RoadVitals

2006 Subaru Outback Other / unspecified Problems

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

Data refreshed

Other / unspecified 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.
10
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.
4%
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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. 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. 10 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 other

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

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
Other / unspecified
Filed Feb 20, 2014

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. INITIALLY, THE NOISE HAPPENED AROUND 30-40 MPH. THEN THE NOISE (GRINDING/ROTATIONAL) GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AND STARTED HAPPENING EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS (UNDER 20 MPH). EVENTUALLY, THE NOISE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY VIBRATIONS/SHUDDERING WHEN THE BROKEN BEARING SUPPORTED THE LOAD OF THE CAR ON EVERY ROTATION OF THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565184
Incident
Jul 1, 2013
Mileage
59,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Jan 14, 2014
Crash reported

SUBARU OUTBACK BEGAN TO EXHIBIT "GHOST WALKING" WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT DURING A WINTER STORM. REAR END ATTEMPTED TO RACE THE FRONT END, AND COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL. THIS "GHOST WALKING" IS WELL DISCUSSED IN THE ONLINE FORM AT SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG. CAR EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT THEN PROCEEDED TO ROLL 3 TIMES. THE EXPERIENCE WAS NOT THE NORMALLY SLIDING ON ICE. THE REAR END SEEMED TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10559987
Incident
Jan 4, 2014
Mileage
133,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Dec 19, 2011

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON BOTH SIDES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (FAULTY WHEEL BEARINGS) IN 2005 AND 2006 OUTBACKS AND SUBARU HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING CERTAIN VINS UNDER 100K, BUT MY VIN WAS NOT IN THAT LIST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10440480
Incident
Dec 15, 2011
Mileage
97,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Nov 29, 2010

VEHICLE BECOMES VERY UNSTABLE ON ICY ROADS AT RELATIVELY LOW SPEEDS. EXCESSIVE REAR TIRE WEAR SUGGESTS DEFECT IN CONSTRUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE. PROBLEM PERSISTED EVEN AFTER A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES LAST WINTER. REAR TIRES COMPLETELY WORN OUT IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR.

NHTSA ID
10368848
Incident
Nov 29, 2010
Other / unspecified
Filed Sep 17, 2010

THE CAR IN SNOW OR ICY CONDITIONS DOES NOT HOLD A STRAIGHT LINE AND THE REAR WALKS OUT AND BEGINS SWAYING UNCONTROLLABLY. IN CONTRAST TO OTHER CARS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PASSING ME AND NOT SWAYING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10356108
Incident
Feb 22, 2010
Mileage
57,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Aug 18, 2010

I EXPERIENCE A SIDE-TO-SIDE SHAKE ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. IT IS VERY UNSETTLING TO THE CAR AND IS NOT SIMPLY ROAD CONDITIONS. FWD, RWD, AND OTHER AWD VEHICLES ARE NOT HAVING ANY TROUBLE AND I+M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO STAY ON THE ROAD AND AM DRIVING AS MUCH AS 20 - 30 MPH SLOWER THAN THE NEXT SLOWER CAR ON THE ROAD. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SUBARU OUTBACK VEHICLE DYNAMICS ON ICE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10350407
Incident
Jan 16, 2009
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 3, 2010

ON MANY OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE'S REAR-END SIDE-STEPS OR OSCILLATES ON ICY/SNOW-PACKED ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN DESCRIBED AS "GHOST-WALKING" WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE AWD SYSTEM IN THE REAR IS OVER COMPENSATING, LEADING TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE BEHAVIOR SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THE 30-40MPH RANGE. ALTHOUGH, I PREFER NOT TO DRIVE ANY FASTER THAN THE ROAD CONDITIONS ALLOW, IT CAN BE VERY FRIGHTENING WHEN OTHER 2WD CARS AND TRUCKS ARE PASSING YOU GOING 20MPH FASTER AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO EVEN KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD OR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10316214
Incident
Feb 27, 2010
Mileage
10 mi
Driver assistanceOther / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Oct 27, 2009

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK AUTO TRANS. ON MANY OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE'S REAR-END SIDE-STEPS OR OSCILLATES ON ICY/SNOW-PACKED ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN DESCRIBED AS "GHOST-WALKING" WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE AWD SYSTEM IN THE REAR IS OVER COMPENSATING, LEADING TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE BEHAVIOR SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THE 30-40MPH RANGE. ALTHOUGH, I PREFER NOT TO DRIVE ANY FASTER THAN THE ROAD CONDITIONS ALLOW, IT CAN BE VERY FRIGHTENING WHEN OTHER 2WD CARS AND TRUCKS ARE PASSING YOU GOING 20MPH FASTER AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO EVEN KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD OR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AND HAD BRAND-NEW ALL SEASON TIRES INSTALLED, WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE DEALER HAS NOT FOUND ANYTHING WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10290004
Incident
Oct 26, 2009
Other / unspecified
Filed Sep 15, 2009

RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE A REAR WHEEL BEARING IN MY 2006 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, WHICH ONLY HAS APPROX. 46,000 MILES. MY MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE FAILURES IN THE NEWER SUBARUS, BUT THAT SUBARU HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10284087
Incident
Sep 10, 2009
Mileage
46,000 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .