RoadVitals

2006 Subaru Outback 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.
39
Latest Mar 26, 2021
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.
14%
of 276 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 Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 39 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

The 25 most recent of 39, in the owner's own words

AirbagsElectricalOther / unspecified
Filed Mar 26, 2021

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK HEAD GASKETS WENT BAD AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES.HAD TO REPLACE THOSE CALLED SUBARU AND THEY HELP ME GET THOSE REPLACED. THOUGHT ALL WAS WELL SOON AFTER, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE HEATER .THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DEFAULTED AND TO BRING IT INTO REPLACE THEM WHICH I DID. THE FINAL STRAW IS THAT THEY CALLED ME AGAIN TWO WEEKS AGO TO BRING THE RIGGING TO REPLACE THAT SAME AIRBAG AGAIN. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY GAVE ME A CAR THAT WASN'T SAFE. THE WHEEL BEARINGS ALSO WORE OUT VERY EARLY AROUND 50 MILES. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SO EXPENSIVE. AND NOW THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A SECOND RECALL ON THE AIRBAG. SO I BRING IT IN FOR THE SECOND TIME REALIZING THAT NOW IN 2021 THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN SAFE THE WHOLE TIME I'VE BEEN DRIVING IT WITH MY FAMILY MY DAUGHTER LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE IN THIS CAR AND SO DID MY SON. AS THEY WERE REPAIRING THE FAULTY AIRBAG THEY CRACKED THE DASHBOARD AND THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD BE $300 TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT HAD A TINY CRACK IN IT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THEY WERE THE ONES THAT TOOK THE DASHBOARD OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE. SUPER RUDE! I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THEY DECIDED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE DASHBOARD. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT GLUING IT BACK TOGETHER LAST I HEARD I'M VERY MUCH HOPING THIS IS NOT THE CASE MY DAUGHTER ENSURES ME THAT IT ISN'T BUT WE'LL SEE. ALSO HE INFORMED ME THAT MY HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON ONCE YOU'VE HAD YOUR GASKETS REPLACED. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 160,000 MILES ON IT AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALREADY PLAYED OUT AND NOT SAFE. WHAT A JOKE. I'LL NEVER BUY A SUBARU AGAIN.THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST CAR AND APPARENTLY THE MOST UNSAFE CAR I'VE EVER OWNED. NOTE:THIS CAR WAS CONSISTENTLY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT HAD A FIVE STAR RATING FOR SAFETY WHAT A JOKE!

NHTSA ID
11404941
Incident
Mar 24, 2021
Mileage
160,000 mi
AirbagsFuel systemInterior & seats
Filed Mar 2, 2020

SUBARU DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO DISCUSS SAFETY ISSUE RECALLS SELLING VEHICLE WITH OPEN SAFETY RECALLS AND OTHER SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY REMEDIED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN FOR SERVICE AND PROBLEMS WERE NOT ADDRESSED. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS "SOLD AS IS" AND BUYER BEWARE, AFTER WE HAD LEASED A NEW 2019 VEHICLE AND PURCHASED A LIKE NEW USED VEHICLE THAT HAD GONE THROUGH THEIR EXTENSIVE MULTIPOINT INSPECTIONS. ISSUES FOR AIR BAGS, FUEL SYSTEM LEAKING, POTENTIAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION, FAULTY SEAT LATCHES AS SAFETY RECALL. DEALERSHIP HAS VIOLATED TRUST AND EXHIBITED NO CONCERN FOR ANYONE'S SAFETY. WE CAN NOT TRUST THIS DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR OR SERVICE OF OUR VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID
11315536
Incident
Jan 20, 2020
Mileage
49,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 21, 2020

THE CAR'S AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS RECALLED FOR AN AIR BAG ISSUE ONE OR TWO YEARS AGO SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE ISSUE. BUT NOW THIS LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO. IT TURNS OFF AT TIMES, BUT IT COMES BACK ON EVENTUALLY.

