The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek and Forester vehicles. The castle nut on the left-front lower control arm ball joint may be improperly fastened, which can lead to the ball joint separating from the lower control arm.
The risk
A ball joint that separates from the lower control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the left-front lower control arm ball joint assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 16, 2026. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRI26.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2026 |
| Subaru Forester | 2026 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
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 Crosstrek | 2026 | 9 | 1 |
| Subaru Forester | 2026 | 29 | 4 |
Other suspension recalls in 2026
26 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the suspension; Subaru of America, Inc. filed 101 campaigns in all.
| 26V692000 20 Oct 2026 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 26V577000 9 Sept 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V562000 1 Sept 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 26V558000 31 Aug 2026 | Tesla, Inc. |
| 26V514000 6 Aug 2026 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 26V488000 28 Jul 2026 | Newell Coach Corp. |
| 26V479000 24 Jul 2026 | ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC |
| 26V424000 1 Jul 2026 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026