Total Complaints
8 filings
SUBARU B9 TRIBECA · model year
2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012SUBARUB9 TRIBECA carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 2012 B9 TRIBECA is exterior lighting with 2 filings, followed by power train (2) and electrical system (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 2012 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200201POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL AND TEMP, ALL WERE NORMAL. PULLED AWAY AND THE ENGINE REVED UP THEN BANGED INTO GEAR. DROVE NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL MILES. THE WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF. DROVE THE NEXT DAY AND FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH NO INCIDENCE. OCCURRED AGAIN WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY THE NEXT WEEK. ON THE SUBARU OWNERS FORUM FOUND SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THEY STATED THAT THE SUBARU DEALERS CALLED IT A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 5EAT TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 59,000 MILES. DEALER SOLUTION IS A $2000 VALVE BODY. DRIVES NORMALLY FOR SHORT DISTANCES AND AT SLOWER SPEEDS. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS NO POWER IS TRANSMITTED TO THE WHEELS. UNSAFE SITUATION.
Mileage: 59,000
20171025POWER TRAIN
2012 SUBARU TRIBECA- TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE KNOWN ISSUE ON SUBARU CARS FROM THAT YEAR, RECALL/EXTENDED REPAIR DOESN'T COVER MODEL. CAR STALLS WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS. STARTED AS STRONG HESITATION AND PROGRESSED RAPIDLY TO UNPREDICTABLE/SUDDEN STALLING. HAPPENED AT BOTH HIGH SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY AND AT SLOW SPEEDS IN TRAFFIC. RESULTS IN TOTAL ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND REQUIRES TIME FOR ENGINE RESTART. HIGHLY DANGEROUS. OCCURS RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. CRASH HAZARD. FIRST ISSUE 9/28. TOTAL STALL ON MAJOR HIGHWAY 9/30. CANNOT BE DRIVEN WITHOUT STALL. TWO ATTEMPTED REPAIRS BEFORE IDENTIFIED. SUBARU DEALER CONFIRMED KNOWN ISSUE FOR THAT YEAR BUT HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY REPORTED FOR THIS CAR TO HELP COVER REPAIR. REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $5000 TO REPLACE PART AND REBUILD TRANSMISSION.
Mileage: 66,000
20170320STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU TRIBECA. WHILE PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSIS FOR THE DOORS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND THE FREQUENT BULB OUTAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
Mileage: 30,000
20170320ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU TRIBECA. WHILE PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSIS FOR THE DOORS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND THE FREQUENT BULB OUTAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
Mileage: 30,000
20170320EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU TRIBECA. WHILE PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSIS FOR THE DOORS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN AND THE FREQUENT BULB OUTAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE OIL AND HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
Mileage: 30,000
