RoadVitals

2006 Subaru Impreza Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
20
Latest Jun 27, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
36%
of 56 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Subaru Impreza submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jun 27, 2025

My vehicle contains faulty airbags that can launch shrapnel at the passenger if it goes off, this is a common recall for many vehicles. This airbag system can put everyone in the car at risk if it ever triggers. Subaru has refused multiple times to fix this recall because the vehicle was originally Canadian and the VIN number is not in the US branches data base. Over the past 2 years I have made efforts to both Canadian and American corporate branches as well as multiple dealerships. At the end of the day the duty to transfer the VIN between databases falls on the dealers efforts to reach out and the corporate branches cooperation—neither of which are happening. The vehicle is fully and legally imported, registered in California, stock, and has passed smog very recently.

NHTSA ID
11669766
Incident
Jul 12, 2023
Airbags
Filed Aug 19, 2019

POSSIBLY RELATED TO TAKATA RECALL AFTER LOCAL DEALER SERVICED THE RECALL, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER HAS SAID IT IS FAULT CODE 26, WHICH IS RELATED TO A FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR. THIS PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND WIDE SPREAD, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH WILL GARNISH TENS AND POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CITING THIS FAILURE. ON TOP OF SUBARU NOT BEING FORTHCOMING WITH THIS INFORMATION, THE DEALER HAS ONLY MADE PROBLEM WORSE IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO FIX WHAT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE WIRING ISSUE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO FIX ON THEIR OWN. IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY WHILE THIS CODE IS PRESENT. WE BELIEVE IT TO BE RELATED TO RECALL AS THE PASSENGER WIRING HARNESS IS INVOLVED IN THE REPAIR AND COULD HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED OR THE PROBLEM WAS THEIR AND THE DEALER DID NOT TELL US ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID
11244924
Incident
Jul 22, 2019
Mileage
112,325 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 7, 2018

TAKATA RECALL, I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION IN THE MAIL THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY SUBARU IMPREZA'S AIR BAGS, I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A REPAIR WHICH THE NOTIFICATION SAID WOULD TAKE 45MINUTES. THE DEALER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT, I WAITED A WEEK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO USE MY VEHICLE. THEN THE DEALER CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE PART. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT WHEN THEY DO FINALLY GET THE PART THE REPAIR WILL TAKE 3 DAYS. THEY STILL HAVE NOT CALLED ME TO SCHEDULE A NEW REPAIR TIME. I AM STUCK WITHOUT A VEHICLE STILL AND I USE THE VEHICLE FOR WORK. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I WILL BE WITHOUT A VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TELL ME HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET THE REPLACEMENT PART. THEY ARE NOT REPAIRING MY CAR IN A TIMELY MANNER. I WOULD LIKE TO BE COMPENSATED. THEY CAN GIVE ME A NEW CAR OR A WORKING USED CAR WITHOUT DEFECT. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID
11061056
Incident
Dec 20, 2017
Airbags
Filed Oct 27, 2017

TAKATA RECALL -- I HAVE A 2006 SUBARU. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM IN MARCH 2017 TELLING ME THERE WAS A SERIOUS ISSUE REGARDING THE TAKATA PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS, AT THAT TIME THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A FIX. IT IS NOW OCTOBER 2017 AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM SUBARU REGARDING A FIX. WHAT DO I DO? IT CONCERNS THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND QUITE POSSIBLY ME AS A DRIVER. IT IS NOT A EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. THE RECALL NUMBERS ARE AS FOLLOWS: SUBARU -- TKC17; NHTSA 17V-016.

NHTSA ID
11040427
Incident
Mar 15, 2017
Mileage
160,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 13, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE RECALL NOTICES, YET THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN ME MULTIPLE DATES BY WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE THE PARTS, HOWEVER, I KEEP CALLING THEM BACK AND I FEEL THAT THEY ARE TAKING FAR TOO LONG TO DO THIS WORK. I CALLED TODAY, 10-13-2017 AND SPOKE WITH TINA MARIE AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE CUMBERLAND, MD AREA AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE A CALL LIST BUT "ANOTHER GIRL HAS THE LIST" SO TINA MARIE COULD NOT VERIFY EVEN IF I WAS ON THE CALL LIST OR NOT. THEY HAD TOLD ME BEFORE IT WOULD BE IN AUGUST 2017 I COULD HAVE THE WORK DONE, THEN, THEY TOLD ME SEPTEMBER. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE OF HAVING TO WAIT OVER A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET THIS WORK DONE.

