2006 Subaru WRX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

14 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Subaru WRX, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 3/100 on the trouble index — too lightly reported for a fair score.

14Complaints
3/100Trouble index
4Recalls

Few reports

Where 2006 sits among all WRX years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Engine 5 complaints (36%)
Fuel system 4 complaints (29%)
Transmission & drivetrain 4 complaints (29%)
Body & structure 1 complaints (7%)

Recalls (4)

AIR BAGS 20V001000 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7,…

AIR BAGS 20V002000 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…

AIR BAGS 20V003000 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 06E060000 2006

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.…

Fix: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.

Technical service bulletins

114 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2006 Subaru WRX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2006 WRX TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2006peak 4 in 20082019

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2006 Subaru WRX reliable?

The 2006 Subaru WRX drew 14 complaints in federal safety records — too lightly reported for a fair score. Its trouble index is 3/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).

What are the most common 2006 Subaru WRX problems?

The top reported problems for the 2006 Subaru WRX are engine (5 complaints), fuel system (4), and transmission & drivetrain (4).

Does the 2006 Subaru WRX have recalls?

4 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 Subaru WRX. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2005 WRX All WRX years 2008 WRX →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.