Total Complaints
11 filings
SUBARU B9 TRIBECA · model year
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009SUBARUB9 TRIBECA carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 B9 TRIBECA is power train with 2 filings, followed by engine (2) and power train:automatic transmission (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2009 B9 TRIBECA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
11 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving on ice, at a low speed, the contact's vehicle slid and rolled before slamming into a culvert. The contact stated that the driver's door air bag was deployed, however, no other air bags deployed. In addition, the contact stated that an unknown air bag recall repair was performed on the vehicle in 2023. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The Police and paramedics were at the scene. A Police report was filed, however, some of the information was unavailable. The contact was transported to the local hospital. The contact sustained bruises, scratches, and body pain. The vehicle was condemned to total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Mileage: 200,000
HEADLAMPS BURN OUT AND CAUSE SHORTING ON OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS LIKE BLOWER FAN, WINDOWS AND ETC. I CHANGE HEADLAMPS EVERY 1-2 MONTHS SOMETIMES SOONER, AND NOW I'M FORCED TO CHANGE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE EFFECTED BY THIS SHORTING ISSUE!!!!!! I'M TOLD THAT SUBARU HAD AN DEFECT WITH THIS ISSUE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES!!!
Mileage: 90,000
PROBLEM 1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY CAR LOST POWER, STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE GAS GUAGE WAS ON A 1/4 OF TAN OF GASOLINE, MILES GUAGE READ 100 MILES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANKS GOD, I NEAR THE NEXT EXIT. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY CAR AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTE AND WENT TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. THIS HAVE HAPPEN TO ME TWICE ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SO I TRY NOT LET THE GAS GUAGE FALL BELOW 1/4 TANK BECAUSE THE SENSOR ARE NOT REGISTER CORRECT. I HAVE TAKE MY CAR TO SUBARU DEALER IN JACKSON, MS 3 TIMES THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. I TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DAILY TO WORK, USUALLY DRIVE IN THE OUTER LEFT OR RIGHT LANE SO IF MY CAR CUT OFF I WILL BE ABLE TO COAST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD NOT AT RAN OVER. I TOOK VIDEO PICTURE OF THE GUAGE READING TO SHOW TO THE SUBARU DEALER ON MY CELL PHONE. PROBLEM 2. TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ THE CAR IS RUNNING HOT WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING AT STOP LIGHT. THE GAUGE RANDOMLY MOVES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVIN
Mileage: 152,587
PROBLEM 1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY CAR LOST POWER, STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE GAS GUAGE WAS ON A 1/4 OF TAN OF GASOLINE, MILES GUAGE READ 100 MILES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANKS GOD, I NEAR THE NEXT EXIT. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY CAR AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTE AND WENT TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. THIS HAVE HAPPEN TO ME TWICE ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SO I TRY NOT LET THE GAS GUAGE FALL BELOW 1/4 TANK BECAUSE THE SENSOR ARE NOT REGISTER CORRECT. I HAVE TAKE MY CAR TO SUBARU DEALER IN JACKSON, MS 3 TIMES THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. I TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DAILY TO WORK, USUALLY DRIVE IN THE OUTER LEFT OR RIGHT LANE SO IF MY CAR CUT OFF I WILL BE ABLE TO COAST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD NOT AT RAN OVER. I TOOK VIDEO PICTURE OF THE GUAGE READING TO SHOW TO THE SUBARU DEALER ON MY CELL PHONE. PROBLEM 2. TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ THE CAR IS RUNNING HOT WHILE DRIVING AND SITTING AT STOP LIGHT. THE GAUGE RANDOMLY MOVES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVIN
Mileage: 152,587
UPON ENTERING HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING TO ACHIEVE THE PRESCRIBED 65MPH, THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING, UNCOMMANDED, EVEN WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 85MPH FOR MILES, (I WAS PUMPING BRAKES AND FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AND WHAT WAS GOING ON). I WAS ABLE TO FIND AN EXIT RAMP AND HAD THE THOUGHT I COULD PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEREBY SUCCESSFULLY SLOW THE CAR TO A STOP. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV IN NEUTRAL, AND AFTER THE CAR STOPPED AND I PUT IT IN PARK, THE CAR CONTINUED TO REV AND BEGAN TO SHUDDER UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE POWER.
