YearToAvoid

2006 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

10/100

#19 most-complained of 21 Outback years

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

The 2006 Subaru Outback has 277 owner complaints and 7 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 10 out of 100 — #19 highest of 21 Outback model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is engine (133 complaints, 48% of the total). Complaints report 7 crashes, 3 fires, and 3 injuries.

Complaints
277
Recalls
7
Crashes / fires
7 / 3
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
17 city / 24 hwy

Top 2006 Subaru Outback problems

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

  1. Engine133 (48%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires48 (17%)
  3. Electrical System45 (16%)
  4. Airbags40 (14%)
  5. Fuel System40 (14%)
  6. Brakes28 (10%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain17 (6%)
  8. Steering12 (4%)
  9. Other9 (3%)
  10. Structure & Body5 (2%)
2006 Subaru Outback complaints: complaints filed per quarter272005 Q42008 Q12010 Q32013 Q12015 Q22017 Q32019 Q42022 Q3
383 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q4 (27).

2006 Subaru Outback recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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 the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

  2. NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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 Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

  3. NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: 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 Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.

See all 7 recalls for the 2006 Subaru Outback →

2006 Subaru Outback fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,000
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 Outback 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
2005Best15273920
2006Best10277720
2007Best0129821
2008Best20226820

All Subaru Outback years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Subaru Outback a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Subaru Outback ranks #19 of 21 among Outback model years (Complaint Index 10/100, verdict: Best). It has 277 complaints and 7 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru Outback?
The most reported problem areas are engine (133 complaints), suspension, wheels & tires (48 complaints), and electrical system (45 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 95,480 miles.
Does the 2006 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru Outback, most recently reported 2020, covering airbags, electrical system, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Subaru Outback?
EPA rates the 2006 Subaru Outback at 20 MPG combined (17 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,000. 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.