Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2006 Subaru Outback — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2022 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is vehicle speed control problems (52 complaints). 7 complaints involved crashes. 3 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (7)
NHTSA Campaign: 20V003000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 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, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V002000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X 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, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V001000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X 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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V297000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
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 on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V311000
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Risk: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V323000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles are now only part of this campaign. Note: On December 18, 2015 Subaru informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy and 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V110000
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
Risk: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 280)
Service Brakes →5 issues
Your brake pedal suddenly sank to the floor while driving, leaving you unable to stop the vehicle. You noticed a puddle of fluid pooling under the rear passenger area. This happened without any warning lights appearing on your dashboard, making it a dangerous situation that fortunately you were able to control by pulling over.
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Your brake warning light came on while driving downhill, and you discovered your brakes had almost completely failed. Investigation revealed that mud and water had accumulated behind a plastic shield at the rear of your car, causing the brake lines to corrode and leak brake fluid out of the system. This issue apparently had a recall in certain regions but not in your area. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the corroded brake lines, flushing the brake system, and potentially installing improved shielding to prevent future mud and water accumulation.
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While driving at 35 mph, your brake pedal went completely to the floor when you tried to stop, forcing you to pump the brakes and use the emergency brake to bring the car to a halt. Upon inspection, you found both rear brake lines heavily rusted at the connections, with the passenger side rear brake line burst at a joint before the line runs over the gas tank. This loss of braking pressure was caused by the burst brake line and will require replacement of the damaged brake lines and possibly a brake system inspection to ensure proper function.
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Your brake lines rusted through in areas where they weren't protected by clips, causing you to lose all your brake fluid and lose the ability to stop your vehicle. This is a serious safety issue that requires immediate repair of the brake lines and refilling of the brake fluid system.
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Your brake lines were supposed to be replaced during a recall in 2015, but it appears only a spray was applied instead. Now at 288,500 miles, your right rear brake line has rusted through where it mounts to the body, causing a brake failure. Fortunately, you were able to stop safely, but this is a serious safety issue. The repair will require replacing the corroded brake line and possibly the brake fluid system.
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Vehicle Speed Control →3 issues
Your throttle pedal suddenly stopped responding while driving on the highway at 50-60 mph, causing your car to slow down dramatically. The check engine light came on and your cruise control light began flashing. After restarting the car, the throttle worked again for about 5 miles before the same problem happened a second time. This issue appears to be intermittent and could involve the throttle control system, electronic sensors, or related wiring that may need diagnosis and repair.
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Your engine RPM suddenly spins up to three times normal speed and your throttle pedal stops responding. This has happened three times — twice while driving and once while parked. The only way to fix it is to pull over, turn off the car, and restart it, which usually (but not always) works. Your car's diagnostic code indicates a throttle system problem, and you're concerned this could happen while driving on a highway where you couldn't safely pull over.
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Your accelerator pedal got stuck in the up position while driving at 35 mph, and your car went into limp mode with the check engine light coming on. After pulling over and restarting the vehicle, it drove normally to your home, but the problem happened several more times. The issue started at 160,000 miles and may be related to the throttle control system or engine sensor.
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Vehicle Speed Control,fuel/propulsion System →2 issues
Your gas pedal stopped responding, leaving you unable to accelerate your vehicle. This appears to be related to the drive-by-wire electrical system that controls fuel delivery. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the electronic throttle control system and replacing the faulty sensor or wiring.
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While driving at highway speed, your car suddenly lost power and the check engine light came on solid while the cruise control light blinked. Your accelerator pedal stopped responding and the car began slowing down on its own. When you stopped and shifted to neutral, the engine stayed around 2800 RPM without you pressing the gas pedal. A diagnostic code (P2138) indicated a problem with the accelerator pedal position sensor. The fix will likely involve replacing or recalibrating the throttle position sensor or accelerator pedal assembly.
