The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
The risk
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Subaru Legacy | 2020, 2021 |
| Subaru Outback | 2020, 2021 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Legacy | 2020 | 121 | 6 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2021 | 31 | 3 |
| Subaru Outback | 2020 | 901 | 6 |
| Subaru Outback | 2021 | 298 | 4 |
Other power train recalls in 2022
47 of the 933 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2022 concerned the power train; Subaru of America, Inc. filed 101 campaigns in all.
| 22V937000 16 Dec 2022 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC |
| 22V914000 9 Dec 2022 | Daimler Trucks North America, LLC |
| 22V880000 29 Nov 2022 | Ford Motor Company |
| 22V866000 23 Nov 2022 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 22V853000 18 Nov 2022 | Midwest Fire Equipment & Repair Company |
| 22V835000 10 Nov 2022 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 22V796000 21 Oct 2022 | Daimler Vans USA, LLC |
| 22V792000 20 Oct 2022 | Ford Motor Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2022