P0116 on Subaru vehicles The engine coolant temperature sensor reading does not track the engine's actual warm-up
P0116 is named on 11 Subaru model years (2016–2020): 13 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports in NHTSA’s files, across Legacy/Outback, Legacy, Outback, WRX.
Which Subaru model years name P0116
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Subaru Legacy/Outback | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2016 Subaru Legacy/Outback | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2020 Subaru WRX | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2019 Subaru Legacy | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2019 Subaru Outback | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2019 Subaru WRX | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2018 Subaru Legacy | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2018 Subaru Outback | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2018 Subaru WRX | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2017 Subaru WRX | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2016 Subaru WRX | Engine | 1 | — |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
Subaru filings that name P0116
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Subaru filed with NHTSA whose summary names P0116. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- 11-201-21 Service bulletin2021-02-04 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- This bulletin announces availability of reprogramming files to optimize the Engine Control Module (ECM). The new files will address DTC P0116 and hard starting in cold temperature concerns when an accessory engine block heater is utilized.
What P0116 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIThe engine coolant temperature sensor reading does not track the engine's actual warm-up.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Subaru and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs P0116 a known problem on Subaru vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 13 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports naming P0116 on 11 Subaru model years (2016–2020). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Subaru models does P0116 appear on most?
2017 Legacy/Outback (2 documents), 2016 Legacy/Outback (2 documents), 2019 Legacy (1 document).
Does P0116 on a Subaru mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.