2006 Subaru Forester
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Vehicle speed control is the leading concern among 88 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Forester model years with reports.
Of the 2006 reports, 12 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, front, control arm, lower armSep 6, 2011
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.
A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
SUBARU WILL HANDLE THEIR VEHICLES AND SAAB WILL HANDLE THEIRS. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.
Campaign 11V464000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalFeb 12, 2007
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE AIR BAG OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAY HAVE BEEN PINCHED DURING PRODUCTION. PINCHING OF THE WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE FLOOR CROSSMEMBER AND THE SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET COULD RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT.
THE PASSENGER'S FRONT AIR BAG COULD BECOME DISABLED AND MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT. ALSO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE IF THE WIRING HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY ROUTED UNDER THE SEAT BRACKET. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPAIR ANY DAMAGED WIRING, REROUTE AND SECURE THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE CORRECT LOCATION, AND RE-CALIBRATE THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
Campaign 07V043000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
7 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 10, 2021, crash, fire
RCN 07V043000
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Structure, May 8, 2016
PURCHASED IN AK IN 2007. APPROXIMATELY 13,000 MILES ON ENGINE. PAPERWORK LISTED ENTRY-POINT: HAWAII. CURRENT 2016 MILEAGE: LESS THAN 60,000. ONGOING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE: DOORS' LOCKS ELECTRONIC-RESPONSES UNPREDICTABLY FAIL. SOMETIMES THEY WORK; OTHER TIMES LOCKS MUST BE OPENED MANUALLY. (SIDE NOTE: WINDOWS RATTLE DISTINCTLY WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS; WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE ALWAYS FELT TOO LOOSE.) HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL-LIGHTS FAIL SOONER THAN NORMAL, INDICATING AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM CAUSING SHORTS.THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ONGOING FROM PURCHASE IN 2007 TO CURRENT 2016.
Electrical system, Apr 8, 2015, fire
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FIRE STARTED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND DETERMINED TO BE DESTROYED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BY THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT AND UNDER THE SPARE TIRE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
Electrical system, Air bags, Structure, Jun 9, 2013, fire
I ARRIVED AT MY HOUSE ON 8/26/2012 AT 8:00 PM, PARKED MY CAR IN THE GARAGE OF MY HOUSE AND WENT TO SLEEP. AT 2:00 AM I HEARD AN EXPLOSION, WENT OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE TO VERIFY WHAT IT WAS AND FOUND MY FORESTER IN FIRE. WITH THE HELP OF MY NEIGHBORS WE CONTROL THE FIRE WITHIN AN HOUR. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES CAME OUT OF THE FIRE; THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS, ANOTHER CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF THE FORESTER SUFFER A LOT OF DAMAGE, THE MOTOR OF THE GARAGE DOOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE PAINT OF THE HOUSE, VERTICAL BLINDS AND OTHER BELONGINGS OF THE HOUSE WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE FROM THE FIRE. SUBARU/-FORESTER/2006 RECALL NO.WVC-13 RELATED TO THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE AIRBAG OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAY HAVE BEEN PINCHED DURING PRODUCTION. PINCHING OF THE WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE FLOOR CROSSMEMBER AND THE SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET COULD RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT.THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE WAY THAT MY CAR GOT IN FIRE HAS TO BE BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL.SHORT CIRCUIT, HAVING AS A RESULT THE FIRE AND TOTAL LOSS OF MY CAR. THE VIN OF MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT I WILL APPRECIATE IF YOUR AGENCY COULD DO AN INVESTIGATION THAT AS A RESULT HAVE THE VIN OF MY CAR INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WVC-13. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 24, 2012, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WITHIN SECONDS, SPARKS WERE EMITTED FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE CONTACT COULD SMELL BURNING. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE SMALL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Nov 24, 2006
THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE 2006 SUBARU FORESTER THAT I HAVE. IT HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT AND CONTINUALLY FAILS TO START, WHETHER FROM A COLD START OR A WARM START. THE ENGINE WILL ATTEMPT TO CRANK BUT WILL NOT CATCH AND ACTUALLY TURN OVER. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT I HAD TO HOLD THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE ACC POSITION TO "PRIME THE LINES." I'VE NEVER HEAD OF HAVING TO PRIME A CAR IN THIS DAY AND AGE. HOWEVER, I SINCE HAVE TRIED DOING THAT AND THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. ALSO, THE CARE WILL SURGE IN POWER AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. WHEN I LET UP ON THE GAS WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN ,THE CAR WILL ACTUALLY REV UP. THIS HAPPENED IN THE SNOW THE OTHER DAY AND I ALMOST COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. IF THAT CAR IS GOING TO SURGE LIKE THIS IT COMPLETELY NEGATES THE PURPOSE OF HAVING ALL WHEEL DRIVE. THIS IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN. I THOUGHT SUBARU'S WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD CARS. I GUESS I THOUGHT WRONG. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR THE SURGE ISSUE AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE PROBLEM. *NM
Electrical system, Nov 17, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON OPENING THE DRIVER DOOR, THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT ALSO DID NOT ILLUMINATE UPON OPENING THE DOOR. UPON OPENING THE PASSENGER DOOR, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CHARRED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC AROUND THE MANUAL GEARSHIFT HAD MELTED AND RESOLIDIFIED. THE FABRIC OF BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS APPEARED CHARRED AS WELL. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE FLAMES OR SMOKE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED, AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED, WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND A REPRESENTATIVE OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE.*AK