Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Subaru Tribeca problems

Owners filed 8 complaints about the 2010 Subaru Tribeca with NHTSA between Dec 2010 and Dec 2017. The most-cited component is electrical system (4).

Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system4
  2. Structure2
  3. Air bags1
  4. Power train1
  5. Service brakes1

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 Nov 1, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20102
20111
20120
20130
20141
20152
20160
20172

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

4 reports1 fire
“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SUDDENLY SMELLED SMOKE SO SHE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND IT WAS COMING FROM THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR. LUCKILY TWO GUYS DRIVING BUY STOPPED AND HAPPEN TO WORK FOR HONDA AND THEY PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH AN EXTINGUISHER THEN THE POLICE AND TOE TRUCK CAME AND TOOK THE CAR AWAY. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WAS COMPLETELY RUINED AS WELL AS MY 2 KIDS CAR SEATS AND THE WHOLE INTERIOR IN THE CAR FROM THE FIRE AND EXTINGUISHER AS WELL AS OTHER INTERIOR OF THE CAR THAT WAS AFFECTED. PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE CAME TO CHECK THE CAR SINCE SUBARU OF AMERICA DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE BLAME WITHOUT THE INSURANCE COMING AND PLACING THE BLAME ON THEM FIRST THIS IS DEFINITELY SUBARUS FAULT AND THE CAR MUST HAVE FAULTY WIRING OR A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2014Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10610780

Structure

2 reports1 related recall
“WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HOOD OF THE 2010 SUBARU TRIBECA OPENED AND CAME BACK FAR ENOUGH TO BREAK THE WINDSHIELD. THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. POLICE WAS CALLED TO FILE A REPORT. THIS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2015StructureODI 10681361

Air bags

1 report7 related recalls
“TAKATA RECALL”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2017Air bagsODI 11051765

Power train

1 report
“THE CVT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM ITEM. MY TRANSMISSIONS SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING SINCE AROUND 143,000 MILES. HAD A NEW OEM TORQUE CONVERTOR INSTALLED. WHEN DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER BANGS AT AROUND 20MPH AT SLOW ACCELERATION/DECELERATION. MOST ANY SPEED AT A CRUISING DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HAVE THE ENGINE LUGGING HARD. I'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AS THE RPMS INCREASE TO NEAR 2,000 RPMS BEFORE THE CAR WILL START MOVING. THERE'S A VIBRATION THAT FEELS LIKE ITS COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL. AT TIMES I HAVE TO USE THE PADDLE SHIFTER TO DOWNSHIFT OR UPSHIFT TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION ADJUST AS NEEDED TO MAKE IT UP HILLS OR TO ACCELERATE AND TO DROP FROM HIGH RPMS A CRUISING TO PROPER RPMS. THIS 2010 CVT IS A DISASTER AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AT THE LEAST. SUBARU SAYS THERE'S NO FIX BUT IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BEING WIDESPREAD. REALLY? ONGOING SINCE 143,000 MILES AND CURRENTLY AT 157,300 MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2017Power trainODI 10955108

Service brakes

1 report
“DROPPED OFF CAR FOR 45K MILE SERVICE AND WHILE ROTATING THE TIRES WAS WARNED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE SEVERELY WORN AND RUSTED AND PADS WORN AT 95%. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IF THE ROTORS WERE TO BE CUT, THEY WOULD FALL BELOW ACCEPTABLE SAFETY TOLERANCE. AS SUCH, THEY WERE REPLACED AND THOUGH WE HAD THE 7YR/70K MILE "GOLD PLUS" EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE ROTORS WERE NOT COVERED (OF COURSE) UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE TRIBECA IS OUR FIRST SUBARU HOWEVER, NOT OUR FIRST NEW CAR. WE HAVE A JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITH 98K MILES AND HAS THE ORIGINAL FRONT ROTORS AS DID OUR HONDA CR-V, CHEVY BLAZER AND FORD EXPLORER. ALL HAD ORIGINAL FRONT ROTORS WELL INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE 90-110K MILES. GOOD THING THAT THE SERVICE TECH CAUGHT THE PREMATURE RUST ON THE ROTORS AS THEY BOTH APPEARED TO BE CLOSE TO SEPARATING FROM THE CARRIERS. MY WIFE IS BEGINNING TO HAVE TRUST ISSUES WITH THE CAR NOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 17, 2015Service brakesODI 10706305
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 1, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.