What breaks most · 2006 to 2012 model years
Subaru B9 Tribeca problems by year
Owners have filed 145 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru B9 Tribeca across model years 2006 to 2012. Three years stand out: 2006 for body and structure complaints, 2007 for electrical system complaints and 2008 for suspension complaints. The quietest years are 2010 and 2009.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2007, 2008
- Fewest complaints: 2010, 2009
- Complaints on file
- 1452006 to 2012, all trims
- Worst year
- 200684 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 912 fires · 8 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 90kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 7Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | 5 | 0 | Body and structure (27) | |
| 26 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (8) | |
| 16 | 1 | 0 | Suspension (3) | |
| 9 | 1 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (3) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 7 | Powertrain and transmission (2) |
What fails on the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 32% |
27 | 2 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca |
| Air bags | 21% |
18 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 15% |
13 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 14% |
12 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 10% |
8 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 7% |
6 | 1 | Shop brakes parts for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 6% |
5 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca |
| Unknown or other | 6% |
5 | 1 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
I was driving on the highway about 65-70 mph and my hood flew open striking the windshield causing me to drive into a guard rail. Currently experiencing neck and back issues. I was never notified of this recall.
-
Car has fuel fumes very strong smelling in car. I look on this as a safety problem for me and the kids travelling in my car. But i guess people has to die first before any action is taken like the boeing airlines. The car is overheating and tgey cannot tell you why it is doing it.
-
I have a 2008 subaru tribeca. Bought brand new and now has appx. 7500 miles on it. From about the 1,600 mile mark on the vehicle, it has been burning 1 qt. Of oil every 1,000 miles. Engine problems because there are no leaks under the car.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Subaru B9 Tribeca years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2007, 2008 carry the most filings on the Subaru B9 Tribeca. The 2006 alone has 84 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Subaru B9 Tribeca problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 27 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Subaru B9 Tribeca problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Subaru B9 Tribeca complaints that include mileage is about 90,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.