2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 84 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is structure (26% of complaints); the 2007 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
84
owner complaints
8
fire reports
101,453
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 101,453 mi)Weak spot: structure (26%)8 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)26% · 21 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)19% · 15 complaints
Exterior Lighting (headlights, taillights)14% · 11 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)11% · 9 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)5% · 4 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)5% · 4 complaints
“I have had 3 Subarus in the last 2 years. All 3-a 2006 Subaru Tribeca B9, a 2007 Subaru Tribeca B9, and a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek have had electrical and lighting problems. They all have burnt out headlights, interior lights and fog lights, have loose wiring that has affected the computer and navigation system. 2 of them lost all lighting. The Subaru Crosstrek burnt out all the lights in one incident and the 2007 Subaru Tribeca B9 had an alternator problem that fried all the lights at one time as well as the navigation system. They all have more lights lit on the dash than there should be.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2023
“The contact owns a 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and was unable to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled. The contact pulled off of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was with the electronic control module. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2020
Show 7 more owner reports
“I was driving vehicle ima city street and vehicle unexpectedly turned off. Tried to turn on the car again and it ran but once again unexpectedly turned off.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2020
“Hood release cable is bad and will completely break if not repaired soon! If this breaks, it will be extremely difficult to open the hood.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2019
“I was driving on the highway about 65-70 mph and my hood flew open striking the windshield causing me to drive into a guard rail. Currently experiencing neck and back issues. I was never notified of this recall.”Owner report · Structure · Feb 2019
“The driver side seat. Electrical adjuster button stopped working for the forward position. It will move up , down & backward. I was out of town & when I stopped in my daughters driveway , moved the seat back, as my phone slipped under the seat. I was horrified when I couldn't move it back. I had over 150 miles to drive back home. I had to use several pillows to reach the steering wheel so I could drive back home. I did some research and found out that many subaru owners of various models and make years have had the same problem , with driver side forward switch. I'm trying to find out if there has been any recalls on this problem. I bought this vehicle in june of 2016, from power ford.”Owner report · Seats · Dec 2018
“Takata recall my air bag light stayed on after I had my passenger air bag replaced , now they are telling me my drivers side airbag needs to be replaced because of this and it is not part of the recall it is an internal short so they want to replace the whole airbag for 860 dollars plus labor”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2018
“I have received numerous notices to have my front passenger airbag replaced. On two occasions I have made appointments with the local corpus christi subaru dealer to have this remedied. On both occasions they tell me that the parts are unavailable. The latest notice dated 8/17 tells me that. "parts are available", however the dealer tells me they are not. I keep getting the runaround and in the meantime I cannot have a passenger sit in my front seat and I don't feel save driving it.”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v016000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Vista subaru of silverthorne, colorado (171 9th st, 80498) was made aware of the recall and stated that the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2017
When filing, owners marked a crash in 5 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2006 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
TransmissionAutomatic
Drive typeAWD/All-Wheel Drive
Body stylesSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
How other years compare
Check your exact B9 Tribeca by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca reliable?
NHTSA has 84 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The most complained-about area is structure (26% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 101,453 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.