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Electrical System →2 issues
Your car's throttle position sensor is sending conflicting signals to the engine computer, which causes it to enter "limp mode" (severely reduced power) without warning. This happens intermittently, especially when there's high humidity or condensation on the car after cool nights, and can be dangerous if it occurs while driving in traffic or accelerating from a stop. When this happens, your check engine light and cruise control light will flash. The fix will likely involve inspecting, cleaning, or replacing the throttle position sensor or related electrical connections.
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Your rear hatch door's security lock isn't working properly. This means the hatch may not lock securely when you close it, or it might be difficult to open.
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Service Brakes, Hydraulic →1 issue
After your 2006 Subaru Outback had a recall brake repair completed, the brakes failed while your wife was driving at 35 mph — the brake pedal didn't stop the car even when pressed. The low brake fluid warning light came on, and she had to keep pumping the brakes until the vehicle finally slowed down enough to pull over safely. The vehicle wasn't drivable afterward and had to be towed home. A brake system inspection and repair will be needed to determine why the brakes failed after the recall work.
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Vehicle Speed Control,engine →1 issue
Your engine randomly loses power and shuts down while driving, forcing you to coast to a stop, turn off the ignition, and restart—sometimes taking multiple attempts. This has happened three times and poses a serious safety risk, especially in heavy traffic where you may not be able to safely pull over. The diagnostic code points to a faulty throttle pedal position sensor, which the owner notes appears to be a known issue in online forums. The fix will likely involve replacing the throttle pedal position sensor.
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Suspension,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your Outback becomes unstable and hard to control on light ice, especially when carrying passengers or cargo in the rear. The back end drifts side-to-side on its own at speeds above 35 mph, regardless of how you steer or use the brakes—a problem you've never seen in other vehicles despite decades of winter driving experience. This issue persists even after replacing tires and getting an alignment. This suspension instability makes the car unsafe to drive in icy conditions and may require inspection of rear suspension components or damping systems.
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Electrical System,air Bags,wheels →1 issue
Your 2006 Outback has experienced multiple serious issues including head gaskets failing at 35,000 miles, electrical system problems affecting the air conditioner and heater, airbags that have malfunctioned twice requiring recalls and replacements, and wheel bearings wearing out early around 50,000 miles. The airbag work also resulted in dashboard damage that required additional repair. The head gaskets have begun leaking again at 160,000 miles. Addressing these issues will likely require head gasket replacement, airbag module replacement, electrical system diagnostics, wheel bearing replacement, and dashboard repair or replacement.
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Unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your car suddenly loses all power and the accelerator stops responding while you're driving, forcing you to pull over—sometimes in unsafe locations. After turning the car off and waiting about 5 minutes, it restarts, but the Check Engine and Cruise Control lights blink until you restart it a few more times. The error code P2138 is being triggered, and this is happening more frequently, including on the freeway.
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Electrical System,vehicle Speed Control →1 issue
Your accelerator pedal sensor is faulty, which caused your car to suddenly shift into limp-mode on the highway and cut your speed in half. The accelerator stopped responding until you restarted the vehicle, and your engine computer recorded error code P2138 (throttle system voltage loss). The sensor appears prone to wear on these vehicles. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the accelerator pedal position sensor.
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Fuel System, Gasoline →1 issue
Your car shut off while driving at 55 MPH, with check engine and cruise control warning lights appearing on the dashboard. The vehicle entered limp mode, allowing you to safely steer to the shoulder. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as a defective throttle body, which was then repaired.
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Vehicle Speed Control,unknown Or Other,fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
Your gas pedal suddenly stopped working while you were driving at 25 mph on a residential street, forcing you to coast to a stop. The check engine light came on along with a flashing cruise control light, but after about 2 hours the car returned to normal. Your vehicle's diagnostic code indicates a problem with the throttle/pedal position sensor — the sensor that tells your engine how much power you're asking for may have a voltage problem.
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