2016 Subaru Outback Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the 2016 Subaru Outback, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 38,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “windshield cracked” (28% of reports).
- 83visibility/wiper complaints
- 38,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 66%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Windshield cracked: mentioned in 23 of 83 complaints (28%)
- Crack appeared: mentioned in 8 of 83 complaints (10%)
- View mirror: mentioned in 5 of 83 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 60 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 83 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Subaru Outback visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 5 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Outback | 22 | 21% | — |
| 2023 Outback | 16 | 18% | — |
| 2022 Outback | 255 | 55% | — |
| 2021 Outback | 97 | 33% | 3,000 |
| 2020 Outback | 313 | 35% | 5,000 |
| 2019 Outback | 326 | 31% | 10,000 |
| 2018 Outback | 234 | 29% | 21,775 |
| 2017 Outback | 205 | 22% | 33,000 |
| 2016 Outback | 83 | 13% | 38,000 |
| 2015 Outback | 130 | 25% | 9,000 |
| 2014 Outback | 8 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2013 Outback | 11 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Outback | 5 | 2% | 79,500 |
| 2011 Outback | 18 | 3% | 99,351 |
| 2010 Outback | 5 | 1% | 60,219 |
| 2009 Outback | 8 | 8% | 94,500 |
| 2008 Outback | 8 | 4% | 83,000 |
| 2007 Outback | 1 | 1% | 64,200 |
| 2006 Outback | 4 | 1% | 123,500 |
| 2005 Outback | 6 | 2% | 98,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility/wiper for the 2016 Subaru Outback. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1.Windshield crack in the deicing area. Driving on a highway heard a loud boom as if a very big rock hit the car. 30-40 second later there was another boom of normal loudness. At this moment windshield crack has been noticed. The windshield will not be available, replacing it on 12/22/2025 2…
I had a rock thrown at my vehicle's windshield and required a replacement. I went to a Subaru dealership, Zeigler Subaru of Kenosha, local to me for a replacement. A day after I received my car, the windshield developed a hairline crack emanating from the bottom. I brought it back to the dealer and…
Media screen failure. Is available for inspection. Safety of pedestrians or other accident at risk because the screen is useless in bright sunlight. Planning to complain to dealer. No warning signal or alert when backing up when screen is unreadable. This has caused accidents x 3 for my family…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Subaru Outbacks have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 83 owner complaints about visibility/wiper for the 2016 Subaru Outback (13% of the 643 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Subaru Outback visibility/wiper?
No recall currently lists visibility/wiper for this vehicle.
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems start?
The median reported mileage is 38,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the 2016 Subaru Outback?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield cracked”, in 23 of 83 complaints, followed by “crack appeared” (8).
Other 2016 Subaru Outback problems
- Electrical System problems (309)
- Engine problems (53)
See all 2016 Subaru Outback problems or visibility/wiper problems across all Outback years.