20160224ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SUBARU TRIBECA 2012 IS ONLY 3 YEARS AND 7 MONTH OLD. WAS PURCHASED NEW FOR $41,000 FOR BEST SAFETY FEATURES, AND FUEL ECONOMY. MY CAR NEVER WAS IN ACCIDENT, NOT DRIVEN TO THE MOUNTAINS OR HARSH WEATHER CONDITION. ONLY 43000 MILES. HAS MANY ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL, OIL LEAK, STEERING WHEEL. AFTER DRIVING, ON THE SHORT STOP (DROP OFF OR PICK UP KIDS), IN SHIFTING TO P POSITION, THE FRONT RIGHT/LEFT DOORS FREQUENTLY NOT UNLOCKED. EVEN WITH A MANUAL UNLOCK BUTTON TO THE DRIVER LEFT SIDE PANEL. SO, IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY, IT MAY BE A PROBLEM TO GET OUT FROM THE FRONT SEAT. IN 2014 -2015 HAD ALREADY ISSUE WITH FRONT HEADLIGHTS THAT WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES THE SAME PART, AND 2 TIMES WAS REPLACED THE SAME BREAK LIGHTS. 2015 LEFT SIDE WINDOW THE MOTOR BROKE. SUBARU AUTO NATION MAZDA GARAGE CHARGED $2,473 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADGASKETS LEAKING, TIMING COVER. STEERING WHEEL HAS A BALANCE ISSUE. I REPLACED BATTERY. FRONT TIRE TREAD IS 0 NDS, BACK 5 NDS. AND I CAN'T REPLACE JUST 2 FRONT, I HAV
Mileage: 43,000
20160224STEERING
SUBARU TRIBECA 2012 IS ONLY 3 YEARS AND 7 MONTH OLD. WAS PURCHASED NEW FOR $41,000 FOR BEST SAFETY FEATURES, AND FUEL ECONOMY. MY CAR NEVER WAS IN ACCIDENT, NOT DRIVEN TO THE MOUNTAINS OR HARSH WEATHER CONDITION. ONLY 43000 MILES. HAS MANY ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL, OIL LEAK, STEERING WHEEL. AFTER DRIVING, ON THE SHORT STOP (DROP OFF OR PICK UP KIDS), IN SHIFTING TO P POSITION, THE FRONT RIGHT/LEFT DOORS FREQUENTLY NOT UNLOCKED. EVEN WITH A MANUAL UNLOCK BUTTON TO THE DRIVER LEFT SIDE PANEL. SO, IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY, IT MAY BE A PROBLEM TO GET OUT FROM THE FRONT SEAT. IN 2014 -2015 HAD ALREADY ISSUE WITH FRONT HEADLIGHTS THAT WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES THE SAME PART, AND 2 TIMES WAS REPLACED THE SAME BREAK LIGHTS. 2015 LEFT SIDE WINDOW THE MOTOR BROKE. SUBARU AUTO NATION MAZDA GARAGE CHARGED $2,473 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADGASKETS LEAKING, TIMING COVER. STEERING WHEEL HAS A BALANCE ISSUE. I REPLACED BATTERY. FRONT TIRE TREAD IS 0 NDS, BACK 5 NDS. AND I CAN'T REPLACE JUST 2 FRONT, I HAV
Mileage: 43,000
20160224EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SUBARU TRIBECA 2012 IS ONLY 3 YEARS AND 7 MONTH OLD. WAS PURCHASED NEW FOR $41,000 FOR BEST SAFETY FEATURES, AND FUEL ECONOMY. MY CAR NEVER WAS IN ACCIDENT, NOT DRIVEN TO THE MOUNTAINS OR HARSH WEATHER CONDITION. ONLY 43000 MILES. HAS MANY ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL, OIL LEAK, STEERING WHEEL. AFTER DRIVING, ON THE SHORT STOP (DROP OFF OR PICK UP KIDS), IN SHIFTING TO P POSITION, THE FRONT RIGHT/LEFT DOORS FREQUENTLY NOT UNLOCKED. EVEN WITH A MANUAL UNLOCK BUTTON TO THE DRIVER LEFT SIDE PANEL. SO, IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY, IT MAY BE A PROBLEM TO GET OUT FROM THE FRONT SEAT. IN 2014 -2015 HAD ALREADY ISSUE WITH FRONT HEADLIGHTS THAT WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES THE SAME PART, AND 2 TIMES WAS REPLACED THE SAME BREAK LIGHTS. 2015 LEFT SIDE WINDOW THE MOTOR BROKE. SUBARU AUTO NATION MAZDA GARAGE CHARGED $2,473 TO REPLACE BOTH HEADGASKETS LEAKING, TIMING COVER. STEERING WHEEL HAS A BALANCE ISSUE. I REPLACED BATTERY. FRONT TIRE TREAD IS 0 NDS, BACK 5 NDS. AND I CAN'T REPLACE JUST 2 FRONT, I HAV
Mileage: 43,000
Compare 2012SUBARUB9 TRIBECA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA have?▼
The 2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.