We buy whole non-running and junk cars. Sell the whole car as it sits.

Free pickup anywhere in the US

(877) 421-6008Get my offer
Model file · SubaruUpdated · 21 sources

Selling an old or broken Subaru Tribeca

Eleven of the Tribeca's 17 recall campaigns do the same job: replace the front passenger air bag inflator. Most apply only in certain states, based on where the Tribeca was sold or has been registered, so the only way to know about yours is to run its VIN.

A dirty white 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca SUV with clouded headlights and a scuffed rear door, parked in a lot with fallen leaves
Photo: Cutlass · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years covered
2006-2014
Complaints to NHTSA
186
Year with the most complaints
2006 (93)
Recall campaigns
17
Air bag inflator campaigns
11
Built in
Lafayette, Indiana

Whatever the recall status, a Tribeca that has stopped running can still be sold. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and you sell the whole car as it sits, open recalls and all.

Run the VIN first

Put the VIN into NHTSA's recall lookup before you decide anything. Recall work is done by Subaru dealers for free. Here is what the 17 campaigns cover. Each count is the campaign's full total, and most of those totals reach beyond the Tribeca.

  • Passenger air bag inflator, 11 campaigns. 16V358, 16V359, 17V014, 17V016, 17V026, 18V012, 18V013, 18V014, 19V007, 19V008 and 19V009. Together they reach 2006-2014 Tribecas, each campaign for a different set of years and states. They also cover the Legacy, Outback, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Baja and Saab 9-2X.
  • Hood latch (16V060). 2006-2014 Tribecas only, 77,017 vehicles. The hood safety and hood lock system may malfunction.
  • Headlight harness (12V602). Dealers add a fused harness on 2006-2012 Tribecas sold before January 2012. The 633,842 vehicles include the Legacy, Outback and Forester.
  • VDC G-sensor (08V645). On 5,130 2008-2009 Tribecas, the stability control sensor may have been installed facing the wrong way.
  • Door latch cables (10V108). 1,585 2010 Tribecas built September 4, 2009, through March 8, 2010.
  • Transmission (13V336). 2013 Tribecas built June 12-28, 2013, with the 5-speed automatic. Dealers replace the transmission. The 202 vehicles include 2014 Legacy and Outback 3.6R models.
  • Ignition switch (19V297). Some 2006-2008 Tribecas, in a 511-vehicle campaign spread across six Subaru models.

What owners reported, by year group

Wikipedia says the Tribeca was built from 2005 to 2014 at Subaru of Indiana in Lafayette, with a 5-speed automatic and four-wheel drive.

2006-2007: the B9 years

These two years account for 123 of the Tribeca's 186 owner complaints, per our count of NHTSA's file on October 10, 2026. Wikipedia lists the 3.0-liter EZ30 flat-six for 2006-2007. The 2006 alone has 93 complaints. Structure leads (23), then air bags (21) and exterior lighting (11). Eight of the 2006 complaints describe a fire, the most of any year. The 2007 has 30, with air bags named most (6).

2008-2009

These years have 44 complaints. Air bags lead on the 2008 (7), and power train on the 2009 (3). The G-sensor recall applies to both years.

2010-2014: the quiet end

Only 19 complaints across these five model years, and none on the 2014. These Tribecas are younger, so owners have had fewer years to report on them. Wikipedia says Subaru dropped the Tribeca after 2014 while it looked at an upscale 7-seat crossover to replace it.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Model yearComplaintsFire reportsNamed mostRecall campaigns
2006938Structure (23)8
2007302Air bags (6)8
2008303Air bags (7)9
2009140Power train (3)9
201081Electrical system (3)10
201140Air bags (2)8
201240Power train (2)7
201330Air bags, engine, power train (1 each)6

The 2014 has no complaints on file. The hood latch campaign and three of the air bag campaigns (19V007, 19V008, 19V009) list it.

Is it worth fixing?

A Tribeca is now at least 12 years old. Weigh the repair against the whole car:

  1. Get recall work done first if any is open, since it costs nothing.
  2. Get a written quote for the rest. On a car this age, one repair often uncovers the next.
  3. Compare it with asking prices for running Tribecas like yours. When the two numbers sit near each other, selling it as it sits makes sense. See repairs cost more than it's worth and old or high mileage.

An open recall doesn't stop a sale. Open recall explains what to tell the buyer.

How to sell a Tribeca whole

  1. Write down the VIN, mileage and the problem, plus any recall notices you've received.
  2. Request an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Describe where it is. A Tribeca nosed into a narrow driveway or down in a parking garage can still be loaded once the driver knows the layout. We offer free pickup anywhere in the US.
  4. Keep the Tribeca intact. Its wheels, battery and catalytic converters stay where they are; flag anything already gone.
  5. Give the driver the title and keys. After you sell covers plates and insurance.

Other Subarus: the Outback, Ascent and Baja, or every Subaru model.

Questions people ask

Does my Tribeca still need its air bag recall?
Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Eleven campaigns replace the front passenger air bag inflator on Tribecas from 2006 to 2014. Several are limited by the states where the SUV was sold or registered, so two Tribecas of the same year can show different results.
Which Tribeca year has the most NHTSA complaints?
The 2006 carries 93 of the 186 owner complaints in NHTSA's records at our October 10, 2026 check. Structure (23) and air bags (21) are named most. Later years have far fewer, and the 2014 had none on file.
Is the hood latch recall on every Tribeca?
Campaign 16V060 covers 2006-2014 Tribecas built from November 16, 2004, to January 27, 2014, which is 77,017 vehicles. Dealers do it in two phases, starting with inspecting, cleaning and lubricating the hood latch.
Will you take a Tribeca that won't start?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Open recalls don't stop the sale; just mention them.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 08V645: VDC G-sensor, 2008-2009 Tribeca nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 10V108: door latch cables, 2010 Tribeca nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 12V602: exterior lighting harness nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 13V336: automatic transmission nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 16V060: hood latch, 2006-2014 Tribeca nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 16V358: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 16V359: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  10. NHTSA recall 17V014: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  11. NHTSA recall 17V016: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  12. NHTSA recall 17V026: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  13. NHTSA recall 18V012: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  14. NHTSA recall 18V013: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  15. NHTSA recall 18V014: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  16. NHTSA recall 19V007: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  17. NHTSA recall 19V008: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  18. NHTSA recall 19V009: passenger air bag inflator nhtsa.gov
  19. NHTSA recall 19V297: ignition switch nhtsa.gov
  20. EPA fuel economy data (model years) fueleconomy.gov
  21. Wikipedia: Subaru Tribeca (production, plant, engine, discontinuation) en.wikipedia.org