subaru b9 tribeca Problems

subaru b9 tribeca 2006 Complaints

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

dt: the contact was only able to see approximately forty feet in front with the low beam headlights on. the dealership stated the vehicle was made that way. therefore, they have no repairs to offer. *ak updated 11/9/2005. the dealer tried to adjust the lights but were unable to. the consumer has to ride with the high beams on at night to see more than 40 feet in front of the vehicle. *nm

Reported in: TRIADELPHIA WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C364

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE

i have a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca and the air cylinders that are supposed to hold the rear hatch open fail in cold weather. i live in mn so since it has gotten cold, the hatch has fallen on my head several times. once it dropped just as i was walking around the car and it hit my forehead so hard that it bled and made my neck sore. this may not sound on the surface that it is a serious defect, but don't tell my head that. when i contacted the dealrs (2) to try to get this fixed, they said the parts are on backorder and they are not sure when they'll get them. the date below is not correct because you didn't have 2006 in the drop-down. *nm

Reported in: CHASKA MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C764

STRUCTURE

2006 b9 tribeca subaru purchased 9/2/05. approx 3 months later began to hear rattling sound in area of front dashboard. on feb 2, 2006 vehicle taken to dealership for routine service and also asked them to identify and repair the cause of the rattle. informed on feb 3, 2006, problem was "major" , fire wall was cracked, and pictures were being sent to subaru north america for review. on feb 7th advised that problem with vehicle occurred in production, causing issue with the pitching stopper, and supporting bolts and rivets, which allowed engine movement resulting in cracks in fire wall. on feb 9th advised that further investigation of the problem revealed the problem did not occur in production but rather in the transportation of the vehicle from the indiana plant to the dealership . was told that during transportation of the vehicle, because of the way it was tethered when it was shipped, it resulted in a series of bolt failures. i'm told that subaru has identified all vehicles that were part of this shipment, but was not told what action, if any, they will take about other vehicles. *jb

Reported in: PASADENA MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C064

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

1.while driving around a snowy corner on xxx road, the vehicle lost complete control when all of its anti-slip, anti-swerve and anti-lock systems all immediately failed a simultaneously. my vehicle is currently experiencing the following safety defects: 2.while driving on the palisades parkway on 8/08/06, under a year from its purchase, we heard a loud band in the engine compartment. there was a loss of control of the vehicle, several warning lights went off on the dashboard, including the oil light. the vehicle then began pouring a thick white smoke that i couldn't see through, out from under the hood and also out of the tailpipe. not only was i unable to see through the front windshield, the potential for an oil fie was tremendous!!!!! this is the second hazardous situation this vehicle put me through. there was a banging noise in the engine compartment with a major loss of power. i performed an emergency stop and pulled into the south bound sunoco station. upon stopping the vehicle i discovered oil streaming form under the front of the vehicle. there was enough oil to completely cover the pavement under the vehicle, i believe it was several quarts. i then contacted subaru roadside service who picked up the vehicle. you can contact jeffs towing service for additional information on the vehicles condition. *jb

Reported in: SUFFERN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C064

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

1.while driving around a snowy corner on xxx road, the vehicle lost complete control when all of its anti-slip, anti-swerve and anti-lock systems all immediately failed a simultaneously. my vehicle is currently experiencing the following safety defects: 2.while driving on the palisades parkway on 8/08/06, under a year from its purchase, we heard a loud band in the engine compartment. there was a loss of control of the vehicle, several warning lights went off on the dashboard, including the oil light. the vehicle then began pouring a thick white smoke that i couldn't see through, out from under the hood and also out of the tailpipe. not only was i unable to see through the front windshield, the potential for an oil fie was tremendous!!!!! this is the second hazardous situation this vehicle put me through. there was a banging noise in the engine compartment with a major loss of power. i performed an emergency stop and pulled into the south bound sunoco station. upon stopping the vehicle i discovered oil streaming form under the front of the vehicle. there was enough oil to completely cover the pavement under the vehicle, i believe it was several quarts. i then contacted subaru roadside service who picked up the vehicle. you can contact jeffs towing service for additional information on the vehicles condition. *jb

