2006 Subaru Impreza Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the passenger airbag recall, where repair parts were reported as unavailable or repair dates kept changing. Other common reports are oil pickup or oil feed line failures that starved the engine of oil, raw fuel smells during cold starts, and brake lines or backing plates that rusted. Oil failures are typically described as sudden, while the fuel smell is most often linked to cold weather.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Takata airbag recall repairs delayed or not completed

   • 15 complaints (27%)
   • median 136,162 mi at 12.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2025

   Owners who received a passenger airbag recall notice describe repeated calls to the dealer and long waits because replacement parts were unavailable or repair dates kept moving. Some complaints say no fix date or update was given, and a promised loaner car is described as never provided. A complaint says the repair was refused because the vehicle's VIN was not in the manufacturer's database, and another says the recall had not been handled. According to complaints, the dealer said parts might not arrive until a later quarter, and owners say they had not experienced an airbag failure before the repair. Most complaints in this group do not list mileage, and most were filed between 2016 and 2018 after a recall notice was received.

   Recall 16V358000Recall 16V359000Recall 17V014000Recall 17V016000Recall 17V026000Recall 20V001000Recall 20V002000Recall 20V0030008 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the VIN with the NHTSA recall lookup and ask the dealer whether the passenger airbag inflator repair has been completed and recorded. Ask for any scheduled repair date in writing, and keep copies of the recall notice and service records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall -- I have a 2006 Subaru. I received a letter from them in march 2017 telling me there was a serious issue regarding the takata passenger side airbags, at that time they informed me that they did not have a fix. It is now october 2017 and I have not received any information from Subaru regarding a fix. What do I do? It concerns the safety of my passengers and quite possibly me as a driver. It is not a effective solution to wait for something to happen. The recall numbers are as follows: Subaru -- tkc17; NHTSA 17v-016.”

   NHTSA complaint #11040427, filed 2017-10, 160,000 miles

   “Takata recall. I have received multiple recall notices, yet the local dealership has given me multiple dates by which they would have the parts, however, I keep calling them back and I feel that they are taking far too long to do this work. I called today, 10-13-2017 and spoke with tina marie at the dealership in the cumberland, md area and they said they have a call list but another girl has the list so tina marie could not verify even if I was on the call list or not. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11033246, filed 2017-10
2. 2
   Engine

   Oil pickup or oil feed line failure

   • 7 complaints (13%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2008–2020

   Owners describe an oil pickup tube that cracked, broke, or lost a weld, and a cracked banjo bolt screen in an oil line that restricted oil to the turbocharger. Typical symptoms are an oil warning light, a check engine light, rough running, or a sudden shutdown, followed by engine damage that led to an engine replacement or a major repair. A complaint says the dealer declined powertrain warranty coverage and asked for a fee before looking at the car. Another complaint notes that an updated tube part has since been introduced. Mileage ranges from about 36,000 to 200,000 miles, most often between 40,000 and 115,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask for service records that show whether the oil pickup tube or oil feed line was inspected or replaced. During a test drive or inspection, confirm that oil pressure and engine warning lights behave normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2006 Subaru sti driving home 20 MPH oil light flickered then stayed on for 20 seconds engine starved of oil, shut down. Had engine removed to find oil pick up tube the weld had failed causing no oil to motor, now motor is junk. Now I find out this is a common problem. Subaru of america has made a up dated tube,my question is why? A problem. I have had my car for 3 months now its 6,000 dollar repair, for a poor weld job on a 20 dollar part. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10374842, filed 2011-01, 83,550 miles

   “While driving my 2006 Subaru wrx sti the engine suddenly seized up on the highway. There was a loss of power to everything including the power steering and brakes. I had to perform emergency maneuvers and steer into the emergency lane on the highway. I had the car taken to Subaru, they refused to honor the power train warranty on it and wanted $1500 to even look at it. I think took the car into a private mechanical shop and they found the cause of the problem, the oil pick up line cracked in half. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10232608, filed 2008-06, 40,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Raw fuel smell on starting and possible leak

   Mentioned in 4 of 51 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a raw fuel smell that fills the cabin or engine bay, most often after a cold start or a restart. Some owners report fuel visible on or under the intake area, which the complaints describe as pooling after a few moments of engine operation. In some cases the smell is strong enough that owners say they had to open the windows or step out to air the car. A complaint says the manufacturer has bulletins on this issue for other models but has not treated it as a recall. Where mileage is given, it falls between about 70,000 and 112,000 miles, and the smell is most often tied to cold starts.

