2016 Subaru Legacy · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

28owner reports
0involved a crash

Newest report Jun 3, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

51 of the 146 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 28 of those describe dead battery, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2016 Legacy.

Tick what matches of 28 reports

dead after sitting a day or two

needed a jump start

battery replaced more than once

warning lights or messages

the dealer found a drain

the dealer found nothing

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (28 reports) and the alternator (6 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the electrical system covers the 2016 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Legacy

PE99-067opened Nov 1, 1999

Electrical · model years 1995 to 1997

Electrical system. Closed may 31, 2000, led to recall 00I-002.

NHTSA summary

ODI HAS RECEIVED 5,820 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN THE VEHICLE STALLING.OUR COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE COMPAINTS ARE CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.IN SOME INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT RESTART.BASED ON OUR INVESTIGATION AND THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPOMSE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO PERFORM THE OWNER NORTIFICATION PROGRAM CITED ABOVE, INCLUDING QUARTERLY NOTIFICATIONS TO ODI.THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS OWNERS TO GET THEIR ALTERNATOR REPLACED FOR FREE.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS MATTER CLOSELY, AND THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THESE MODELS IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.

When it happens

Too few of these reports state a mileage to give a range.

120

1021

822

523

124

125

226

What owners wrote

“Consistent problems with parasitic battery drain. If the car is ever left to sit for more than two weeks, the battery will have died. I have to be careful because the battery does not recoup the energy required to start the vehicle in city driving. The second battery I installed in the car (7/2021) has failed prematurely and again requires replacement.”
Filed Jan 20, 2023

“Battery drains completely and will not start if not driven for a day. Have had the battery rep,aced twice and electrical system checked, yet batteries continue to discharge and are dead if the vehicle is not driven for one day.”
Filed Oct 11, 2022

“Start up issues, often need to jump vehicle with a relatively new battery. Power window issues”
Filed Sep 26, 2022

“Battery is draining and needing replaced far more often than is typical. Constant corrosion build up on the battery.”
Filed Jan 11, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 28 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.