Total Complaints
5 filings
SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT · model year
2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006SUBARUOUTBACK SPORT carries 5 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 2006 OUTBACK SPORT is air bags with 2 filings, followed by engine (1) and power train (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 2006 OUTBACK SPORT. 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20171129AIR BAGS
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION WAS SUPPOSE TO BE PROVIDED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO ME. THEY PROVIDED ME WITH A RENTAL CAR WHICH REQUIRED ME TO PUT A $25.00 DEPOSIT DOWN AND WHICH THE RENTAL COMPANY WOULD NOT REFUND ME THE END AFTER I RETURNED THE CAR. THIS, TO ME, IS NOT PROVIDING ME WITH ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. IT WAS THE DEALERSHIPS DECISION TO USE A RENTAL CAR. NOT MINE. MY SON IS DRIVING THIS CAR AND WAS USING THE DEALERSHIP IN SPRINGFIELD MO.
20160720AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT AT THE LOWER L SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REMAINS ILLUMINATED. ANNOYING CHIME SOUNDS THE ENTIRE TIME THE CAR IS ON. I'VE READ ONLINE THAT THE PROBLEM LIES IN A PCB UP BY THE MAP LIGHTS. WILL CHECK THE SOLDER ON ALL RESISTERS AND LEDS ON THAT PCB. MOST WHO REFLOW THE SOLDER CLAIM THIS RESOLVES THE ISSUE. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAN'TS $300+ TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE OVERHEAD CONSOLE.
Mileage: 120,000
20160720UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE FUEL DOOR RELEASE CABLE RUSTED THROUGH AND CAME ATTACHED FROM THE LEVER ON THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVERS SIDE FOOTWELL.
Mileage: 118,000
20120521ENGINE
I HAVE 2006 SUBARU OUT BACK SPORT WAGON WHICH IS A BASIC SUBARU IMPREZA WAGON WITH DUAL PAINT. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE ON ROAD CAR BEGIN TO CHOKE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CRUISECONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND START BLINKING. THE CAR ENGINE WANTS TO CUT OFF WHENEVER IN STOP SO IN LOW IDLE AND IT DID CUT OFF ON THE DRIVE WAY. FROM THE SHOP DIAGNOSE RETRIVED DTC P0304 CYLIDER #4 MISFIRE CHECK IGNITION, FUEL SYSTEM OK, CHECK COMPRESSION 25PSI RECOMMEND ENGINE SHOP, POSSIBLE VALVE PROBLEM. I ALSO HAD SAME CAR TRANSMISSION REBUILD ON THE CAR 97XXX MILES AGO. COST $3589.XX. NOW I NEED TO REBUILD THE ENGINE, MAN THIS SUBARU IS A NIGHTMARE. *TT
Mileage: 110,100
20120521POWER TRAIN
I HAVE 2006 SUBARU OUT BACK SPORT WAGON WHICH IS A BASIC SUBARU IMPREZA WAGON WITH DUAL PAINT. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE ON ROAD CAR BEGIN TO CHOKE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CRUISECONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND START BLINKING. THE CAR ENGINE WANTS TO CUT OFF WHENEVER IN STOP SO IN LOW IDLE AND IT DID CUT OFF ON THE DRIVE WAY. FROM THE SHOP DIAGNOSE RETRIVED DTC P0304 CYLIDER #4 MISFIRE CHECK IGNITION, FUEL SYSTEM OK, CHECK COMPRESSION 25PSI RECOMMEND ENGINE SHOP, POSSIBLE VALVE PROBLEM. I ALSO HAD SAME CAR TRANSMISSION REBUILD ON THE CAR 97XXX MILES AGO. COST $3589.XX. NOW I NEED TO REBUILD THE ENGINE, MAN THIS SUBARU IS A NIGHTMARE. *TT
Mileage: 110,100
Compare 2006SUBARUOUTBACK SPORT 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 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT have?▼
The 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT 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.