   What to check: During a cold start, check for a raw fuel odor in the cabin and look under the intake manifold for wetness or fuel residue. Ask the dealer whether any bulletin on fuel leaks in that area has been applied and noted in the service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In cold temperatures when starting the car there is a smell of raw fuel that fills the cabin to the point where I have to get out of the vehicle and air it out before it would be safe to drive. Subaru has TSB's on this issue for many vehicle models and years but does not seem to think it is worthy of a recall. This issue first started for me about 3 years ago and has been a constant problem since.”

   NHTSA complaint #11155855, filed 2018-12, 105,000 miles

   “Upon start in any weather after sitting or multple start and stop trips with engine at operating tempeture a very strong raw fuel smell over takes cabin so badly windows have to be rolled down to avoid sickness. Smell continues after several minutes of driving with windows down.”

   NHTSA complaint #10716206, filed 2015-05, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake lines and backing plates rusting or failing

   Mentioned in 4 of 51 sampled complaints

   Owners describe brake lines that rusted through or leaked, backing plates that rusted or broke apart, and brake shoes that separated from their backing plates. Reported effects include a pedal that dropped to the floor, a swerve when the brakes were applied, and brakes that dragged and smoked. A complaint describes the dealer confirming brake line rust on a vehicle that was not included in a similar recall. Where mileage is given, reports fall between about 30,000 and 142,000 miles, and the complaints were filed between 2012 and 2025.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and inspect the brake lines and backing plates for rust, leaks, or drag during an inspection or test drive. Check the VIN with the NHTSA recall lookup, since complaints describe recalls that did not include the owner's VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While my 75 year-old mother was driving home from the job she still works to pay her bills, the brakes on her Subaru failed. The car was in motion, pulling out of the parking lot of the building where she works. Fortunately, she was able to get to a safe place and stop the vehicle, and thankfully she was not injured. Upon inspection, we discovered the failure was due to corroded brake lines. The lines leaked in the right rear area, near the wheel. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11360422, filed 2020-09, 142,000 miles

   “I was driving home, and my foot fell to the floor when I hit the brakes. Thankfully, I was coasting to the front of my house, so I was able to stop using the hand brake. Upon inspection and professional opinion from the Subaru dealership, the brake line rusted through just after the rear junction block, identical to the recall NUMBER: WQK-47. However, my VIN was not included in this recall, and I am learning on YouTube and from the dealership that this is a common failure with my year and model vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11656090, filed 2025-04
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slipping, noise, or loss of drive

   • 6 complaints (11%)
   • median 35,602 mi at 3.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2006–2014

   Owners describe slipping between gears when the transmission is cold that improves after warm up, a loud bearing noise when slowing down, and a loss of all-wheel-drive power that shifts the car into neutral. The dealer reportedly could not duplicate the drive loss but reprogrammed the engine control module. A complaint says the slipping became worse after an engine control module reprogramming campaign. A separate complaint describes a broken transmission mount that is said to have damaged the clutch line and required a rebuilt transmission. Mileage ranges from about 1,000 to 90,000 miles, with the slipping described as worse when cold and the drive loss more noticeable at high altitude or on icy roads.

   What to check: Ask for records of any engine control module reprogramming and whether the transmission was checked afterward. On a test drive, check for slipping or hesitation between gears when cold and after warm up, and listen for bearing noise when slowing down.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought my Subaru Impreza wrx sti brand new, and after having it about 4 months a transmission mount called the pitch rod mount broke in half. The mount broke under normal driving conditions, and resulted in damaging the clutch line. The fluid in the clutch line was drained and this resulted in my gears scratching and overall ruined my transmission. In the end I took it to the dealership and had to replace the mount, clutch line and the transmission had to be re-built. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10166072, filed 2006-08, 7,750 miles

   “Subaru Impreza transmission fail. The vehicle transmission was slipping when cold and does not want to shift, but after warm up the transmission shifts. The transmission got worse after take in for ECM reprogramming service campaign by Subaru. The Impreza from the earlier miles slip from reverse to drive and gradually got worse.”

   NHTSA complaint #10426829, filed 2011-09, 90,000 miles

Buying note. For someone considering a 2006 model year vehicle, confirm the passenger airbag recall repair status with the VIN and ask for records of any oil pickup or brake line work. A pre-purchase inspection that checks brake lines, fuel odor near the intake manifold, the oil feed area, and transmission behavior can show whether these reported issues are present on that car.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 51 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.