2006 Subaru Impreza Owner Complaints

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

I was driving home, and my foot fell to the floor when I hit the brakes. Thankfully, I was coasting to the front of my house, so I was able to stop using the hand brake. Upon inspection and professional opinion from the Subaru dealership, the brake line rusted through just after the rear junction block, identical to the recall NUMBER: WQK-47. However, my VIN was not included in this recall, and I am learning on YouTube and from the dealership that this is a common failure with my year and model vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11656090

Incident

Apr 18, 2025

Fuel lines under intake manifold leaking during cold weather. Causing smell to be pungent in cabin and in engine bay. Inspection upon request is allowed. Adds safety risk for potential fire in engine bay. Has not be confirmed or inspected by nobody else at this moment for this car specifically, however it is a common issue for these model Subarus. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms prior to the failure. First appear when temperatures started to drop below 40 degrees F.

NHTSA ID

11565345

Incident

Dec 18, 2023

Car passed inspection in May of 2022 and just last month (September) the passenger side control arm completely rotted out. I had to make emergency repairs but then discovered there is a recall.

NHTSA ID

11489088

Incident

Sep 13, 2022

WHILE MY 75 YEAR-OLD MOTHER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE JOB SHE STILL WORKS TO PAY HER BILLS, THE BRAKES ON HER SUBARU FAILED. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT OF THE BUILDING WHERE SHE WORKS. FORTUNATELY, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE AND STOP THE VEHICLE, AND THANKFULLY SHE WAS NOT INJURED. UPON INSPECTION, WE DISCOVERED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. THE LINES LEAKED IN THE RIGHT REAR AREA, NEAR THE WHEEL. INVESTIGATING ONLINE, I DISCOVERED A HUGE RECALL OF SUBARUS AROUND THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS MY MOM'S. BUT ACCORDING TO SUBARU OF AMERICA AND NHTSA, UNFORTUNATELY, MY MON'S CAR IS FOR SOME REASON NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL. THAT SEEMS LIKE AN OVERSIGHT, BECAUSE THE LINES ARE DEFINITELY CORRODED, AND MY MOM LIVES IN THE SAME 'SALT BELT' AREA (WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS) WHERE THE 600K+ OTHER, COVERED, SUBARUS ARE. I KNOW RECALL INVESTIGATIONS TAKE TIME, SO THIS COMPLAINT PROBABLY WON'T HELP US ' MOM WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR THE LINES, WHICH WILL LIKELY COST ALL OF HER LIMITED MONTHLY INCOME FROM SOCIAL SECURITY AND JOBS ' BUT IF MAKING THIS COMPLAINT HELPS OTHERS, IT'S WELL WORTH THE EFFORT. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA ID

11360422

Incident

Sep 21, 2020

Mileage

142,000 mi

HARD START, ROUGH IDLE, DROVE 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON, CODE: P0021 BANK1/2. DID RESEARCH. IT'S A BANJO BOLT FILTER/SCREEN MINE WAS CRACKED IN HALF INSIDE THE OIL LINE RESTRICTING OIL TO THE TURBO. MANAGED TO REMOVE ONE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BANJO SCREEN WHICH FIXED HALF THE PROBLEM. THE OTHER BOLT VIRTUALLY NOT ACCESSIBLE BY ME. ALMOST ALL TURBO VEHICLES FROM SUBARU EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AS CODE: P0021 OR JUST CATASTROPHIC TURBO/ENGINE/COOLANT FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11340469

Incident

Jul 9, 2020

Mileage

200,100 mi

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

IN COLD TEMPERATURES WHEN STARTING THE CAR THERE IS A SMELL OF RAW FUEL THAT FILLS THE CABIN TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND AIR IT OUT BEFORE IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE. SUBARU HAS TSB'S ON THIS ISSUE FOR MANY VEHICLE MODELS AND YEARS BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO THINK IT IS WORTHY OF A RECALL. THIS ISSUE FIRST STARTED FOR ME ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11155855

Incident

Dec 1, 2015

Mileage

105,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL I PURCHASED THIS CAR SIX MONTHS AGO FROM A SMALL DEALEERSHIP IN VACAVILLE, CA. I PAID HALF THE PRICE FOR THE CAR IN CASH THE DAY I BOUGHT IT AFTER THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT CLEARED THE STATE INSPECTION. NOT EVEN 4000 MILES AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THE MOTOR IS BLOWN AND THERE IS THE TAKATA RECALL FROM 2016 THAT HAS NOT BEEN HANDLED. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR IN 09/2017.

NHTSA ID

11078441

Incident

Mar 2, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

10917217

Incident

Oct 18, 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

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

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

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

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS EMIT A LOW PITCH NOISE THAT INCREASES IN AMPLITUDE WITH SPEED. THE NOISE HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, TO THE POINT WHERE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO HOLD A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT. I AM TOLD THERE IS A WHEEL BEARING RECALL FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL SUBARU OF THIS SAME MODEL YEAR, BUT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VIN. THEY ESTIMATE THE REPAIR AT $850.

NHTSA ID

10735868

Incident

Mar 25, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi