RoadVitals

2016 Subaru BRZ

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Apr 7, 2024
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Subaru BRZ, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and other / unspecified categories. 190 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes125.0%
  • Electrical125.0%
  • Other / unspecified125.0%
  • Suspension125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesOther / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Apr 7, 2024
Crash reported

On the day before Easter, while driving down W. Colonial Dr., a car suddenly pulled out in front of me, causing me to slam on the brakes. immediately after, it seemed like the brake booster blew out, as my brakes started making a hissing sound and felt like they were losing pressure. Additionally, I noticed a clunking noise coming from my car. Three or four days later, while driving, my brakes failed and I ended up rear-ending another vehicle. I contacted the dealership from where I purchased the car less than a month ago, but I am still unsure if they will help me fix it. There seems to be a problem with the bearings or the suspension in addition to the brakes, but I am not sure if the dealership will help me fix any of these issues.

NHTSA ID
11581632
Incident
Apr 3, 2024
Electrical
Filed May 15, 2021

MY BRZ IS EXPERIENCING BATTERY DRAIN ISSUES. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH AN OEM BATTERY FROM SUBARU, BUT MY CAR STILL HAS A DRAIN ON THE BATTERY. I HAD TO PURCHASE A PORTABLE JUMP STARTER KIT TO ENSURE THAT IF THE CAR DIDN'T START THAT I HAD A JUMP AVAILABLE. I HAVE NOT BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AS OF NOW. THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE LEFT A LIGHT ON, BUT WHEN I HAD THE CAR JUMP STARTED, I NOTICED THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON.

NHTSA ID
11416718
Incident
Jan 29, 2021
Mileage
78,000 mi
Filed Mar 28, 2018

"TAKATA RECALL" FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW IS TEMPERMENTAL AND ON MANY OCCASIONS WILL NOT CLOSE UNLESS INCHED UP CAREFULLY IN INCREMENTS. SINCE THIS IS DONE WHILE DRIVING IT IS A GREAT DISTRACTION AND IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WIRING WAS ALREADY REPLACED, BUT WAS TOLD BY ATTENDANT THAT HER CAR WINDOW DOES THE SAME THING AND IS CAUSED BY THE EXPANSION OF THE PLASTIC PIECE ON THE TOP OF THE WINDOW SILL NEEDED FOR CLOSURE. THIS IS A LAYPERSONS EXPLANATION OF THE EXISTING PROBLEM. THE WINDOW SOMETIMES GOES UP OR DOWN AND NOT HALF WAY AS WELL. THE OTHER THREE WINDOWS WORK WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED WITHOUT DELAY.

NHTSA ID
11081763
Incident
Oct 13, 2017

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SubaruNet Annoucement (E

This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.

01-167-08R

This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.

SubaruNet Announcement (R

POWER TRAIN

This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.

15-337-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin announces the design change made to the front speaker assembly which have been redesigned with higher durability damper. This change was introduced to prevent internal interference of the front speaker.

07-240-26R

This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20.

03-97-26

POWER TRAIN

This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Subaru BRZ by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025000—
2024300—
2023100—
2022101032.6
2021000—
2020200—
2019110—
2018120—
2017700—
2016Viewing300—
2015300—
2014600—
2013642045.6

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.