Reported in: SUFFERN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C064

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

1.while driving around a snowy corner on xxx road, the vehicle lost complete control when all of its anti-slip, anti-swerve and anti-lock systems all immediately failed a simultaneously. my vehicle is currently experiencing the following safety defects: 2.while driving on the palisades parkway on 8/08/06, under a year from its purchase, we heard a loud band in the engine compartment. there was a loss of control of the vehicle, several warning lights went off on the dashboard, including the oil light. the vehicle then began pouring a thick white smoke that i couldn't see through, out from under the hood and also out of the tailpipe. not only was i unable to see through the front windshield, the potential for an oil fie was tremendous!!!!! this is the second hazardous situation this vehicle put me through. there was a banging noise in the engine compartment with a major loss of power. i performed an emergency stop and pulled into the south bound sunoco station. upon stopping the vehicle i discovered oil streaming form under the front of the vehicle. there was enough oil to completely cover the pavement under the vehicle, i believe it was several quarts. i then contacted subaru roadside service who picked up the vehicle. you can contact jeffs towing service for additional information on the vehicles condition. *jb

Reported in: SUFFERN NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C064

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

dt*: the contact stated, upon returning to the vehicle 30 mins after parking, the windows were blackened and a fire was burning in the console between the front seats. the fire department determined the fire was caused by a short circuit in the wiring below the cup holder in the console between the front seats. the service dealer and manufacturer were contacted.

Reported in: STATEN ISLAND NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C964

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

dt*: the contact stated the front passenger air bag warning light illuminated and goes out when occupied by a passenger weighing 105 lbs. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, but the problem was not corrected. the manufacturer was not notified.

Reported in: SYRACUSE NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

noise heard, thumping, in front end of vehicle beginning on or about 7/2006. reported to dealership. dealer replaced struts in attempt to resolve problem (10/2006) no change in problem. per subaru tsb - dealer attempted repair to cracks in firewall by welding (11/10/206). problem still exists. awaiting resolution by subaru. *nm

Reported in: SPRINGFIELD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C264

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

left fog lamp repeatedly goes out. so does right headlamp. headlamp has been fixed by subaru dealer. fog lamp has been in several times and keeps going out. *nm

Reported in: AURORA CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C464

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

auto-acceleration while driving in traffic on 4 separate occasions. dealer is unable to diagnose or resolve. this creates an ongoing hazard as occurrence is unpredictable. *jb

Reported in: CALGARY 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

auto-acceleration while driving in traffic on 4 separate occasions. dealer is unable to diagnose or resolve. this creates an ongoing hazard as occurrence is unpredictable. *jb

Reported in: CALGARY 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

had first oil change at dealership in october. when we took the auto to another service provider they discovered the oil level of 5.8 quarts only registered below the add level on the dipstick. upon measuring the oil removed from the vehicle, there was an extremely overfilled amount the dealer had used in order to make the dipstick register full. there is the possibility that their overfill will create future failures in the vehicle and they have refused to address the problem with a corrected dipstick or change the amount of oil recommended. we still don't have an answer as the whether it's a defective dipstick or an erroneous statement of required oil for the vehicle. we are not able to verify what is the correct amount for the next oil change or where it should register on the current dipstick. in an effort not to overfill the level remains below the add mark on the dipstick with 5.8 quarts as stated in the manual. continue to be concerned about the possibly/probability that oil level previous or current will cause engine damage. *jb

Reported in: NEWPORT OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C264

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl*- the contact has a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca with an odometer reading of 7300 miles. the contact stated that when evening comes and the day time running lights are on the instrument panel is illuminated. with the instrument panel illuminated the contact forgets to put in the head lights which causes other drivers not to see the vehicle properly. the contact explained that on several occasions when this has happened he had almost gotten hit in the rear because the tail lights were not on because the contact was under the impression that all lights were on because of the instrument panel display.

