U.S. public vehicle records

2006 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

87 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

98,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 74 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 87 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	15	17.2%
Engine operation	7	8.0%
Steering behavior	6	6.9%
Electrical and battery issues	4	4.6%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.3%
Fuel system concerns	1	1.1%

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.

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Engine

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Service Brakes

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Vehicle Speed Control: 29; Electrical System: 17; Engine: 16; Air Bags: 12; Fuel/Propulsion System: 12; Service Brakes: 9; Unknown Or Other: 6; Power Train: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 9

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 13 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.

2006

2008

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2006: 6; 2008: 5; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 5; 2013: 14; 2014: 12; 2015: 5; 2016: 11; 2017: 13; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 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 10237821 · 2008-08-12 (August 12, 2008)

I HAVE AN 06 SUBARU LEGACY GT.AT MY 30,000MILE CHECKUP THE REPORT STATES GOOD EXCEPT THE REAR BRAKE PADS & ROTORS WHICH IS RATED; MAY REQUIRE FOLLOW UP ATTENTION.THE REAR ROTORS WERE MACHINED. AT 37,778 MILES THE RADIO WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT SHORTING OUT. AT THIS MILEAGE MY COOLANT CAP IS NO LONGER HOLDING PRESSURE & HAS TO BE REPLACED. AT 44,542MILES, THE INVOICE SAYS REPLACE REAR BRAKES AS ONLY THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED & THE REAR ROTORS WERE MACHINED 6,000MILES AGO. AT 47,560 MILES FOURTH GEAR IS GRINDING.THE INVOICE STATES; FOUND LOW/DIR…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237821 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10488032 · 2012-12-11 (December 11, 2012)

OUR 2006 LEGACY OUTBACK WAS OUR 4TH FAMILY SUBARU, AND WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED USED. I'M A DRIVER WITH OVER 48 YEARS OF ACCIDENT-FREE EXPERIENCE IN NEW ENGLAND AND THE NORTHERN US, TRAVELING ON PERSONAL AND BUSINESS TRIPS DURING ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO-LANE STATE ROAD, LIGHT SNOW HAD JUST BEGUN. SPEED LIMIT (50) AND JUST DEVELOPING CONDITIONS WARRANTED NO SPECIAL CONCERNS, HOWEVER ONCE OR TWICE THE BACK END FELT AS THOUGH WIND WAS AFFECTING TRAVEL (THERE WAS NO WIND), I SLOWED TO 30-35 MPH ALTHOUGH S…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488032 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10327291 · 2010-04-24 (April 24, 2010)

COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO A 2006 SUBARU LEGACY 4DR SEDAN. IN 2009, WE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF WHERE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHEN THE DRIVER STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. COULD NOT RE-START FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALER OVER 9 MONTHS UNTIL FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. REPLACED BY DEALER (N/C). MY REASON FOR THE REPORT IS THAT THIS COULD OF OCCURRED (BUT DID NOT) ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN A DRIVER WOULD COME TO A STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC. A STALL ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY COULD PUT THE DRIVER IN AN UN…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,899 miles reported. Look up ODI 10327291 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10489012 · 2012-12-17 (December 17, 2012)

VEHICLE FAILED TO SUSTAIN HIGHWAY SPEED ALTHOUGH PEDAL WAS PRESSED STEADILY AND THEN VARIABLY TO REGAIN THROTTLE CONTROL. VEHICLE STALLED ON FREEWAY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MECHANIC TEST SHOW ERROR CODE P2138. REPLACED ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY TO RESOLVE ISSUE. NO PRIOR EVIDENCE OF FAILURE TO PROVIDE WARNING PRIOR TO THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILURE. COST TO REPAIR: $282.00 P&L, 296.26 WITH TAX. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 103,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10489012 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10499559 · 2013-02-21 (February 21, 2013)

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 6 MONTH PREGNANT WIFE. NO INDICATION OF IMPENDING PROBLEM. SUDDENLY THE AT OIL TEMP INDICATOR LIGHTED UP AND SPLIT SECOND I LOSS ENGINE POWER WITH STEERING BECAME STIFF. GOOD THING I WAS NOT IN THE FREEWAY YET AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER WITH RESIDUAL MOMENTUM. THIS COULD BE WORSE IF I AM PASSING THRU MY DAILY COMMUTE OF USING THE BRIDGE OR IF IT HAPPENED IN THE FREEWAY BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE CAR BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE ER-HC ERROR IN THE DASH AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE ISSUE…

Owner-reported narrative. 133,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499559 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10565198 · 2014-02-20 (February 20, 2014)

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER CEASED FUNCTIONING. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BROKEN WIRE IN A WIRING HARNESS THAT PASSES THROUGH A RUBBER ACCORDION BOOT BETWEEN THE CAR BODY AND THE TAIL-GATE (NEAR THE RIGHT-HAND TAILGATE HINGE). THE LEFT HAND TAIL-GATE BOOT WAS REMOVED AND A PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WIRE WAS ALSO FOUND ( THIS IS A PREVIOUSLY OWNED CAR). RESEARCH AT AN ONLINE FORUM FOR SUBARU OWNERS SHOWED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 2005 AND 2006 SUBARUS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FAILURES DUE TO BROKEN WIRES IN THIS WIRING HARNESS. I SUSPECT THAT IT IS AN UNDER-…

Owner-reported narrative. 116,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565198 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10151464 · 2006-02-28 (February 28, 2006)

ABOUT A MONTH AGO I PURCHASED A 2006 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5 GT MT. I HAVE TWO MAJOR COMPLAINTS THAT MOST PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT. 1) HESITATION UNDER ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY SUBARU. ONE TECH TOLD ME THAT THE ECU NEEDS TO BE REFLASHED, BUT THAT SUBARU HAS NOT COME UP WITH A FLASH TO FIX THE PROBLEM YET. 2) BAD SMELL FROM THE CLUTCH. HAPPENS MOSTLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, BUT OCCURS AT OTHER TIMES TOO. I'VE HAD IT HAPPENED WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A LONG TIME, CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY AND SHIFTING. IT IS VE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10151464 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10154465 · 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)

(1) FUEL SYSTEM CEASED TO OPERATE WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM (SUPPOSEDLY, SERVICING CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AFTER THE FIRST TIME) (2) CAR WAS STUCK INSIDE A NATURE RESERVE THAT HAS LIMITED ACCESS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE FULL WARRANTY PACKAGE, I COULD NOT GET APPROPRIATE SERVICE TO TOW THE CAR OUT FOR 1.5 DAYS, AND SO MISSED 1 DAY OF WORK. (3) THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE FUEL PUMP AND RELATED PARTS WERE REPLACED. THIS TIME, I FOUND AND REPLACED A BURNT-OUT FUSE FOR THE FUEL PUMP, AND THE NEW FUS…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154465 at NHTSA ↗