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Subaru of America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have announced a recall of specific Forester compact SUV models for a defective front seat belt assembly force-limiter.
The NHTSA says the front seat belt assembly, installed in vehicles as a replacement part, may have been assembled with a force limiter torsion bar that was not manufactured to specification. In the event of a crash, the force limiter may not function as intended.
Which Subaru Forester model years are affected?
The new Subaru recall includes 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles. The number of potentially affected Forester vehicles is sixteen. Subaru says the seat belt assembly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Description of the defect
A front seat belt assembly, installed in vehicles as a replacement part, may have been assembled with a force limiter torsion bar that was not manufactured to specification.
What is the seatbelt issue?
In September, Subaru of America received information from the part supplier indicating a potential seat belt defect. Subaru says they worked with the part supplier to trace the affected parts based on the lot number information. Subaru identified specific shipments of potentially affected parts shipped to the U.S. market. Eleven potentially affected parts were identified as having been sent to Subaru's U.S. retailers. Subaru further traced these potentially affected parts to sixteen possible VINs.
The Remedy
Subaru retailers will inspect the 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles to identify the ID number on the seat belt tag and, where necessary, replace the seat belt assembly with a new one at no cost to the customer. The remedy seat belt assemblies contain a force limiter torsion bar that conforms to the specification. Subaru will provide reimbursement to owners for repairs.
What should Forester customers do?
Owners of the 2009-2013 Forester will be notified by letter from Subaru of America on or about December 9, 2022. Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-22. Customers can also check their VIN here for any recall notices.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: Subaru USA
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