- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2006 Subaru WRX Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2006 Subaru WRX with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (5) and the fuel system (4). Those complaints describe 1 injury. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in January 2020 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2005 has 19 and the 2007 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
BFewer problems than a typical WRX year, for its age
#210 most complained-about 2006 vehicle
- Complaints
- 14
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2006 Subaru WRX problems
Share of all 14 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2006 Subaru WRX recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
- The fix
- Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
What owners say
Be the first WRX owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
14 complaints about the 2006 Subaru WRX
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
The secondary air injection pump failed to turn off and nearly caught fire. Subaru has recalled this part and the related relay switch for 2008-14 imprezas, but this problem also exists with 2006 imprezas. My mechanic says this is very common failure point for my model.
Vehicle was being driven on a public road at 30 mph. Engine oil pressure light came on so vehicle was parked in a business parking lot to check oil level. Oil level was full. Owner checked on internet for possible causes of this symptom and discovered numerous references to a broken oil pick up tube. Vehicle was towed to an independent shop for evaluation. Shop informed owner upon removal of oil pan that aluminum shavings were discovered in the oil and that indeed the oil pick up tube was broken. Shop informed...
Read the full complaint
owner that this is a common problem seen on certain model years of subaru vehicles. Failure of this part causes oil starvation and catastrophic motor damage requiring rebuild or replacement of short block and other related inspections and cleanings of parts through which oil flows. Part in question is not a normal wear and tear part. Aftermarket manufacturers such as killerbee have engineered a better product and conducted independent investigation of issue with oem part and explain that the brazing process used to join the bracket and the tube in fact weaken the tube. In addition, the flux used during brazing is not properly cleaned on some parts which leads the manufacturer to believe this is a quality issue that subaru has overlooked. Owner contact subaru requesting assistance with repair costs and was denied with the explanation that vehicle is out of warranty. Cost to replace short block with labor is $6500. Owner has experience as an automotive technician and understands the difference between failure due to owner negligence and failure due to a non wear and tear part that is not in subaru regular service procedures. Failure of part at a higher rate of speed can cause severe engine damage and a possible unsafe condition in which the motor can lock up and cause vehicle to come to a sudden stop. Numerous owners have reported similar issues.
Raw fuel smell outside and inside the vehicle during and after cold starts
Upon start up of my 2006 subaru wrx, there is visual evidence of fuel leakage under the intake manifold on the passenger side of engine. This only happens during times of cold weather. You cannot see the leak as it is underneath components however, you can smell raw fuel and see where it puddles up after a few moments of engine operation. This puddle accumulates on top of the engine block, directly in front of the turbocharger and exhaust system. This is cause of major concern for the safety of myself, my family,...
Read the full complaint
passengers in my vehicle and other motorist on the road. Soa, subaru of america, has issued recalls for previous model years but should investigate to possibility of extending the recall to include more current model years. I have contacted soa with my problem to no avail. *Js
Started my 2006 subaru wrx this morning in 5 degree temp, and there is an extremely strong smell of gasoline in the cabin. I have a short drive to work, but the smell stayed strong for a good 10mins. *Tr
At 3500 rpm shift from 2nd to 3rd gear at low level acceleration the 3rd gear teeth shattered and caused damage to the gearset. 3Rd gear needed total replacement and metal debris floating in the casing until car could be stopped. 2000 Miles later after subaru dealership repair and all new parts from the factory the same scenario occurs again 3rd gear chipped all teeth and car needed to be stopped immediately. Both incidents left the car with large amounts of metal debris which not only cause additional damage to...
Read the full complaint
other parts but also have the ability to cause the car to lock up and malfunction posing a serious threat to the driver and any passengers. This metal debris was observed in both transmission repairs. Subaru sighted "operator abuse" as the cause of the failure. However a serious design defect related to a significant deflection of the input shaft most likely is the real cause of the transmission failure. *Js
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: p0410 p0411 p0413 p0414 p0418 p2431 p2432 p2433 p2441 p2444 *tr
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
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
OIL PICK UP TUBE CRACKED. *TR
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
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 a "goodwill" discount. I am not holding my breath. *Tr
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...
Read the full complaint
"heat spots." I was then told that I must have shifted gears too slowly, and since that was also driver related the warranty still would not cover the repairs. This is a true safety issue, considering I was on a major highway and had no problems or warnings prior to the clutch "disintegrating." Once the engine began revving, my car lost speed and would not drive properly. I avoided an accident that could have been fatal. *Tr
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 full tank of gas. *Nm
Subaru WRX: every year compared
All WRX years2006 Subaru WRX vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Subaru WRX | 14 | 4 | B | |
| 2006 Dodge Charger | 1,294 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2006 Chevrolet Corvette | 0 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2006 Volkswagen GTI | 0 | 2 | A | Compare |
| 2006 Ford Mustang | 0 | 9 | D | Compare |
| 2006 Subaru Outback | 281 | 7 | C | Compare |
| 2006 Subaru Tribeca | 93 | 8 | F | Compare |
| 2006 Subaru Forester | 88 | 2 | B | Compare |
| 2006 Subaru Legacy | 87 | 7 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2006 Subaru WRX
Does the 2006 Subaru WRX have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2006 Subaru WRX: inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); exterior lighting (June 2006). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru WRX?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (5), fuel system (4), transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many complaints has the 2006 Subaru WRX had?
14 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on December 9, 2006 and the latest on April 2, 2019. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Is the 2006 Subaru WRX a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 65 out of 100 (grade B: fewer problems than a typical Subaru WRX year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Subaru WRX years have the most complaints?
2002 (426), 2008 (65), 2003 (60). See every Subaru WRX year compared.
What should I do if my 2006 Subaru WRX has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data