NHTSA ID
11033246
Incident
Oct 13, 2017
Airbags
Filed Sep 18, 2017

TAKATA RECALL -- THIS IS REGARDING THE RECALL OF THE 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA PASSENGER AIRBAG. I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS YEAR (IN MARCH 2017) LETTING ME KNOW THAT THE AIRBAG WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL BECAUSE OF SERIOUS MAL-FUNCTION... SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT THEY SUGGEST I NOT HAVE ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. SINCE THEN I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM SUBARU... NOT EVEN A NOTE SAYING WHEN THEY ANTICIPATE THAT FIX WOULD BE READY. I FIND THIS NOT ONLY A SERIOUS LACK RESPONSIBLITY ON THEIR PART. I REALLY THINK THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRE TO PROVIDE A FIX FOR THIS SERIOUS ISSUE AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOTIFY ALL CONCERNED PERSONS WITHIN 30 DAY MAXIMUM AND THAT A FIX MUST BE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR....I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE FROM YOU CONCERNING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11024040
Incident
Mar 30, 2017
Airbags
Filed Mar 20, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 16V358000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10967177
Incident
Jul 15, 2016
Airbags
Filed Jan 11, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V359000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10944284
Incident
Jul 27, 2016
Airbags
Filed Jan 10, 2017

TAKATA RECALL: I FIRST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAD AN AIRBAG LIGHT ON, BUT WITHOUT ANY HISTORY OF AN ACCIDENT. THE WEIGHT SENSOR ON THE DASHBOARD WHICH NOTIFIES YOU OF SOMEONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT CHANGES FROM ON TO OFF JUST FINE. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON FOR THE LENGTH OF MY OWNERSHIP. I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A DEFECTIVE TAKATA AIRBAG AND MY SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL LIST OF VEHICLES, BUT IN TRUTH THAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE. I HAS HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AN THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR INCLUDING A FUSE SHORTAGE OR FAULTY DOME LIGHT.

NHTSA ID
10944126
Incident
Aug 1, 2015
Airbags
Filed Dec 19, 2016

"TAKATA RECALL" WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTING OUR TRUSTED SUBARU DEALER (CARLSEN SUBARU, 480 VETERANS BLVD REDWOOD CITY,CA 94063) FREQUENTLY SINCE JULY WHEN WE HAVE RECEIVED THE ATTACHED RECALL NOTICE. DURING OUR RECENT VISIT ABOUT THIS RECALL TO THE DEALERSHIP WE WERE TOLD THAT PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE, AND THAT SINCE CALIFORNIA HAS A DRY CLIMATE IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT WE HAVE RUSTED COMPONENTS. THAT IS AN INCORRECT AND DANGEROUS ASSUMPTION! WE LIVE IN HALF MOON BAY, ON THE COAST, QUARTER MILE FROM THE OCEAN - WHERE BREEZE, MOISTURE AND SALT RESULT IN ACCELERATED RUSTING (BOTH INDOORS AND OUTDOORS). THE CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD, IT HAS BEEN 6 MONTHS SINCE THE RECALL. I REQUEST THAT YOU ADDRESS THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. REGARDS, [XXX] CC: WWW.SUBARU.COM (VIA CONTACT US) SUBARU OF AMERICA (VIA USPS) WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV (VIA FILE A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT) CARLSEN SUBARU (VIA CONTACT US AND USPS) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10936239
Incident
Jul 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Dec 5, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10930046
Incident
Aug 15, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 20, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR AND MAY NOT BECOME AVAILABLE UNTIL THE LAST QUARTER OF 2017. THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE, BUT THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED ONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10917669
Incident
Jul 11, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 18, 2016

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID
10917217
Incident
Oct 18, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 17, 2016

