no report yet
Control arm: lower arm
Risk. A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
2006 Subaru ForesterProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 88 owner complaints about the 2006 Subaru Forester, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 27, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Subaru Forester has problems
88 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
20Vehicle speed control6 crash/fire/injury
12Suspension2 crash/fire/injury
11Engine4 crash/fire/injury
11Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
9Steering1 crash/fire/injury
8Fuel/propulsion system
7Electrical system
7Structure
6Air bags
2711 other systems6 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 20 | 6 |
| Suspension | 12 | 2 |
| Engine | 11 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | 1 |
| Steering | 9 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 4 |
| Structure | 7 | 1 |
| Air bags | 6 | 2 |
| 11 other systems | 27 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2006 Subaru Forester recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. THE PASSENGER'S FRONT AIR BAG COULD BECOME DISABLED AND MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other Forester year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Forester median. How we score
'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Subaru Forester safety ratings
2006 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.9% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Subaru Forester, and the recalls they led to.
- Front suspension control arm failureLed to recall 11V-464
In owners' words
What Forester owners report
Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Five years ago my "check engine" light came on and the cruise control light came on and it would not work. I took it to Suberu in Fort Worth and they couldn't find the problem bu tsaid my gas cap was not sealing. God new one but didn't help. This year when I went to get it checked for regisration…
As I was going down the road my car sped up and my foot was off the gas pedal as the pedal was stuck-I managed to stop my car but not before it reached 75 mph in a 50 I was originally going 50
CAR ACCELERATED WHEN MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I NEEDED TO STEP HARD ON THE BRAKE TO CONTROL THE CAR. I PUT GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND REVIVING ENGINE SOUND DID NOT STOP. I REMOVED ORIGINAL RUBBER FLOOR MAT, AND PROBLEM STOPPED. DANGEROUS! 2 KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME. TODAY IS 88 F TODAY.
Own a 2006 Forester?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.