Model year guide

2006 Subaru tribeca

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2006 Subaru tribeca is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 435 on record.

2006 Subaru tribeca — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2006 Subaru tribeca at a glance

Safety recalls8
Owner complaints93

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2006 Subaru tribeca recalls 8

Electrical System:ignition:switch NHTSA Campaign #19V297000 · manufacturer #WUF-91 · 11/04/2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight o…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V026000 · manufacturer #TKB-17 · 11/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penns…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V014000 · manufacturer #TKA-17 · 10/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (S…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V016000 · manufacturer #TKC-17 · 10/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2006-2008 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), Tribeca, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistan…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V358000 · manufacturer #TKA-16 · 25/05/2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru'…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V359000 · manufacturer #TKB-16 · 25/05/2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennes…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This…

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch NHTSA Campaign #16V060000 · manufacturer #WQX-59 and WQY-60 · 03/02/2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Tribeca vehicles manufactured November 16, 2004, to January 27, 2014. Due to a possible malfunction of the hood safety system and hood lock system, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving.

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will complete this recall in two phases. Phase one will involve inspection, cleaning, and lubricating the hood safety and hood lock systems. If after this is performed the hood latch does not operate properly, it will be replaced with a new current style part.…

Exterior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #12V602000 · manufacturer #WQE-41 · 26/12/2012

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2006 Subaru tribeca common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 93 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Visibility/wiper
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.

2006 Subaru tribeca safety ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Frontal — driver★★★★★
Frontal — passenger★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★

Rollover risk: 16.4% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca 4-DR. w/SAB. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 147

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 147.

This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.

Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (M · Electrical System · Oct 2026

This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.

Bulletin 13-109-26 · Sep 2026

This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.

Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (C · Sep 2026

This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Bulletin 15-333-25R · Electrical System · Sep 2026

This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Bulletin 15-304-22R · Electrical System · Sep 2026

This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.This is an revised ve…

Bulletin 15-308-23R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

Bulletin 15-304-22R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

Techtips newsletter locator index.

Bulletin Article Locator · Electrical System · Aug 2026

This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin

Bulletin 15-333-25R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

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

Bulletin SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Jun 2026

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the TRIBECA AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 4

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru tribeca. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Electrical

Issue: A problem with certain replacement ignition switches may allow the key turn out of the “ON” position while driving. This could cause the engine to turn off suddenly. It could also cause the airbag system not to work properly in a crash. Note: This is a voluntary service campaign that is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This prob…

Transport Canada #2019191 · Apr 2019

Airbag

On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could b…

Transport Canada #2017020 · Jan 2017

Structure

On certain vehicles, the primary and secondary hood latches could fail at the same time. If this were to occur, the hood could open unexpectedly while the vehicle is being driven. This could compromise the driver's ability to see the road and its users, as well as cause damage to the windshield. These issues could result in a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correct…

Transport Canada #2016048 · Feb 2016

Accessories

On certain vehicles equipped with dealer-installed accessory puddle lights, a short circuit may develop causing the lights to melt and/or emit smoke. This could result in a fire causing property damage and/or injury. Correction: Dealers will install an additional fused wiring harness to protect against short circuits.

Transport Canada #2012444 · Dec 2012

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Subaru tribeca

The Subaru Tribeca is a mid-size crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Subaru for model years 2005-2014. Released in some markets, including Canada, as the Subaru B9 Tribeca, the name derived from the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. Built on the Subaru Legacy platform and sold in five- and seven-seat configurations, the Tribeca was intended to be sold alongside a slightly revised version known as the Saab 9-6X. Saab, at the time a subsidiary of General Motors (GM), abandoned the 9-6X program just prior to its release subsequent to GM's 2005 divestiture of its 20 percent stake in FHI.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2006 Subaru tribeca trims & engines on record

Trims
BASE-E · 5ST-E
Engines
3.0L

2006 Subaru tribeca vehicles on record

Other Subaru tribeca model years

2006 Subaru tribeca — frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Subaru tribeca have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru tribeca. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru tribeca?

Across all 93 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are structure, air bags, exterior lighting.

What is the 2006 Subaru tribeca safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2006 Subaru tribeca crash-test ratings of frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.