Steering control may be reduced

(Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016.

Vehicles covered: 2015 to 2017
Evidence level: Official safety recall
Information reviewed: August 3, 2026
Jurisdiction: United States

What the reviewed source says

Start with the documented condition, not a parts guess.

NHTSA campaign 16V292000 includes certain 2015 to 2017 Subaru Outback vehicles. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.

Words owners may use

Does this match the moment?

“steering suddenly feels heavy”“power steering stopped working”“wheel is hard to turn”“steering warning light”“car pulls while steering”“loss of steering assist”

Symptoms in the pattern

Steering effort, response or control may change, sometimes with a warning message
An open campaign appears when the complete VIN is checked
Some recalled vehicles may show no advance warning before the component fails

Vehicles and scope

2015 to 2017 Subaru Outback
NHTSA campaign 16V292000
The manufacturer filing lists 48,819 potentially affected units across the complete campaign.
VIN eligibility determines whether this recall applies to an individual vehicle
NHTSA marks this campaign with a Do Not Drive advisory

Manufacturer position

What the official procedure directs

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65.

Mileage context

Safety recall eligibility is based on the VIN and campaign scope, not ordinary warranty mileage. Check the complete VIN even when the vehicle is outside its original warranty.

Original evidence

Open the documents behind this page.

NHTSA safety recall · 16V292000 · May 11, 2016

Official campaign record for Subaru Outback

NHTSA campaign data lists the defect, safety consequence and manufacturer remedy. The manufacturer filing lists 48,819 potentially affected units across the complete campaign.

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Repair paths and safe checks

Separate the diagnosis from the action.

Official repair pathAuthorised dealer · Confirm with VIN

Use the official recall remedy

Boundary

Do not buy parts from the campaign description alone. VIN scope, superseded remedies and parts availability can change.

What owners reported

Did this repair fix the same symptom on your car?

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Which vehicle? optional

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Safe owner checkBasic check · 5 minutes

Check the complete VIN before arranging work

Enter the 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup and ask the manufacturer or an authorised dealer to confirm whether the campaign is open for this vehicle.

Boundary

A year, make and model match does not prove that every vehicle is included. The VIN result controls eligibility.

What owners reported

Did this repair fix the same symptom on your car?

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Which vehicle? optional

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Useful before authorizing work

Read the method beside the problem

These guides explain the safety and evidence checks that apply to this problem file.

Safety6 min read

Check recalls by VIN

A VIN search checks the displayed NHTSA records for an unrepaired safety recall associated with one vehicle. A model search shows only the wider campaign population.

Read guide ↗

Safety and triage8 min read

When a car is unsafe

A warning light does not always mean the same thing, but weak brakes or smoke leave little room for experimentation. Damaged tires and certain recall instructions can do the same.

Read guide ↗

Diagnosis and symptoms8 min read