Reported in: ST PETERS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C064

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

serious design flaw in headlights of subaru tribeca. low beam lights-causes a horizontal line across plane of vision. poor visibility in night driving. reported to subaru-they say it is normal operating characteristic. very dangerous situation to driver, passenger, nearby traffic, pedestrians. defect needs corrected-install different headlights.

Reported in: PITTSBURGH PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION:AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC)

rear right wheel hit washboard payment with gravel. this produced an axle-hop like motion to the outside, right. the front and left wheels received no power until the hop ended, approx 5-6 seconds. driver felt that if an unknowing person jerked the steering to left a rollover may well have occurred. 2) before thoughtlessly dismissing this as excessive speed, remember the long delay before the other wheels reacted. subaru said the reaction was a mille a isecon but, in truth, it was so long that it became dangerous and could produce a wreck. *ak **the above remarks pertain to the esc system. 3) no corrective repair.

Reported in: COLORADO SPRINGS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C364

EQUIPMENT

tl*the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. two weeks ago, the vehicle's navigation system began to blink while driving. the contact pulled over and the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the manufacturer stated that her insurance agency should pay for the damages. the dealer refused to send someone out to inspect the vehicle because it is not in their protocol. the fire department arrived and a fire report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 4,000.

Reported in: HAMPTON BASE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C364

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

tl*the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. two weeks ago, the vehicle's navigation system began to blink while driving. the contact pulled over and the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the manufacturer stated that her insurance agency should pay for the damages. the dealer refused to send someone out to inspect the vehicle because it is not in their protocol. the fire department arrived and a fire report was filed. the current and failure mileages were 4,000.

Reported in: HAMPTON BASE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C364

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

2006 subaru b9 tribeca....i am headed to the service garage yet again for another headlight....a car with 43,000 miles should not have had to replace headlamps twice....that's 3 sets in the short life span....and this is not an easy fix. it costs me $38 each lamp...

Reported in: WAKEMAN OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

electrical fire.

Reported in: CANAAN NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C664

STRUCTURE

within a few months of purchasing my 06 tribeca i started hearing rattles under the dash and a thumping sound from the frontend and also a loud humming noise at 28 mph. i have taken it back to the dealer several times and they said they could not find a problem. this last time i took it to them they gave me a copy of a service bulletin # 12-95-06r that they said i could follow to do the repair of a pitching stopper bracket that will require drilling out existing rivets and welding the stopper back into place this problem has been there from the beginning of purchase and is a problem with many other tribeca's and i believe subaru should pay for these expensive repairs.

Reported in: MOAB UT || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85CX64

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

low beams both went out on 2006 tribecca have had to replace them several times before. they only last about 5 months. never had any vehicle burn out head lights like this one before. they both went out on a rainy foggy night so we could not use high beams. subaru should step up and fix this problem. this is an expensive car it should have reliable basic safety equipment.

Reported in: NH NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C864

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. the contact was driving 70 mph when suddenly, the front hood unlatched and struck the windshield, impairing the contacts vision of the roadway. the contact had the vehicle towed to a local body shop where he was awaiting repairs. the contact called the manufacturer and the manufacturer stated there were no recalls regarding the hood therefore, they would be unable to assist. the contact was concerned that if he were driving in heavy traffic when the failure occurred, that he could have potentially been involved in a crash. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Reported in: BLACK LAKE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86CX64

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the brakes were applied but the vehicle did not respond. the brake pedal fell to the floorboard after applying excessive force. the vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. the driver of the other vehicle was reported injured. a police report was filed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mechanic advised that the master cylinder had to be replaced. the failure continued after repairs and the vehicle as taken back to the mechanic. the master cylinder was replaced three times. the contact continued to experience the failure. the technician stated that the master cylinder, brake pads and brake booster would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

