The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components.
The risk
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Subaru Ascent | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
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 Ascent | 2019 | 443 | 9 |
| Subaru Ascent | 2020 | 324 | 5 |
| Subaru Ascent | 2021 | 103 | 2 |
| Subaru Ascent | 2022 | 56 | 2 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2022
115 of the 933 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2022 concerned the electrical system; Subaru of America, Inc. filed 101 campaigns in all.
| 22V956000 29 Dec 2022 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 22V944000 20 Dec 2022 | BMW of North America, LLC |
| 22V934000 16 Dec 2022 | Lightning eMotors Inc. |
| 22V941000 16 Dec 2022 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 22V926000 14 Dec 2022 | Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. |
| 22V924000 13 Dec 2022 | Easymile Inc. |
| 22V922000 13 Dec 2022 | Jayco, Inc. |
| 22V913000 9 Dec 2022 | Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2022