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Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Subaru Tribeca problems

Owners filed 4 complaints about the 2011 Subaru Tribeca with NHTSA between Sep 2016 and Nov 2020. The most-cited component is air bags (2).

Full 2011 Tribeca research
Complaints
4
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
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. Air bags2
  2. Power train1
  3. Electrical system1
  4. Visibility/wiper1
  5. Other / unknown1

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 29, 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
20162
20171
20180
20190
20201

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

Air bags

2 reports1 crash6 related recalls
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU TRIBECA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2016Air bagsODI 10934058
Recall: Air bags: inflator moduleGet this fixed

Power train

1 report
“WHEN ACCELERATING AND VEHICLE SHIFTS GEARS THE ENGINE SPINS AND MAKES A POPPING SOUND JOLTING CAR FORWARD. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND POPPING INTO GEAR ABRUPTLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2020Power trainODI 11375098
Get this fixed

Electrical system

1 report1 crash
“OUR CONTROL”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2016Electrical system, Air bags, Visibility/wiperCrash reportedODI 10902992
Get this fixed

Visibility/wiper

1 report1 crash
Get this fixed
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

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