NHTSA ID
11310474
Incident
Jan 1, 2020
Airbags
Filed May 7, 2019

I GOT A RECALL NOTICE FOR FIXING PASSENGER SEAR AIR BAG. BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON THIS NHTSA WEBSITE. IT STILL SAY 0 UNREPAIRED RECALLS. HOW CAN ANYONE TRUST THIS WEBSITE?

NHTSA ID
11205947
Incident
May 2, 2019
Airbags
Filed Feb 22, 2019

2006 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK LL BEAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO AIRBAG RECALL NOTICES BEING SENT TO THEM THOUGH THEY NO LONGER OWN VEHICLE. *AS *TR

NHTSA ID
11175476
Incident
Mar 10, 2016
Airbags
Filed Aug 9, 2018

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER ENGINE START. RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD LOCATED IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE FAIL OVER TIME (THE SAME BOARD THAT CONTAINS THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS). APPARENTLY THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IS DISABLED WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON - MEANING THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS MAY WORK IF THE CIRCUIT BOARD BECOMES DEFECTIVE. REPLACEMENT BOARD, IF FOUND, IS OVER $300. I REPAIRED MINE BY RE-SOLDERING THE VARIOUS BAD CONTACT POINTS ON THE BOARD.

NHTSA ID
11118807
Incident
May 30, 2018
Mileage
118,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 10, 2017

CAR INTERMITTENTLY LOSES ALL POWER AS YOU ARE DRIVING AND RPM GAUGE GOES UP AS CRUISE CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GO ON. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT SUBARU CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT, BUT SUBARU IGNORES NEED FOR RECALLS. MONEY SPENT ON TROUBLESHOOTING IS RIDICULOUS! CAR WORKS FINE AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, ONLY TO HAPPEN SUDDENLY WEEKS LATER. GAS PEDAL ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY AND OR THROTTLEBODY ISSUES. ALSO SUBARU CARS FROM 2006 AND OLDER ALL HAVE HEAD GASKET LEAKS. THEY NEVER RECALLED CARS FOR THAT PROBLEM. THAT COSTS $1600. THEY USED A DIFFERENT GASKET MATERIAL AFTER 2007

NHTSA ID
11032627
Incident
Oct 10, 2016
Mileage
60,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 30, 2017

TAKATA RECALL WE HAVE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPLACEMENT AIRBAG SINCE SEPTEMBER 20, 2016. THE DEALER TELLS US WE ARE STILL NUMBER 45 ON THE LIST AND WILL NOT PREDICT WHEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SERVICE THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
11002556
Incident
Jun 16, 2017
Airbags
Filed Jun 29, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, 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 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MOREHART MURPHY DEALER (30 PARKER AVE, DURANGO, CO 81303) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ONLY RECEIVED TEN PARTS PER MONTH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
11002113
Incident
Jun 27, 2017
Airbags
Filed Jun 8, 2017

TAKATA RECALL - FIRST CONTACTED SUBARU AT BEGINNING OF DECEMBER 2016 ABOUT SCHEDULING REPAIRS. RECALL HAS STILL NOT BEEN COMPLETED. DEALER IS WAITING FOR PARTS.

NHTSA ID
10993881
Incident
Jun 8, 2017
Airbags
Filed May 19, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10990580
Incident
May 19, 2017
AirbagsElectrical
Filed May 17, 2017

HI, I'M WRITING YOU TO TO INFORM YOU OF A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE 05-09 SUBARU OUTBACK AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NOTIFICATION BOARD, LOCATED IN THE DOME LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS ASSEMBLED WITH POOR QUALITY SOLDERS BETWEEN THE BOARD AND DIODES, THIS RESULTS IN FAILURE OF THE BOARD, THIS IS OFTEN SEEN IN LOWER TEMPERATURES WHEN THE SOLDERS CRACK DUE TO THERMAL CONTRACTION. WHEN ONE OF THESE SOLDERS FAILS, IT CAUSES 2 ISSUES, 1, THE INDICATOR LIGHTS DON'T COME ON CORRECTLY, AND 2, THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS DISABLED. THIS IS AN ISSUE KNOWN TO THE SUBARU OWNERS COMMUNITY. MY DEALER WANTS ABOUT $260 TO FIX IT. THANKS.

