2006 Subaru Outback: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 404 complaints
404
Total Complaints
95,316mi
Median Mileage
Vehicle Speed Control
Top Issue
12
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
63,713
25th Percentile
95,316
Median Mileage
132,750
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Vehicle Speed Control
94
Engine
43
Electrical System
40
Air Bags
37
Fuel/Propulsion System
29
Suspension
21
Service Brakes
16
Rear
13
Power Train
13
Steering
12
Severity Assessment
12
Crashes
4
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"DT: 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATES THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT FOCUSED PROPERLY. HE STATES IT IS LIKE DRIVING IN A TUNNEL. SUBARU STATES THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK"
"2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. HI, PROBLEM (1) HEAD REST IS SO BIG THAT BETWEEN THE SEAT BELT STRAP AND THE HEAD REST THERE IS NO VIEW TO SEE VEHICLES ABOUT TO PASS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE. CAN RESULT IN SIDE SWIPING WHEN CHANGING LANES. ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES IN THE WORLD WON'T HELP IF THE END RESULT OF T..."
"2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. HI, PROBLEM (1) HEAD REST IS SO BIG THAT BETWEEN THE SEAT BELT STRAP AND THE HEAD REST THERE IS NO VIEW TO SEE VEHICLES ABOUT TO PASS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE. CAN RESULT IN SIDE SWIPING WHEN CHANGING LANES. ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES IN THE WORLD WON'T HELP IF THE END RESULT OF T..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Vehicle Speed Control
94 complaints
25th: 79,191 mi
Median: 98,052 mi
75th: 129,250 mi
Engine
43 complaints
25th: 73,217 mi
Median: 104,000 mi
75th: 130,500 mi
Electrical System
40 complaints
25th: 76,500 mi
Median: 100,132 mi
75th: 119,043 mi
Air Bags
37 complaints
25th: 83,500 mi
Median: 119,237 mi
75th: 139,000 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System
29 complaints
25th: 89,364 mi
Median: 107,866 mi
75th: 140,000 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 50
CO: 45
NY: 31
MI: 21
MN: 18
WA: 18
VA: 14
NJ: 14
MD: 13
MA: 12
Who Files Complaints?
4.2%
Original Owners
95.8%
Second+ Owners
Subaru Outback — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (7)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Inflator Module
Campaign 20V003000 | 02/01/2020
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 Assista
Inflator Module
Campaign 20V002000 | 02/01/2020
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 Assista
Inflator Module
Campaign 20V001000 | 02/01/2020
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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
Switch
Campaign 19V297000 | 11/04/2019
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.
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.
Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Campaign 14V311000 | 10/06/2014
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.
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 r
Inflator Module
Campaign 15V323000 | 28/05/2015
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.
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. Owne
Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Campaign 13V110000 | 27/03/2013
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.
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 serv
General Vehicle Maintenance
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual
- Don't ignore warning lights — early diagnosis prevents expensive repairs
- Keep records of all maintenance and repairs
- Use OEM or equivalent-quality parts for repairs
- Address unusual noises, vibrations, or smells promptly
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28