The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X 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 or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Saab 9-2X | 2006 |
| Subaru Baja | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| Subaru Forester | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Subaru Outback | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| Subaru WRX | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saab 9-2X | 2006 | 10 | 7 |
| Subaru Baja | 2003 | 38 | 10 |
| Subaru Baja | 2004 | 18 | 9 |
| Subaru Baja | 2005 | 37 | 10 |
| Subaru Baja | 2006 | 24 | 9 |
| Subaru Forester | 2009 | 178 | 17 |
| Subaru Forester | 2010 | 262 | 17 |
| Subaru Forester | 2011 | 147 | 16 |
| Subaru Forester | 2012 | 105 | 15 |
| Subaru Forester | 2013 | 78 | 12 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2004 | 96 | 8 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2005 | 75 | 6 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2006 | 56 | 10 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2007 | 68 | 9 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2008 | 176 | 14 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2009 | 104 | 14 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2010 | 46 | 15 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2011 | 58 | 14 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2003 | 60 | 14 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2004 | 49 | 10 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2005 | 184 | 9 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2006 | 87 | 7 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2007 | 33 | 9 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2008 | 65 | 9 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2009 | 65 | 13 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2010 | 150 | 18 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2011 | 167 | 16 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2012 | 90 | 16 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2013 | 66 | 12 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2014 | 53 | 10 |
Other air bags recalls in 2020
45 of the 782 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2020 concerned the air bags; Subaru of America, Inc. filed 101 campaigns in all.
| 20V791000 17 Dec 2020 | Ford Motor Company |
| 20V785000 16 Dec 2020 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 20V749000 2 Dec 2020 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 20V747000 1 Dec 2020 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 20V736000 25 Nov 2020 | General Motors LLC |
| 20V734000 25 Nov 2020 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 20V681000 4 Nov 2020 | Volvo Car USA LLC |
| 20V628000 9 Oct 2020 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2020