NHTSA ID
10986154
Incident
Nov 2, 2015
Mileage
120,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 17, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, 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. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10945687
Incident
Jul 11, 2016
Airbags
Filed Dec 7, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED WRITTEN AND EMAIL NOTIFICATION FROM SUBARU THIS WEEK (12/6/16) THAT MY FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG INFLATOR WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL. ALTHOUGH THE NOTE CLAIMED TO BE A "2ND NOTIFICATION", IT IS NOT. I HAVE RECEIVED NO PREVIOUS NOTIFICATION FROM SUBARU THAT MY AIRBAG WAS DANGEROUS AND SO HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH PASSENGERS. I NOW SEE THAT SUBARU KNEW MY AIRBAG WAS DANGEROUS ONE YEAR AGO BUT FAILED TO INFORM ME. I ASSUME THIS WAS DELIBERATE AS THEY KNEW THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS AND DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A CAR THAT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE PARTS. THIS HAS PUT MY FAMILY MEMBERS AT RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10933632
Incident
Dec 6, 2016
Mileage
85,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 6, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, 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 NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10930154
Incident
Dec 31, 2015
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Dec 5, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART TO DO 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.

NHTSA ID
10930001
Incident
Dec 18, 2015
Airbags
Filed Oct 22, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION IN JANUARY, 2016. SUBARU HAS NOT YET PERFORMED THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10918026
Incident
Jan 22, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 17, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (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 NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10916537
Incident
Feb 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Oct 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AFTER PULLING THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAITING A BRIEF PERIOD, AND MANUALLY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT BECAME OPERABLE AGAIN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,655.

NHTSA ID
10914154
Incident
Oct 6, 2016
Mileage
148,655 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL. WAS NOTIFIED 02//2016 OF PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG RECALL. LETTER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO PARTS AND WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY SECOND LETTER WHEN PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. AS OF 9/1/16, NO SECOND LETTER. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE SPORADICALLY AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE CALLED TO BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE LETTER FROM SUBARU STATED. IF I HAD NOT CALLED DEALER, WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT I NEEDED TO ON WAITING LIST. I COULD HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR A SECOND LETTER AS SUBARU STATED THEY WOULD SEND BUT APPARENTLY THEY WERE NOT SENDING.

NHTSA ID
10903116
Incident
Sep 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Aug 5, 2016

TAKATA RECALL. FEBRUARY 2016 RECALL 15V-323. 6 MONTHS HAVE NOT HEARD FROM DEALER.

NHTSA ID
10893586
Incident
Feb 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed May 16, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROVIDE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10865154
Incident
Feb 10, 2016
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Apr 26, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V323000 AND 14V311000 (AIR BAGS AND SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10861577
Incident
Feb 22, 2016
Airbags
Filed Apr 26, 2016

TAKATA RECALL: NOTICE WAS RECEIVED 19 FEB. 2016, NHTSA RECALL NO. 15V-323, SUBARU RECALL CAMPAIGN WQR53. AUTONATION SUBARU WEST, 16351 WEST COLFAX AVENUE, GOLDEN, CO 80401, (855) 503-3943, WILL NOT EVEN ENTER MY CAR IN A WAIT QUEUE. I MUST REPEATEDLY CALL THEM UNTIL THEY HAVE THE INFLATOR "IN THEIR HANDS" AND THEN THEY WILL PROVIDE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME. MORE THAN 60 DAYS HAVE ELAPSED AND I STILL CANNOT CARRY A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER! SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. SHOULD KNOW THIS! THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10861537
Incident
Feb 19, 2016
Mileage
31,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 25, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10861289
Incident
Feb 1, 2016

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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