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Subaru Recalls Over 40,000 Outback, Liberty Models For E-Parking Brake Issue

Subaru recalls over 40,000 Outback and Legacy vehicles in Australia over electronic parking brake issue. Will U.S. vehicles be recalled?

You may have heard about the huge recall of over 40,000 Subaru Outback and Legacy models in Australia. The recall is over an electronic brake issue for the 2010-2014 Australian Subaru Outback and Liberty (Legacy) models. Are U.S. models affected?

It’s not clear if the U.S. models will be recalled since both Outback and Legacy are also produced at Subaru Indiana Automotive plant in the US. In Australia, