ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU WRX STI. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT, BUT NO SMOKE WAS PRESENT. THE ODOMETER GAUGE NEEDLE MOVED TO THE HOT INDICATOR. THE CONTACT WOULD TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SPURR SUBARU (6331 BROCKPORT SPENCERPORT RD, BROCKPORT, NY 14420, (585)-637-9582) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE'S LEASE EXPIRED IN TWO MONTHS AND TO TURN IN THE VEHICLE AFTER IT EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
Mileage: 23,000
20180615EXTERIOR LIGHTING
OUT OF NOWHERE, THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN THE CENTER OF THE DASH DISPLAYED "HEADLIGHTS DISABLED" THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFFI FLICKED THE SWITCH ON AND OFF AND IT CAME BACK ON AND THEN ONLY ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND THE OTHER WAS OFF AND WOULDN'T COME BACK ON. ONE HOUR LATER TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OK
Mileage: 29,500
Compare 2016SUBARUWRX STI to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2016 SUBARU WRX STI have?▼
The 2016 SUBARU WRX STI has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 SUBARU WRX STI?▼
The most-complained component for the 2016 SUBARU WRX STI is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2016 SUBARU WRX STI safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2016 SUBARU WRX STI; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.