2006 Subaru Forester Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2006 Subaru Forester has a complaint index of 5, the lowest among all 21 model years, and ranks 20th out of 21 in complaint volume (least complaints). It carries a Good verdict, capped from a higher rating because NHTSA records for 2005-2009 are less complete.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 5/100
- #20 of 21 Forester years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 88
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 12
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 19 city / 24.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2006 Subaru Forester problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine37 (42%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (20%)
- Fuel System13 (15%)
- Electrical System10 (11%)
- Steering9 (10%)
- Structure & Body9 (10%)
- Airbags6 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (5%)
- Brakes2 (2%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration while braking or reversing at low speeds, sometimes resulting in collisions.
- Some report brake pedals sinking to the floor with loss of braking power just before a crash.
- Electrical fires have started near the instrument panel, with warning lights illuminating and smoke or sparks appearing before the fire.
- Fires have also been reported starting under the hood near the radiator fan and in the rear near the tail light wiring harness.
- A driver's seatback reportedly collapsed backward during a rear-end collision.
2006 Subaru Forester recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 11V464000Sep 6, 2011Suspension, Wheels & Tires318,215 vehicles
Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 impreza, model year 2003-2008 forester, and model year 2005-2006 saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured from september 5, 2000 through november 26, 2007 originally sold, or currently registered in, massachusetts, maryland, michigan, new hampshire, new york, pennsylvania, vermont, wisconsin, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, maine, minnesota, missouri, new jersey, ohio, rhode island, west virginia and the district of columbia. The front lower control arms may break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion if the hanger bracket is exposed to salty and humid environments such as roads containing snow melting agent.
Risk: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will handle their vehicles and saab will handle theirs. Dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during december 2011. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
- NHTSA 07V043000Feb 12, 2007Airbags7,004 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
On certain vehicles, the wiring harness for the air bag occupant detection system in the front passenger seat may have been pinched during production. Pinching of the wiring harness between the floor crossmember and the seat mounting bracket could result in a short circuit.
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. Also an electrical short circuit could cause a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to see if the wiring had been incorrectly routed under the seat bracket. If so, the dealer will repair any damaged wiring, reroute and secure the wiring harness in the correct location, and re-calibrate the occupant detection system as necessary. The recall began on march 9, 2007. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
2006 Subaru Forester fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 24.5 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,475
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other Forester years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Subaru Forester reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 88 complaints and a complaint index of 5, the lowest of any Forester year, giving it a Good verdict relative to other Forester years.
- Why isn't the 2006 Forester rated Best despite its low complaint index?
- Its verdict is capped at Good because NHTSA complaint records for 2005-2009 model years are considered less complete, not because of a high complaint count.
- What are the top problem areas for the 2006 Subaru Forester?
- Engine issues account for 42% of complaints (37 of 88), followed by suspension, wheels and tires at 20% and fuel system at 15%.
- Does the 2006 Forester have any recalls?
- It has 2 recalls: one for suspension corrosion (campaign 11V464000) and one for a pinched airbag wiring harness (campaign 07V043000), neither marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2006 Forester compare to later years like 2019?
- The 2006 Forester's complaint index of 5 is far below the 2019 Forester's index of 100, which carries an Avoid verdict.