Reported in: DANA POINT CA || Crash: Y || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

while driving 65mph on the nj turnpike southbound by exit 2, the hood on our 2006 b9 tribeca flew open, shattered my windshield, dented my roof and blocked my vision. it was amazing that i was able to keep the car straight and move from the left lane to the right shoulder without crashing. my wife helped navigate us off the road. we were over 2 hrs into our trip. this is clearly a failure of the hood latch mechanism. i closed the hood the best i could and drove 11 miles to nearest subaru dealer. because we were on a family vacation my kids were shaken up. we had to rent a car to continue trip. waiting to hear back from subaru and from insurance company. latch was ripped from chassis, hinges were ripped from chassis, windshield was shattered, roof dented, hood dented, interior damage - mirror, lights.

Reported in: OCEANSIDE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C464

STRUCTURE:BODY

while driving 65mph on the nj turnpike southbound by exit 2, the hood on our 2006 b9 tribeca flew open, shattered my windshield, dented my roof and blocked my vision. it was amazing that i was able to keep the car straight and move from the left lane to the right shoulder without crashing. my wife helped navigate us off the road. we were over 2 hrs into our trip. this is clearly a failure of the hood latch mechanism. i closed the hood the best i could and drove 11 miles to nearest subaru dealer. because we were on a family vacation my kids were shaken up. we had to rent a car to continue trip. waiting to hear back from subaru and from insurance company. latch was ripped from chassis, hinges were ripped from chassis, windshield was shattered, roof dented, hood dented, interior damage - mirror, lights.

Reported in: OCEANSIDE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C464

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. the contact started the ignition and smelled a burning odor. the contact noticed when the front passenger door was opened smoke began to emit from both led puddle lights located underneath the door panel. the contact extinguished the smoke. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated the puddle light would need to be replaced. the failure was contributed to a short circuit. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000. the vin was unavailable.

Reported in: LINCOLN NE || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

while driving our subaru tribeca b9 on the highway, the hood flew open and smashed the window. luckily we were able to steer the car to safety. no one was hurt, other than the emotional toll. a failure of the hood latch and safety mechanism.

Reported in: HILLIARD OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C464

STRUCTURE:BODY

driving on the highway at 55mph, the hood few open and smashed the windshield and dented the hood. we put washer fluid in it the day before and drove it for hours without any problem. we have had many problems with this in the past and have replaced it once already.

Reported in: PRINCETON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C564

VISIBILITY/WIPER

driving on the highway at 55mph, the hood few open and smashed the windshield and dented the hood. we put washer fluid in it the day before and drove it for hours without any problem. we have had many problems with this in the past and have replaced it once already.

Reported in: PRINCETON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C564

STRUCTURE

my sister, mother and i were driving on the highway doing 65 mph when all of a sudden the hood slammed into the windshield. it sounded like a bomb exploded in the car. shards of glass rained down on the interior of the car. we were able to pull over to the shoulder. when we got out to check what happened, we noticed the entire safety latch mechanism was attached to the hood and was dangling there. it was not rusted. it simply detached. we could have been killed driving on the highway with a semi behind us. it was extremely traumatizing and i am mentally worn from this experience.

Reported in: ST. LOUIS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C364

VISIBILITY

my sister, mother and i were driving on the highway doing 65 mph when all of a sudden the hood slammed into the windshield. it sounded like a bomb exploded in the car. shards of glass rained down on the interior of the car. we were able to pull over to the shoulder. when we got out to check what happened, we noticed the entire safety latch mechanism was attached to the hood and was dangling there. it was not rusted. it simply detached. we could have been killed driving on the highway with a semi behind us. it was extremely traumatizing and i am mentally worn from this experience.

Reported in: ST. LOUIS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C364

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

first time it happened, on the way to work from home, driving on local street when the hood just popped up and slammed on the windshield. obviously a latch defect but since then, i made sure the hood is properly latched. second time it happened, driving with my family at 55 mph, when the hood suddenly popped up again and destroying the windshield. we are lucky there was no accident or crash with other vehicles. see attached receipt of windshield repair as proofs.

