Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.
2012 Subaru B9 Tribeca recalls
Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module
NHTSA campaign 19V007000 · reported January 9, 2019 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 43,394 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 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.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-19.
Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module
NHTSA campaign 19V008000 · reported January 9, 2019 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 330,120 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester 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.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-19.
Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module
NHTSA campaign 19V009000 · reported January 9, 2019 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 452,630 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester 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.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-19.
Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module
NHTSA campaign 18V012000 · reported January 9, 2018 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 64,179 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
Air bags: frontal, passenger side, inflator module
NHTSA campaign 17V014000 · reported January 10, 2017 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 53,480 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- The fix
- 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.
Latches/locks/linkages: hood, latch · Structure: body, hood
NHTSA campaign 16V060000 · reported February 3, 2016 · Subaru of America, Inc. · 77,017 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- If the hood unexpectedly opens while driving, it may interfere with the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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).
Exterior lighting
NHTSA campaign 12V602000 · reported December 26, 2012 · SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. · 633,842 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- 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).
- The risk
- Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. This may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire.
- The fix
- 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.
What owners report
Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.
Feb 1, 2020 · Power train · 59,000 miles
VEHICLE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL AND TEMP, ALL WERE NORMAL. PULLED AWAY AND THE ENGINE REVED UP THEN BANGED INTO GEAR. DROVE NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL MILES. THE WARNING…
Oct 25, 2017 · Power train · 66,000 miles
2012 SUBARU TRIBECA- TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE KNOWN ISSUE ON SUBARU CARS FROM THAT YEAR, RECALL/EXTENDED REPAIR DOESN'T COVER MODEL. CAR STALLS WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS. STARTED AS STRONG HESITATION AND PROGRESSED RAPIDLY TO UNPREDICTABLE/SUDDEN STALLING. HAPPENED AT BOTH HIGH SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY AND AT…
Mar 20, 2017 · Structure · 30,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU TRIBECA. WHILE PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN…
Feb 24, 2016 · Electrical system · 43,000 miles
SUBARU TRIBECA 2012 IS ONLY 3 YEARS AND 7 MONTH OLD. WAS PURCHASED NEW FOR $41,000 FOR BEST SAFETY FEATURES, AND FUEL ECONOMY. MY CAR NEVER WAS IN ACCIDENT, NOT DRIVEN TO THE MOUNTAINS OR HARSH WEATHER CONDITION. ONLY 43000 MILES. HAS MANY ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL, OIL LEAK, STEERING WHEEL. AFTER DRIVING, ON THE SHORT…
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received February 1, 2020.