SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2006 Subaru Impreza airbags problems
severe 19 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
2crashes
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 19 airbags complaints filed for the 2006 Subaru Impreza, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 34% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 4 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004-2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2006 Subaru Impreza has a Takata passenger airbag recall (NHTSA 16V358000, 16V359000, 17V-016) affecting numerous vehicles. The core defect: Takata bags can rupture under inflation and launch shrapnel at occupants.
Owners report the biggest headache is parts availability. From July 2016 onward, dealers could not obtain replacement airbags. Timelines kept shifting—estimates went from six to eight weeks, then one to two weeks, then September-to-February, never settling. Owners waited 12+ months unable to safely transport passengers. Some dealers promised loaner vehicles but never provided them. One owner abandoned use of the vehicle for work during the recall wait.
After dealers eventually completed the recall repair, at least one owner's airbag warning light came on, showing fault code 26 (passenger indicator failure). That owner suspects incorrect wiring harness installation during the recall work.
Two owners reported high-speed frontal crashes (35 mph and 90 mph) where neither driver nor passenger airbags deployed, resulting in severe injuries—herniated disks, permanent short-term memory loss, and severe concussions. Both owners believe the airbags should have fired.
One owner bought a used 2006 Impreza with the airbag warning light already on. The passenger weight sensor works fine, but the light stayed on; no other electrical fault was found.
A Canadian-import owner couldn't get the recall done because the VIN wasn't in Subaru's U.S. database, and both Canadian and U.S. branches refused to coordinate a transfer after two years of calls.
Same Subaru Impreza airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Takata passenger airbag recall—parts unavailability and deployment uncertainty
2006 Impreza owners received recall notices for defective Takata passenger airbags known to rupture and launch shrapnel, but faced extended delays (often 6+ months) waiting for replacement parts. Dealers provided conflicting timelines for part availability. Owners reported difficulty getting firm repair schedules and concern about whether airbags would function correctly once the recall was supposedly completed.
When: Recall notices issued 2016–2017; parts delays extended into late 2017 and beyond
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received for passenger airbag defect; Parts unavailable at dealer when recall repair scheduled; Multiple conflicting timelines from Subaru and dealerships on part availability; Unable to safely transport passengers during recall backlog; Uncertainty whether passenger airbag will deploy after recall repair attempted
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 16V358000, NHTSA 16V359000, NHTSA 17V-016
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair stated to take 45 minutes to 3 days; dealers eventually confirmed parts unavailable until Q4 2017 at earliest. No repair costs cited; recall procedure was no-charge.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall issued; Subaru provided recall letters but did not communicate part availability or revised timelines. No loaner vehicle offered as promised in some cases. Canadian-imported vehicles with valid U.S. registration faced refusal to repair due to VIN database issues between Canadian and U.S. Subaru branches.
Airbag system malfunction—fault code 26 (passenger airbag indicator) after recall work
After a dealer performed Takata recall service on the passenger airbag system, the airbag warning light illuminated with fault code 26, indicating a failure in the passenger airbag indicator circuit. Owner noted this is a widespread issue reported across many vehicles online. Concern exists that incorrect wiring harness installation during recall work may have caused the problem, or a pre-existing wiring fault was not disclosed.
When: Following dealer completion of Takata recall repair
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on after recall service; Fault code 26 (passenger airbag indicator failure)
Codes mentioned: Fault code 26
Repairs/costs cited: Owner states fault is a 'simple wiring issue' fixable by many owners; dealer service made the problem worse in attempting the fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None documented. Owner and dealer did not clearly communicate root cause or liability for the warning light following recall work.
Airbag non-deployment in high-impact frontal collision
Two owners reported crashes with substantial frontal impact (35 mph+ head-on) in which neither driver nor passenger airbags deployed, resulting in serious injuries including herniated disks, concussions, and permanent short-term memory loss. One crash occurred at 90 mph into a guardrail and structure; the other was a head-on impact into a concrete drainage culvert at 35+ mph. Owners believe the 2006 Impreza airbag system failed to meet its design specification for frontal crash deployment.
