YearToAvoid

2006 Subaru Outback Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 17 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2006 Subaru Outback, 6% of all 277 complaints for this model year. That is #12 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Outback model years. These complaints report 1 crash. Median mileage at failure: 114,702 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
17
6% of 277
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
114,702 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2006 Subaru Outback transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 22, 2008, latest Jan 17, 2020.

2006 Subaru Outback transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2008Jan 2009Jan 2012Jan 2014Nov 2014Dec 2015Feb 2017Jan 2020
17 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2008 to Jan 2020; peak Jan 2012 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2006 Subaru Outback

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Outback model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200517 (6%)
  2. 200617 (6%)
  3. 20079 (7%)
  4. 200812 (5%)
  5. 20098 (8%)
  6. 201094 (26%)
  7. 2011216 (33%)
  8. 2012107 (37%)
  9. 201360 (20%)
  10. 201425 (12%)
  11. 201537 (7%)
  12. 201645 (7%)
  13. 201747 (5%)
  14. 201814 (2%)
  15. 201915 (1%)
  16. 202046 (5%)
  17. 202112 (4%)
  18. 202218 (4%)
  19. 20235 (6%)
  20. 20246 (6%)
  21. 20254 (5%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Subaru Outback have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 17 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2006 Subaru Outback, 6% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 114,702 miles.
Which Subaru Outback year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2011 Subaru Outback has the most transmission complaints (216), compared with 17 for the 2006.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2006 Subaru Outback?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 Subaru Outback is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

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.