Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 Subaru Impreza problems
Owners filed 56 complaints about the 2006 Subaru Impreza with NHTSA between Feb 2006 and Jun 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (20).
Complaints
56
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags20
- Power train7
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Engine5
- Fuel/propulsion system4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Service brakes2
- Suspension2
- Wheels2
- Visibility2
- Structure2
- Exterior lighting2
- Tires2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
6
3
2
2
2
2
1
5
4
8
6
3
1
2
0
1
0
1
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
20 reports3 crashes9 related recalls
“My vehicle contains faulty airbags that can launch shrapnel at the passenger if it goes off, this is a common recall for many vehicles. This airbag system can put everyone in the car at risk if it ever triggers. Subaru has refused multiple times to fix this recall because the vehicle was originally Canadian and the VIN number is not in the US branches data base. Over the past 2 years I have made efforts to both Canadian and American corporate branches as well as multiple dealerships. At the end of the day the duty to transfer the VIN between databases falls on the dealers efforts to reach out and the corporate branches cooperation—neither of which are happening. The vehicle is fully and legally imported, registered in California, stock, and has passed smog very recently.”
Power train
7 reports
“I HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009 WITH 63,455 MILES, THEN IN FEBRUARY, 2012 AT 99,985 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING, AND AGAIN ON JULY 7, 2014, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING AGAIN AT 118,903 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RATHER EXCESSIVE FAILURE OF SUBARU'S DESIGN, SINCE I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED NOR TO I KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED ANY TYPE OF RE-OCCURRING FAILURES WITH WHEEL BEARINGS ON OTHER VEHICLES. MY HUSBAND IS A RETIRED MECHANIC, WHO AFTER WORKING ON ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES FOR OVER 40 YEARS, HAS NEVER ENCOUNTERED SUCH PROBLEMS. SURELY SUBARU SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO IT'S CUSTOMERS TO CORRECT THEIR PROBLEMS WITH A RE-CALL TO MODIFY THEIR POOR DESIGN, WITHOUT MAKING THEIR CUSTOMERS CONTINUALLY PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES, BEFORE SOMEONE LOOSES A WHEEL, CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR ALL-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
7 reports
“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”
Engine
5 reports
“HARD START, ROUGH IDLE, DROVE 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON, CODE: P0021 BANK1/2. DID RESEARCH. IT'S A BANJO BOLT FILTER/SCREEN MINE WAS CRACKED IN HALF INSIDE THE OIL LINE RESTRICTING OIL TO THE TURBO. MANAGED TO REMOVE ONE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BANJO SCREEN WHICH FIXED HALF THE PROBLEM. THE OTHER BOLT VIRTUALLY NOT ACCESSIBLE BY ME. ALMOST ALL TURBO VEHICLES FROM SUBARU EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AS CODE: P0021 OR JUST CATASTROPHIC TURBO/ENGINE/COOLANT FAILURE.”
Fuel/propulsion system
4 reports
“Fuel lines under intake manifold leaking during cold weather. Causing smell to be pungent in cabin and in engine bay. Inspection upon request is allowed. Adds safety risk for potential fire in engine bay. Has not be confirmed or inspected by nobody else at this moment for this car specifically, however it is a common issue for these model Subarus. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms prior to the failure. First appear when temperatures started to drop below 40 degrees F.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
4 reports
“2006 SUBARU IMPREZA OCCURRENCE RELATED TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM*CW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE SHOE SEPARATED FROM THE BACKING PLATE. ALSO, ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BRAKES STARTED SMOKING AS A RESULT OF THEM DRAGGING. THE LAST OCCURRENCE, THE SPLASH GUARDS FOR THE BRAKES COLLAPSED AND FELL OFF. *JB”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.