Subaru · Tribeca · 2009
9
Recalls
14
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2009 Subaru Tribeca has 9 recalls and 14 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: power train (3 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2009 Subaru Tribeca page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is power train with 3 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-18.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-18.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Tribeca vehicles manufactured November 16, 2004, to January 27, 2014. Due to a possible malfunction of the hood safety system and hood lock system, the hood may open unexpectedly while driving.
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will complete this recall in two phases. Phase one will involve inspection, cleaning, and lubricating the hood safety and hood lock systems. If after this is performed the hood latch does not operate properly, it will be replaced with a new current style part. Phase two will involve installing an improved hood safety system and hood lock system. Interim notification was mailed March 4, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQX-59 (phase one) and WQY-60 (phase two).
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s).
Remedy Status
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
SUBARU IS RECALLING 5,130 MY 2008-2009 TRIBECA PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC) G-SENSOR WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. THIS SENSOR IS DESIGNED TO BE MOUNTED IN A FORWARD FACING DIRECTION BUT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BACKWARDS DURING PRODUCTION.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE VDC G-SENSOR. IF THE SENSOR IS FOUND TO BE INSTALLED CORRECTLY, NO FURTHER ACTION IS NEEDED. IF THE SENSOR IS FOUND TO BE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY (BACKWARDS), THE SENSOR WILL BE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED IN THE CORRECT POSITION. THE VDC SYSTEM WILL ALSO BE REPROGRAMMED TO ENSURE PROPER OPERATION. THE RECALLBEGAN ON DECEMBER 19, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving on ice, at a low speed, the contact's vehicle slid and rolled before slamming into a culvert. The contact stated that the driver's door air bag was deployed, however, no other air bags deployed. In ad...
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HEADLAMPS BURN OUT AND CAUSE SHORTING ON OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS LIKE BLOWER FAN, WINDOWS AND ETC. I CHANGE HEADLAMPS EVERY 1-2 MONTHS SOMETIMES SOONER, AND NOW I'M FORCED TO CHANGE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE EFFECTED BY THIS SHORTING ISSUE!!!!!! I'M TOLD THAT SUBARU...
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PROBLEM 1. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY CAR LOST POWER, STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE GAS GUAGE WAS ON A 1/4 OF TAN OF GASOLINE, MILES GUAGE READ 100 MILES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANKS GOD, I NEAR THE NEXT EXIT. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART MY CAR AFTER...
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UPON ENTERING HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING TO ACHIEVE THE PRESCRIBED 65MPH, THE CAR CONTINUED ACCELERATING, UNCOMMANDED, EVEN WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 85MPH FOR MILES, (I WAS PUMPING BRAKES AND FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AND WHAT W...
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I AM IN THE MILITARY CURRENTLY STATIONED OVERSEAS, IN ITALY, AND WE NOTICED THAT THE CAR I BOUGHT IN 2015 HAS BEEN RELEASING GAS FUMES ON COLD MORNING, THAT WILL LAST NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. WE NEVER NOTICED THIS HAPPENING ON WARM SEASON....
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THE CAR WAS STARTED IN THE DRIVEWAY ON A VERY COLD DAY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS INITIALLY ABLE TO BE PRESSED, BUT THEN BECAME ROCK HARD AND COULD NOT BE PUSHED DOWN. AFTER 10 MINUTES OF LETTING THE CAR WARM UP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE PRESSED, BUT THEN SEIZED UP AGAIN 1 MINUTE...
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I WAS GOING AROUND A BEND AND THE BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED. I WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE BRAKES. DUE TO THIS BRAKE FAILURE, I DROVE UP ON A HILLSIDE AND SMASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. FEEL THAT THIS IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THE CAR WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOCK...
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THERE IS A LARGE SHUDDER AT SLOW ACCELERATION. THE PROBLEM WAS SLIGHT TO BEGIN WITH HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS NO GOOD, HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT REPLACE FOR FREE SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THROUGH MY I...
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DRIVING CAR AND IT JOLTED, SHIFT GEAR LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALL LIGHTS CAME ON DASH BOARD, ATT-OIL TEMP, CRUISE CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND SLIPPERY WHEN WET LIGHT, CAR LOST POWER DOWN TO 2-5 MILES PER HOUR. THOUGHT IT WAS TRANSMISSION HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE BY CAPITOL TRANSM...
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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR I RESTED MY LEFT FOOT ON THE "FOOTREST" OF THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR AND THE HEEL OF MY SHOE WENT RIGHT THRU THE FLOOR OF MY 2008 SUBARU TRIBECA. I HAD TO TAKE MY FOOT OUT OF THE SHOE TO GET THE SHOE "UNSTUCK". I THANK GOD I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 14 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2009 Subaru models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2009 Subaru Tribeca has 9 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 14 owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Subaru Tribeca.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2009 Subaru Tribeca.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2009 Subaru Tribeca are power train (3 reports), service brakes (2 reports), visibility/wiper (1 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 9 recalls on record for the 2009 Subaru Tribeca. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.