Mileage: 120,000
I AM IN THE MILITARY CURRENTLY STATIONED OVERSEAS, IN ITALY, AND WE NOTICED THAT THE CAR I BOUGHT IN 2015 HAS BEEN RELEASING GAS FUMES ON COLD MORNING, THAT WILL LAST NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. WE NEVER NOTICED THIS HAPPENING ON WARM SEASON. STRONG GAS SMELL COMES IN THROUGH THE AC VENTS WHEN THE CIRCULATION IS OPEN AND/OR IN DEFOGGER MODE. NO GAS SMELL IN ENGINE BAY BUT RATHER THE GAS SMELL IS STRONG ON THE EXHAUST PIPES.
I AM IN THE MILITARY CURRENTLY STATIONED OVERSEAS, IN ITALY, AND WE NOTICED THAT THE CAR I BOUGHT IN 2015 HAS BEEN RELEASING GAS FUMES ON COLD MORNING, THAT WILL LAST NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. WE NEVER NOTICED THIS HAPPENING ON WARM SEASON. STRONG GAS SMELL COMES IN THROUGH THE AC VENTS WHEN THE CIRCULATION IS OPEN AND/OR IN DEFOGGER MODE. NO GAS SMELL IN ENGINE BAY BUT RATHER THE GAS SMELL IS STRONG ON THE EXHAUST PIPES.
THERE IS A LARGE SHUDDER AT SLOW ACCELERATION. THE PROBLEM WAS SLIGHT TO BEGIN WITH HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS NO GOOD, HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT REPLACE FOR FREE SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THROUGH MY INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT SUBARU DID A DESIGN CHANGE IN EARLY 2009 TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, SUBARU HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR ALL DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTERS IT HAS INSTALLED. *TR
Mileage: 65,000
WINDSHIELD CRACKING FOR NO REASON. APPROX 4 CLEAN, THROUGH AND THROUGH, CRACKS NOW. ALL ROUGHLY 8' LONG. NO CHIPS AND/OR ROCK DINGS. WOKE UP TWO MORNINGS AGO, CAR GARAGED, AND THERE WAS A NEW CRACK AFTER IT SAT IDLE IN A GARAGE ALL NIGHT. *TR
WHEN ACCELERATING MODERATELY, THE DRIVETRAIN/TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS. THE VEHICLE HESITATES FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN BEGINS TO ACCELERATE. THIS USUALLY OCCURS BETWEEN 20-40 MPH, ESPECIALLY WHEN MOVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONDITION AND NO "ERROR CODES" ARE SHOWING IN THE COMPUTER. MY WIFE DOES NOT FEEL CONFIDENT DRIVING THE VEHICLE ANY LONGER AS IT MAKES IT DANGEROUS TO PULL INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. APPARENTLY WE ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS, BUT SUBARU DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO RECTIFY THIS CONDITION. OWNERS OF 2008 AND 2009 TRIBECA'S FREQUENTLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT "NOTHING IS WRONG" WHEN THE VEHICLES ARE LOOKED AT BY SUBARU TECHNICIANS. I WONDER IS SUBARU IS HAVING THEIR DEALERS COVER UP THIS ISSUE. *TR
Mileage: 30,410
ENGINE STALL OUT / FLASHING ATOIL LIGHT / CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON / FLASHING VSC LIGHT ON/ FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT. - VEHICLE RUNNING ROUGH. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. FIRST OCCURRED 2/23/2009 -(2567 MILES) DX WITH TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PROBLEM. REPAIRED W/DX CODES P1578, P0700 CURRENT INCIDENT AT 24,000 MILES - DEALERSHIP REPORTING DIFFICULTY IN DIAGNOSING PROBLEM. *TR
Mileage: 24,000
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
Front suspension control arm failure
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
FUEL LINE LEAK
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.