2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca problems & reliability
84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca vehicles were involved in 10 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure → | 27 | 32% |
| Air Bags → | 18 | 21% |
| Electrical System → | 13 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting → | 12 | 14% |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 7% |
| Engine | 5 | 6% |
| Unknown / Other | 5 | 6% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 5% |
| Visibility | 3 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 21 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 58 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 101,453 miles (middle 50% between 71,500 and 121,500 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have had 3 Subarus in the last 2 years. All 3-a 2006 Subaru Tribeca B9, a 2007 Subaru Tribeca B9, and a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek have had electrical and lighting problems. They all have burnt out headlights, interior lights and fog lights, have loose wiring that has affected the computer and navigation system. 2 of…”
Electrical System · filed Jan 23, 2024
“The contact owns a 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and was unable to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of…”
Engine · filed Jul 2, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled. The contact pulled off of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was with the electronic control…”
Engine · filed Sep 1, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
114 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The 10 most recent:
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…
15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 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.)
15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2026
Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 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
15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2026
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 18, 2026
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20.
07-240-26R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2026
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected.
05-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 20, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 101,453 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.