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U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Subaru B9 TRIBECA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

4 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

51,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 4 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting375.0%
Engine operation125.0%
Braking behavior125.0%
Electrical and battery issues125.0%
Steering behavior125.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Exterior Lighting
2
Power Train
2
Electrical System
1
Engine
1
Steering
1
Structure:Body:Door
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Exterior Lighting2
Power Train2
Electrical System1
Engine1
Steering1
Structure:Body:Door1

Exterior Lighting: 2; Power Train: 2; Electrical System: 1; Engine: 1; Steering: 1; Structure:Body:Door: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
2
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9992
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2016
1
2017
2
2020
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20161
20172
20201

2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10838009 · 2016-02-24 (February 24, 2016)

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10838009 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11039681 · 2017-10-25 (October 25, 2017)

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 B…

Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11039681 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10967375 · 2017-03-20 (March 20, 2017)

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10967375 at NHTSA ↗