Reported in: PARSIPPANY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4-WX86C76

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

second time it happened. while driving at 55 mph when the hood suddenly popped up and slammed on the windshield. i have proof of windshield replacements (10/9/2012 & 12/26/2012).

Reported in: PARSIPPANY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4-WX86C76

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. the contact stated that the door open warning lamp illuminated erroneously. the contact mentioned that the failure caused the battery to malfunction. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the battery was defective and needed to be replaced. the battery was replaced but to no avail. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 69,052 and the current mileage was 87,300.

Reported in: SACRAMENTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

on march 10, 2013, as i was putting my children in the car, my vehicle's right front passenger puddle light overheated and started to smoke while my vehicle was parked (not turned on) and in my garage. the lights come on automatically when the door opens. a strong electrical odor ensued. the irvington, ny fire dept was dispatched to inspect the issue and disable the car. they deemed the car unsafe and said it should be towed to the dealer. i contacted subaru customer service who authorized a tow, because westchester subaru service dept refused. the car has been at the dealer since monday and the dealer, as well as customer service, refuse to provide me with updates (unless i call) and refuse to provide me a loaner car. all this despite the fact that this is a subaru recall. in fact, the recall letter states the problem should take only about one hour to fix. the dealer also does not appear to have the necessary parts in stock. needless to say,we received the recall letter from subaru (nhtsa recall no. 12v-602) the day before the incident (march 9, 2013). since this is a subaru recall, and in fact the situation could have become dangerous and deadly if i did not all the fire dept, the company and dealership have been more than un-helpful. i believe the situation warrants attention from the nhtsa.

Reported in: IRVINGTON NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C364

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru tribeca. the contact received a notice for nhtsa campaign id number: 12v602000 (exterior lighting) but the dealer and manufacturer stated that the part was not available. the recall stated that the repairs were to start in february. the contact had not experienced a failure. the current mileage was 73,000.

Reported in: PALMER LAKE CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C164

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

i was driving down the highway when suddenly the entire safety mechanism that holds the hood down detached and sent the hood slamming and smashing into my windshield. i was blinded instantly and there were semi trucks all around me. i was able to pull over to the shoulder safely. glass was everywhere and my rear view mirror was smashed out and went flying at me while i was driving as well. i found three other reports online from three different drivers with the exact same thing happening to them. all i did was google subaru 2006 tribeca. subaru basically told me it is none of their concern and too bad. they refused to send out one of their reps to confirm what i was saying. my insurance appraiser as well as a body shop confirmed this was more than likely the cause of this incident. the safety latch was plastic and obviously not meant for safety. my mother and sister were in the car with me and it is a miracle no one was hurt or killed. i am beside myself at the way subaru has treated me. i have also filed a complaint with the attorney general's office. this is a disgrace.

Reported in: ST. LOUIS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C364

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 subaru b9 tribeca. the contact received nhtsa recall campaign id number 12v602000 (exterior lighting) and was informed that the parts were not available for repair. the contact received the notice in february 2013, and the manufacturer stated that there was no estimated time of arrival. the contact had not experienced any failures at this time. the current mileage was 89,000.

Reported in: VALLEJO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85CX64

STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

as i passed under a railroad overpass i hit a large pothole probably caused by a recent 2-4" rainfall. the impact caused my hood to release and slam back into my windshield, obliterating my forward view. i slowed immediately without swerving and activated my warning flashers. luckily, there was only one car behind me and none approaching when this occurred. upon stopping i found that my windshield had been badly cracked and the hood struts had broken, allowing the hood to fold back fully. the safety catch on the release mechanism apparently failed to keep the hood from flying up. the hood latched when brought back down, but i no longer trust it. this could have been a far worse situation in traffic.

