2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca Exterior lighting Problems

I have had 3 Subarus in the last 2 years. All 3-a 2006 Subaru Tribeca B9, a 2007 Subaru Tribeca B9, and a 2014 Subaru Crosstrek have had electrical and lighting problems. They all have burnt out headlights, interior lights and fog lights, have loose wiring that has affected the computer and navigation system. 2 of them lost all lighting. The Subaru Crosstrek burnt out all the lights in one incident and the 2007 Subaru Tribeca B9 had an alternator problem that fried all the lights at one time as well as the navigation system. They all have more lights lit on the dash than there should be.

NHTSA ID

11567387

Incident

Jun 7, 2023

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF AND WHEN WE GOT NEAR IT WE COULD SMELL AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR PUDDLE LIGHT. WE IMMEDIATELY OPENED THE HOOD AND STARTED DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY. BY THE TIME THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED THERE WERE VISIBLE FLAMES COMING FROM THE PUDDLE LIGHT, AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DOOR THRESHOLD INSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND CONFIRMED THAT THE FIRE WAS OUT BY THE POINT THAT THEY ARRIVED. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 5 MONTHS AGO, AND WHILE RESEARCHING IT BEFORE PURCHASE WE READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE PUDDLE LIGHTS. BEFORE WE EVEN TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE WE CALLED THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND GIVE THEM THE VIN AND ASKED IF THE RECALL NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED, AND THEY STATED THAT IT DID NOT. AFTER THE FIRE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO THEN INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD ORDER NEW BULBS FOR THE PUDDLE LIGHTS, BUT MADE NO MENTION OF A RECALL. WE ARE WORRIED THAT SINCE THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM INSIDE THE CAR THAT OTHER THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AS WELL, BUT THEY INSIST THAT ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS TO REPLACE THE BULBS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714975

Incident

May 2, 2015

Mileage

163,000 mi

JUST FINISHED WASHING THE CAR OUTSIDE THE MY GARAGE, I THEN MOVED IT INSIDE THE GARAGE TO CLEAN AND VACUUM INSIDE. 30 MINS LATER, A STRONG BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER PUDDLE LIGHT AREA. I HAVE TO QUICKLY CALL 911, AND BEFORE 911 ARRIVAL I MANAGED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE SMOKE STOPPED. THERE WAS STILL A STRONG SMILE IN THE AIR WHEN 911 CAME. 911 RECOMMENDED TOWING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP CONNECTED THE BATTERY AND DROVE IT OUTSIDE WHERE IT COULD BE EASILY TOW. JUST LUCKY TO BE IN THE GARAGE WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE BURN THE HOUSE. THIS VEHICLE (SUBARU TRIBECA B6 IS NOTHING BUT A DISASTER), THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER RENDERED NO SUPPORT WHATSOEVER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577542

Incident

Mar 31, 2014

Mileage

102,984 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V602000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE NOTICE IN FEBRUARY 2013, AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ID

10515985

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU TRIBECA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V602000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE RECALL STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE TO START IN FEBRUARY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508229

Incident

Feb 19, 2013

Mileage

73,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT NOTICED WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPENED SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM BOTH LED PUDDLE LIGHTS LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE DOOR PANEL. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE PUDDLE LIGHT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A SHORT CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10457007

Incident

Apr 30, 2012

Mileage

111,000 mi

LOW BEAMS BOTH WENT OUT ON 2006 TRIBECCA HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. THEY ONLY LAST ABOUT 5 MONTHS. NEVER HAD ANY VEHICLE BURN OUT HEAD LIGHTS LIKE THIS ONE BEFORE. THEY BOTH WENT OUT ON A RAINY FOGGY NIGHT SO WE COULD NOT USE HIGH BEAMS. SUBARU SHOULD STEP UP AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR IT SHOULD HAVE RELIABLE BASIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393062

Incident

Mar 21, 2011

Mileage

115,420 mi

2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA....I AM HEADED TO THE SERVICE GARAGE YET AGAIN FOR ANOTHER HEADLIGHT....A CAR WITH 43,000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS TWICE....THAT'S 3 SETS IN THE SHORT LIFE SPAN....AND THIS IS NOT AN EASY FIX. IT COSTS ME $38 EACH LAMP... *TR

NHTSA ID

10212236

Incident

Dec 18, 2007

SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN HEADLIGHTS OF SUBARU TRIBECA. LOW BEAM LIGHTS-CAUSES A HORIZONTAL LINE ACROSS PLANE OF VISION. POOR VISIBILITY IN NIGHT DRIVING. REPORTED TO SUBARU-THEY SAY IT IS NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO DRIVER, PASSENGER, NEARBY TRAFFIC, PEDESTRIANS. DEFECT NEEDS CORRECTED-INSTALL DIFFERENT HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA ID

10185395

Incident

Mar 17, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS A 2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 7300 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN EVENING COMES AND THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS ILLUMINATED. WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED THE CONTACT FORGETS TO PUT IN THE HEAD LIGHTS WHICH CAUSES OTHER DRIVERS NOT TO SEE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED HE HAD ALMOST GOTTEN HIT IN THE REAR BECAUSE THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ON BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL LIGHTS WERE ON BECAUSE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY.

NHTSA ID

10181881

Incident

Feb 7, 2007

Mileage

7,300 mi

LEFT FOG LAMP REPEATEDLY GOES OUT. SO DOES RIGHT HEADLAMP. HEADLAMP HAS BEEN FIXED BY SUBARU DEALER. FOG LAMP HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL TIMES AND KEEPS GOING OUT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174296

Incident

Nov 21, 2006

Mileage

13,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT WAS ONLY ABLE TO SEE APPROXIMATELY FORTY FEET IN FRONT WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MADE THAT WAY. THEREFORE, THEY HAVE NO REPAIRS TO OFFER. *AK UPDATED 11/9/2005. THE DEALER TRIED TO ADJUST THE LIGHTS BUT WERE UNABLE TO. THE CONSUMER HAS TO RIDE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON AT NIGHT TO SEE MORE THAN 40 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142898

Incident

Aug 28, 2005