There are 2 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2007 Subaru Tribecain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING WE SMELT SOMETHING BURNING, I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT UNDER THE CAR AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THERE. I WENT UNDER AND SAW THAT THERE WAS LIQUID COVERING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, I WIPED DOWN AS MUCH AS I COULD AND DROVE TO MY MECHANIC. HE PUT THE CAR ON THE LIFT AND WE TRACED TO WHERE TO LIQUID WAS COMING FROM. IT WENT TO THE FRONT LEFT AXLE BOOT, IT WAS RUPTURED CAUSING GREASE TO BE THROWN ON THE HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING THE SMOKE. THIS COULD HAVE EVOLVED INTO A FIRE IF I HAD NOT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED DRIVING AND WIPED DOWN THE CONVERTER. WE HAD TO CHANGE THE COMPLETE AXLE AND BOOT ASSEMBLY. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW UPDATED 11/16/2017*CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU WRX (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY ABUSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED BECAUSE THE 2007 WRX TRANSMISSION HAS 50 LESS HORSE POWER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11,200.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026