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2006 Subaru OutbackProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 277 owner complaints about the 2006 Subaru Outback, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-311 the manufacturer reports only 45% of affected cars repaired.

2006 Subaru Outback
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Outback median · #15 of 29 years by complaints
Safety recalls7Lowest repair rate 45%Owner complaints27713 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage96kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: docmonstereyes from USA, CC BY 2.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2006 Subaru Outback has problems

277 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control982
Engine431
Electrical system421
Air bags403
Suspension372
Fuel/propulsion system290
Power train171
Service brakes160
Steering121
13 other systems594

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

7 recalls

2006 Subaru Outback 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.

82%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-001 · Jan 2, 2020 · 258,813 vehicles · 212,286 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

69%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-003 · Jan 2, 2020 · 111,562 vehicles · 76,616 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

73%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-002 · Jan 2, 2020 · 127,547 vehicles · 93,276 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 3 more recalls
76%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 15V-323 · May 28, 2015 · 432,016 vehicles · 329,703 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

45%repaired · 2015 Q4

Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 14V-311 · Jun 10, 2014 · 461,338 vehicles · 206,870 repaired

Risk. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 13V-110 · Mar 27, 2013 · 274,402 vehicles

Risk. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Mileage at failure

When do vehicle speed control problems start?

96kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 92 vehicle speed control complaints. 50% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
3under 30k miles46under 100k miles46100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2006 vs. every other Outback 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 Outback median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2006 Subaru Outback safety ratings

2006 Subaru Outback 4-DR Wagon w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2006 Subaru Outback frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2006 Subaru Outback side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (15.9% risk)
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Outback owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The engine will randomly loose power. This has happened three times now. You must coast to a stop, turn the key off and try to restart the car. Sometime it will take several tries to restart. I see this as a real safety concern in heavy traffic. Especially so if heavy traffic makes it impossible to…
Complaint 11460840 · Apr 15, 2022
The accelerator pedal position sensor is faulty. It is prone to wear in these vehicles based on my research. This caused my car to go into limp-mode on the highway, rapidly cutting my speed in half. The accelerator provides no response until vehicle was restarted. The ECU put out the code P2138 for…
Complaint 11445826 · Jan 1, 2022
I EXPERIENCED MY GAS PEDAL NO LONGER WORKING WHILE DRIVING, CAR WAS DRIVING WELL, ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET GOING ABOUT 25 MPH, THEN THERE WAS SUDDENLY NO GAS/ACCELERATION, HAD TO COAST TO A STOP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS FLASHING. ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER THE CAR WAS…
Complaint 11398751 · Mar 2, 2021 · 140,000 miles

Own a 2006 Outback?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.