When: At time of impact during frontal crashes
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy in high-speed frontal collision (35+ mph impact); Airbags did not deploy in 90 mph head-on crash; Severe occupant injuries (herniated disks, concussion, permanent memory loss, neck hyperextension)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed or attempted. Crash damage was severe (left front bumper, headlights, left tire demolished; vehicle jettisoned across street into structural beam).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru told one owner the federal crash test ratings only apply to head-on collisions with a brick wall, not guardrail or shed impacts, and therefore disclaimed liability for non-deployment.
Airbag warning light on—unclear airbag status on used vehicle purchase
Owner purchased a 2006 Impreza with the airbag warning light already on, with no accident history. Weight sensor for passenger seat detection functions normally (switches on and off), but the airbag warning light has remained on for the entire period of ownership. No other contributing factors (fuse shortage, dome light fault) found. Owner suspects a defective Takata airbag but notes the vehicle may not be on the official recall list, raising questions about whether the defect exists unaddressed.
When: Present at purchase; persisted throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on at purchase and throughout ownership; No accident history prior to purchase; Passenger seat weight sensor functions normally; No other electrical fault found (fuse, dome light)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was inspected; no obvious cause for warning light identified.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None documented. Owner notes the specific vehicle may not be on the official Takata recall list despite suspected defect.
Canadian-imported vehicle—VIN database mismatch preventing recall repair
Owner reports a legally imported 2006 Subaru originally registered in Canada, now fully registered and smog-checked in California, but Subaru refuses to perform the Takata airbag recall because the VIN is not in the U.S. database. Owner states both Canadian and U.S. corporate branches and multiple dealerships have failed to coordinate VIN transfer. The vehicle is stock and legal, yet remains unrepaired due to administrative failure.
When: Upon submitting recall request; unresolved after 2 years of contact attempts
Symptoms owners cite: Takata faulty airbag present per manufacturer recall; VIN not recognized in U.S. Subaru database; Dealer and corporate unable or unwilling to update VIN records
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed due to database mismatch.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru refused multiple repair attempts, citing VIN not in U.S. database. Coordination between Canadian and U.S. branches to transfer VIN did not occur despite owner and dealer efforts.
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
"takata recall" we have been contacting our trusted Subaru dealer (carlsen Subaru, 480 veterans blvd redwood city,ca 94063) frequently since july when we have received the attached recall notice. During our recent visit about this recall to the dealership we were told that parts are still not available, and that since california has a dry climate it is not likely that we have rusted components.…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN…
Takata recall -- I have a 2006 Subaru. I received a letter from them in march 2017 telling me there was a serious issue regarding the takata passenger side airbags, at that time they informed me that they did not have a fix. It is now october 2017 and I have not received any information from Subaru regarding a fix. What do I do? It concerns the safety of my passengers and quite possibly me as…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags). The dealer indicated that the parts were unavailable to schedule the repair and may not become available until the last quarter of 2017. The dealer also indicated that they would provide a loaner vehicle, but the contact never received one. The manufacturer…
Takata recall
July 30 received a recall notice for passenger airbag in 2006 Subaru impreza. I have called Subaru at least 5 times to ask when parts will be available. Each time I call Subaru to check on parts I get a different answer as to when parts will be available. In july, I was told 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks, I was told that parts would be showing up in 1-2 weeks (at the end of september). At the end of…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was 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. Part distribution disconnect. Dg
Takata recall. I have received multiple recall notices, yet the local dealership has given me multiple dates by which they would have the parts, however, I keep calling them back and I feel that they are taking far too long to do this work. I called today, 10-13-2017 and spoke with tina marie at the dealership in the cumberland, md area and they said they have a call list but "another girl has…
Takata recall. This car is unsafe to drive due to the airbag issue. Yet, Subaru is not replacing the airbag in a timely fashion. Thus, my child is forced to drive this unsafe car because we can't afford a new car. The airbags need to replaced immediately.
Takata recall -- this is regarding the recall of the 2006 Subaru impreza passenger airbag. I received a letter this year (in march 2017) letting me know that the airbag was subject to recall because of serious mal-function... Serious enough that they suggest I not have anyone sit in the passenger seat. Since then I have heard nothing from Subaru... Not even a note saying when they anticipate…
Had airbags trouble with your 2006 Subaru Impreza?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2006 Subaru Impreza?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 19 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 96,303 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Subaru/Impreza.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.