Subaru Outback, Ascent, Impreza, Legacy Recalled For Defective Fuel Pump

Subaru of America has announced a new recall for certain Subaru Outback, Ascent, Impreza, Legacy models in which the fuel pump may become inoperative. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says if the fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the engine, increasing the risk of a crash. The potential total number of vehicles affected in the U.S. is 188,207.

Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Subaru Outback (86,278), 2019 Ascent (40,950), 2019 Impreza sedan (12,747), 2019 Impreza 5-Door (28,050) and 2019 Legacy (20,182) models manufactured between June 18, 2018 through February 25, 2019. All four models are manufactured at the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana and made for North American customers.

2019 Subaru Outback

The supplier, Denso International America located in Michigan, used the defective “low pressure” fuel pump prior to July 2019, and began using the fuel pump with filter, with a higher density impeller after that date. Subaru estimates about 4 percent of the models are affected.

What is the safety risk?

The four Subaru vehicles equipped with a low-pressure fuel pump which includes an impeller that was manufactured with a lower density could fail. Subaru says, “If the surface of the lower density impeller is exposed to solvent drying for longer periods of time, it may develop fine cracks. Those cracks may lead to excessive fuel absorption, resulting in impeller deformation.”

2019 Subaru Ascent

The impeller may become deformed enough to interfere with the body of the fuel pump, potentially causing the low-pressure fuel pump to become inoperative. If it fails, owners will first notice the check engine warning light or malfunction indicator light illuminating, and/or the engine may run rough. In the worst case, a defective fuel pump may result in the engine stalling without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What should owners do?

Check out the Consumer Reports article. What to do if your car has a recall during the coronavirus pandemic.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the shipment of replacement parts will be slow and will begin arriving later this month. 2019 Subaru Outback, 2019 Ascent, 2019 Impreza sedan and 5-Door, and 2019 Legacy owners will be notified by mail within 60 days. Subaru will replace the fuel pump free of charge, and the recall is expected to begin on June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Photo credit: Subaru USA