JULY 30 RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG IN 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. I HAVE CALLED SUBARU AT LEAST 5 TIMES TO ASK WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. EACH TIME I CALL SUBARU TO CHECK ON PARTS I GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER AS TO WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. IN JULY, I WAS TOLD 6-8 WEEKS. AFTER 8 WEEKS, I WAS TOLD THAT PARTS WOULD BE SHOWING UP IN 1-2 WEEKS (AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER). AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, I WAS TOLD PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE SOMETIME BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND FEBRUARY. WHEN I CALLED A WEEK LATER, I WAS TOLD PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. I DIDN'T HEAR FROM ANYONE SO I CALLED AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, WHEN I WAS TOLD PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN FEBRUARY. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN OVER 12 WEEKS SINCE I RECEIVED THE RECALL AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE WITH ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT NHTSA IS DOING TO ASSIST IN GETTING THESE CARS REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID
10916399
Incident
Jul 30, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 17, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. DG

NHTSA ID
10916395
Incident
Jul 30, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 9, 2016

TAKATA RECALL. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE AIRBAG ISSUE. YET, SUBARU IS NOT REPLACING THE AIRBAG IN A TIMELY FASHION. THUS, MY CHILD IS FORCED TO DRIVE THIS UNSAFE CAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD A NEW CAR. THE AIRBAGS NEED TO REPLACED IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ID
10914942
Incident
Jun 14, 2016
Airbags
Filed Aug 11, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER RECALL CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VIN AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10895059
Incident
Jul 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Mar 20, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

90 MPH HEAD ON CRASH, AND NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, RESULTING IN SEVERE HYPEREXTENSION OF THE NECK AND BACK OF THE PASSENGER, CAUSING 4 HERNIATED DISKS, AS WELL AS A SEVERE CONCUSSION RESULTING IN POST CONCUSSIVE DISORDER WITH PERMANENT SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS. WHEN SUBARU WAS CONTACTED LISTING THE 2006 IMPREZA AND THE ABOVE INFORMATION, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FEDERAL CRASH TEST RATINGS ARE ONLY FOR HEAD ON COLLISIONS WITH A BRICK WALL, AND IF WE HAD HIT A BRICK WALL THEN THEY WOULD BE LIABLE-SINCE WE HIT A GUARDRAIL TWICE AND WERE JETTISONED ACROSS THE STREET INTO A SHED WHOSE CENTER STEEL SUPPORT BEAM FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE, THEY WERE NOT. OWNER/DRIVER OF VEHICLE WAS CASEY KENDALL OF MOAB, UTAH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221915
Incident
Oct 23, 2006
AirbagsBody & structureExterior lighting
Filed Jul 24, 2007
Crash reported

I HIT A BEAR AT 55MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE BEAR LEAPED OFF THE BANK IN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CRASH THAT RESULTED IN THE BEAR BEING KILLED INSTANTLY, ABOUT 600 LBS. OF BEAR. THE CAR CAME TO AN INSTANT HALT WITH THE FRONT END BEING PUSHED BACK, LIGHTS,GRILLE,FENDER, HOOD, ECT. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AFTER CALLING SUBARU OF AMERICA, I WAS ADVISED TO LET MY INSURANCE HANDLE IT, BUT AFTER MUCH ARGUMENT WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER OF 1020805 BY SUBARU. THIS IS NOT A INSURANCE PROBLEM, THIS IS SUBARU PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO FIRST TEAM IN ROANOKE VIRGINIA AND THE COLLISION SHOP ADVISED ME TO CONTACT SUBARU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10197390
Incident
Jul 20, 2007
Mileage
12,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 3, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD BY A CAR THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME FROM MY RIGHT AND STOPPED IN MY LANE. I SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE CAR AND CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT, AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO MORE ROAD TO DRIVE ON. MY CAR WENT OFF THE SHOULDER AND INTO THE DITCH, STRIKING A CONCRETE DRAINAGE COLVERT ,HEAD ON. THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER, FROM THE HEADLIGHTS DOWN AND LEFT FRONT TIRE WERE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THE IMPACT WAS IN EXCESS OF THIRTY-FIVE MILES PER HOUR. WITNESSES TO THE CRASH SAID THE BACK OF THE CAR CAME OFF THE GROUND A FEW FEET DUE TO THE SPEED AND SEVERITY OF THE STOP. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE CAR'S AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR MY CAR SO DOES THE MANUFACTURER. THE RESULTING INJURIES WERE QUITE SEVER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10177682
Incident
Sep 1, 2006
Mileage
16,585 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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