2006 Subaru Outback power train problems
17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2006 Subaru Outback — 6% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“While driving on highway transmission cooler fitting stripped out, emptying transmission fluid and ruining transmission. As can be seen in picture, oem component has very few threads which are sheared and covered in factory loctite. This is not an inspectable component, nor listed on any…”
filed Jan 17, 2020
“I was driving my 2006 subaru outback at around 40 mph, going straight on a busy road. Without warning, the accelerator stopped functioning and the vehicle slowed down abruptly. It apparently entered a "safe" mode, with a maximum speed of about 10 mph regardless of how much pressure I applied to the…”
filed Nov 18, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
SubaruNet Announcement (R · Other · issued May 4, 2026This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures.
03-97-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2026
Power Train problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 2 | 3% |
| 2024 Outback | 6 | 6% |
| 2023 Outback | 4 | 5% |
| 2022 Outback | 17 | 4% |
| 2021 Outback | 11 | 4% |
| 2020 Outback | 46 | 5% |
| 2019 Outback | 15 | 1% |
| 2018 Outback | 14 | 2% |
| 2017 Outback | 47 | 5% |
| 2016 Outback | 45 | 7% |
| 2015 Outback | 37 | 7% |
| 2014 Outback | 25 | 12% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2006 Subaru Outback
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.