Reported in: WESTERLO NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C064

STRUCTURE:BODY

hood flew up while driving on rt9 south in oldbridge, nj @ 45 mph. repairs bill was around $5000. it happened to me back in 2009, and just today in 2013 i was about to add some windshield washer, so i opened my hood, and it popped up completely, and that secondary lock did not hold it again! it could have been another accident if it had happened on the running car. this is a problem that doesn't go away with repairs - i had everything replaced even lock mechanism and cable to the handle under your dash. and it happened again today. i learned today that secondary latch gets dirty, sticky, and stops moving at all over time and entire mechanism remains unlocked after you close the hood. there is a spring there which is supposed to return the latch into locked position after you close the hood - this spring has no power to move this sticky mechanism, and that hook remains not engaged after you close the hood. you can not see whether or not secondary lock did lock your hood once you close the hood, but trust me - it doesn`t lock the hood - otherwise there would not be so many complaints from people like me. then, when you open your hood from the inside - it opens up entirely and secondary lock is not engaged at all - it remains open at all the times. if you open your hood while you drive - it will crash your car - secondary lock is not working. if you hit a pothole or a bump - you hood may fly up as well - primary lock gets released by strong shock, and secondary lock is not there as you already know - this is what happened to me back in 2009, i drove about 50 miles and hit a bump on the road - hood flew up crashing my car. the design of the secondary lock is the problem - it just doesn`t do what it is there for. both primary and secondary locks on this model are defective by design and can not be fixed by replacement - i am still living proof of this statement.

Reported in: SOUTH AMBOY NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 4S4WX85C764

ENGINE

faulty and or deficient part: 'pipe oil cooler' part # 21328aa121 (part is a 11" x 3/4" (thin) metal tube that connects from lower driver's side of the engine, traverses the underside of the engine and connects to the base of the oil filter mount through the use of rubber hoses that transports engine coolant.) vehicle was observed to be overheating. upon personal inspection of the underside of the vehicle, and only upon removing the large plastic splash guard from under the engine compartment it was observed that the above listed part had developed extensive corrosion, principally where two brackets are welded to the subject coolant tube. the tube adjacent one of these welds had corroded to the point that engine coolant was allowed to leak out and cause the overheating situation. had this occurred on the highway (and not in my driveway) this could have caused the vehicle to overheat and stop in traffic creating a hazardous situation. catastrophic engine failure could also occur. note, the pipe is made of thin and apparently easily corrosive material. the location of the coolant pipe is underneath the splash shield where it can not be viewed unless the shield is removed, allowing for the deterioration to continue unnoticed. writer believes the subject part was inadequately made to stand up to corrosive conditions found on the underside of the vehicle causing a potentially hazardous situation and should be replaced with a more resistant material to corrosion. p.s. to nhtsa; i have and will provide photographs of the faulty part, invoice for the oem replacement part purchased from subaru, and the failed part itself should you decide you want them.

Reported in: KINGSLEY PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C864

SERVICE BRAKES

in cold weather the brake pedal is hard as a rock to depress. when car is placed in drive the brakes don't work. according to subaru blog sites the culprit is the brake vacuum check valve freezing up and not maintaining vacuum to the brake booster. apparently, this problem affects other subaru vehicle models for many years back. this is a dangerous design/engineering flaw.

Reported in: NORTH CHICAGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX86C164

STRUCTURE:BODY

on 3/15/2014, traveling at posted highway speed of 70mph on i-71 southbound mile marker 50 at approx. 10 am. the primary vehicle hood latch failed as did the hood safety latch. the hood flew completely up, instantaneously shattering the windshield and completely restricting visibility while traveling at full highway speed. the interior hood safety latch mounting screws were completely ripped from the hood leaving the safety latch mechanism dangling in the engine compartment. the hood was damaged, the roof dented, the map lights were damaged and shards of glass litter the passenger compartment. vehicle was safely moved to highway breakdown lane. a passing ky state trooper who stopped to assist us looked at the damage and indicated this was likely a manufacturing defect. the hood had not been opened since the oil had been changed nearly 4 weeks ago. a subsequent internet search on similar issues reveals that the 2006 subaru b9 tribeca has had numerous, numerous, numerous identical incidents; some occurring more than once to the same owners, with no manufacturer recall to date. these vehicles need to be recalled and this problem addressed--this has great potential to cause severe injuries and fatalities. as a former attorney with dot/fmcsa until september 2010, i am calling upon nhtsa to investigate these incidents. it is paramount that nhtsa address the hood latch failures with these vehicles and take action on this report.

