Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 Subaru Tribeca
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Subaru Tribeca has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns and 5 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #18V012000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V013000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V026000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V060000 Hood May Open Unexpectedly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V602000 Accessory Puddle Light may Short-circuit NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V645000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SENSOR NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes 2 complaints
- Electrical System 1 complaint
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 1 complaint
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 complaint
- Structure 1 complaint
Of the 5 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 Subaru Tribeca has multiple airbag recalls affecting different geographic regions, and a recurring electronic stability control recall issue. These problems, along with low owner-complaint counts, suggest reliability issues, primarily in critical safety and control systems.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbag inflator | 40,000–70,000 miles | $400–$800 | very common |
| hood latch system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $150–$350 | common |
| stability control sensor | 50,000–80,000 miles | $300–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Transmission fluid check annually
- Coolant flush every 30,000 miles
- Replace air filters annually
- Inspect and replace spark plugs every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light illuminated
- Hood rattling while driving
- ESC warning light on
- Hard brake pedal feel
- Unusual vibrations at high speeds
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Subaru Tribeca at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.