2006 Subaru WRX: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
66,870 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 13 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 14 complaints (21.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 14.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 7.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 1 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 1 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Power Train: 2; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 1; Structure:Frame And Members: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 1 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2006: 1; 2008: 4; 2009: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10175659 · 2006-12-09 (December 9, 2006)
FUEL SYSTEM LINES AND HOSES BECOME UNSTABLE, LEAKING FUEL AND FUEL ODORS ARE PRESENT IN CABIN OF VEHICLE. THE NATURE OF THIS COMPLAINT FOLLOWS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: PE04002. THAT REPORT FOUND THAT THE CONDITION MANIFESTED IN "VERY COLD" TEMPERATURES. HOWEVER, IT HAS STARTED IN 45-50 DEGREE F. THE UNDERSIGNED REQUEST THAT THE INVESTIGATION BE REOPENED. FURTHER, THE PROBLEM DOES NOT RESOLVE ITSELF UPON ENGINE WARM UP. SMELL OF FUEL LINGERS IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE EVEN WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. NOTICEABLE LOSS IN RANGE OF CAR UPON F…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,059 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175659 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220248 · 2008-03-06 (March 6, 2008)
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN FIFTH GEAR MY CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS AT 6,000RPMS. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE CAR AND MAKE IT TO AN EXIT RAMP, BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND IT STALLED OUT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO FAIRWAY SUBARU WHERE I WAS TOLD MANY DIFFERENT EXCUSES THAT WERE ALL "DRIVER RELATED." I WAS TOLD THAT "THE CLUTCH DISINTEGRATED UNDER EXTREME HEAT FROM REVVING THE ENGINE." THE CLUTCH WAS TAKEN APART AND THERE WERE NO "HEAT SPOTS." I WAS THEN TOLD…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220248 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10230156 · 2008-06-06 (June 6, 2008)
I STARTED MY CAR ON SATURDAY MAY 18TH AND COULD NOT DRIVE IT. CLUTCH WAS BAD. I'VE HAD THE CAR 13 MONTHS, IT HAS 13K MILES ON IT AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS MY FAULT-DRIVER ERROR. THIS IS MY 4TH CAR WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION (IRONICALLY THE FIRST NEW CAR) AND I HAVE NEVER, EVER HAD A CLUTCH PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THE OTHERS-RANGING FROM AN OLDER SATURN TO AN M SERIES BMW. ACCORDING TO SUBARU, THEY CAN'T/WON'T DO ANYTHING IF THE TECHNICIAN SAYS THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY DRIVER ERROR. THEY SAID ALL I CAN DO IS ASK THE SERVICE MANAGER TO GIVE ME …
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232359 · 2008-06-26 (June 26, 2008)
BROKEN OIL PICKUP TUBE, DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE PICKUP TUBE BROKE CAUSING THE OIL IN THE OILPAN TO NOT CIRCULATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THIS DESTROYED ALL INTERNAL BEARINGS AND LIKELY FATIGUED MANY OTHER ENGINE INTERNALS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL BEARINGS UNDER WARRANTY BUT DID NOT REPLACE ANY OTHER ENGINE BLOCK COMPONENTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232359 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10241810 · 2008-09-11 (September 11, 2008)
OIL PICK UP TUBE CRACKED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10241810 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10290490 · 2009-11-01 (November 1, 2009)
1. OIL LIGHT FLICKERS ON AND THEN STAYS ON AT IDLE OR UNDER LOW REV'S 2. THE FAILURE IS THE OIL PICK UP LINE RESULTING IN A CRACKED LINE AND DAMAGED ENGINE. 3. USUALLY DAMAGE IS SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT A REPLACED LONG BLOCK AND TURBO FROM MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER NO SUFFICIENT REPLACEMENT IS MADE ABOUT PART PRONE TO FAILURE EVEN WITH A NEW ENGINE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 46,293 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290490 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10389926 · 2011-03-12 (March 12, 2011)
STUD BOLT CONNECTING STRUT ARM FROM REAR HATCH TO CAR FRAME FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE STRUT ARM TO BECOME DISCONNECTED WITH THE REAR HATCH AND THE REAR HATCH DOOR NO LONG IS ABLE TO REMAIN AJAR WITHOUT MANUAL SUPPORT. DOOR WILL CLOSE ON USER WITHOUT NOTICE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 59,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10389926 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10446143 · 2012-02-01 (February 1, 2012)
CODE P1410 SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM SWITCHING VALVE STUCK OPEN. THIS IS A COMMON ERROR MANY 2006 AND UP SUBARU IMPREZA WRX OWNERS ARE HAVING. THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM IS PRONE TO FAIL DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP OR MOISTURE AND RUST CONTAMINATING VALVES, LEADING TO REPAIRS COSTING $700 TO $1500. THIS FAILURE IS COMMON EVEN WITH LOW MILEAGE. NOTE THESE CODES ARE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE: 06/07 WRX: P0410 P0411 P0413 P0414 P0416 P0417 P0418 P2431 P2432 P2433 P2440 P2441 P2442 P2443 P2444 07 STI: …
Owner-reported narrative. 66,870 miles reported. Look up ODI 10446143 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
20V001000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-01-02 (January 2, 2020)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V002000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-01-02 (January 2, 2020)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V003000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-01-02 (January 2, 2020)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
NHTSA campaign record ↗