Reported in: FLORENCE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX82C864

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

just finished washing the car outside the my garage, i then moved it inside the garage to clean and vacuum inside. 30 mins later, a strong burning smell and smoke came out from the left rear passenger puddle light area. i have to quickly call 911, and before 911 arrival i managed to open the hood and disconnected the battery and the smoke stopped. there was still a strong smile in the air when 911 came. 911 recommended towing it to the dealership connected the battery and drove it outside where it could be easily tow. just lucky to be in the garage when this incident occurred otherwise it could have burn the house. this vehicle (subaru tribeca b6 is nothing but a disaster), the dealer/manufacturer rendered no support whatsoever.

Reported in: HAINESVILLE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C764

STRUCTURE:BODY

just finished washing the car outside the my garage, i then moved it inside the garage to clean and vacuum inside. 30 mins later, a strong burning smell and smoke came out from the left rear passenger puddle light area. i have to quickly call 911, and before 911 arrival i managed to open the hood and disconnected the battery and the smoke stopped. there was still a strong smile in the air when 911 came. 911 recommended towing it to the dealership connected the battery and drove it outside where it could be easily tow. just lucky to be in the garage when this incident occurred otherwise it could have burn the house. this vehicle (subaru tribeca b6 is nothing but a disaster), the dealer/manufacturer rendered no support whatsoever.

Reported in: HAINESVILLE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C764

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

just finished washing the car outside the my garage, i then moved it inside the garage to clean and vacuum inside. 30 mins later, a strong burning smell and smoke came out from the left rear passenger puddle light area. i have to quickly call 911, and before 911 arrival i managed to open the hood and disconnected the battery and the smoke stopped. there was still a strong smile in the air when 911 came. 911 recommended towing it to the dealership connected the battery and drove it outside where it could be easily tow. just lucky to be in the garage when this incident occurred otherwise it could have burn the house. this vehicle (subaru tribeca b6 is nothing but a disaster), the dealer/manufacturer rendered no support whatsoever.

Reported in: HAINESVILLE IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX83C764

STRUCTURE:BODY

after adding washer fluid, the hood latch would not lock and secure the hood closed. only the secondary safety latch secures the hood. this presents the possibility of the flying open while driving obscuring visibility and causing an accident. there are already multiple reports of this failure mechanism. i request nhtsa initiate an investigation for the possibility of a recall to correct this serious safety defect.

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 4S4WX85C264

STEERING

driving on highway. all the sudden the differential and brake light came on. i was unable to turn the vehicle. very dangerous situation

Reported in: OLD LYME CT || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

driving on highway. all the sudden the differential and brake light came on. i was unable to turn the vehicle. very dangerous situation

Reported in: OLD LYME CT || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

while driving at night on a county road at approximately 50 mph, the hood latch disengaged causing the hood to flip over backward against the windshield. the hood was opened the day prior, however the vehicle was operated multiple times without incident prior to the actual latch releasing. the safety latch did not catch when the main latch released, causing significant damage to the windshield and hood, as well as damaging the roof and vehicle interior.

Reported in: CADILLAC MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY/WIPER

while driving at night on a county road at approximately 50 mph, the hood latch disengaged causing the hood to flip over backward against the windshield. the hood was opened the day prior, however the vehicle was operated multiple times without incident prior to the actual latch releasing. the safety latch did not catch when the main latch released, causing significant damage to the windshield and hood, as well as damaging the roof and vehicle interior.

Reported in: CADILLAC MI || Crash: N || VIN #: