YearToAvoid

2006 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

5/100

#20 most-complained of 21 Forester years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Subaru Forester has 88 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 5 out of 100 — #20 highest of 21 Forester model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is engine (37 complaints, 42% of the total). Complaints report 12 crashes, 7 fires, and 5 injuries.

Complaints
88
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
12 / 7
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
19 city / 24.5 hwy

Top 2006 Subaru Forester problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine37 (42%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (20%)
  3. Fuel System13 (15%)
  4. Electrical System10 (11%)
  5. Steering9 (10%)
  6. Structure & Body9 (10%)
  7. Airbags6 (7%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain4 (5%)
  9. Brakes2 (2%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (2%)
2006 Subaru Forester complaints: complaints filed per quarter72005 Q42007 Q22009 Q22012 Q12013 Q42016 Q12018 Q42020 Q4
113 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2023 Q4; peak 2007 Q4 (7).

2006 Subaru Forester recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Best1593120.5
2006Best588221
2007Best1074121.5
2008Best050121.5

All Subaru Forester years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Subaru Forester a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Subaru Forester ranks #20 of 21 among Forester model years (Complaint Index 5/100, verdict: Best). It has 88 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru Forester?
The most reported problem areas are engine (37 complaints), suspension, wheels & tires (18 complaints), and fuel system (13 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 51,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru Forester, most recently reported 2011, covering suspension, wheels & tires and airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Subaru Forester?
EPA rates the 2006 Subaru Forester at 21 MPG combined (19 city / 24.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,475. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.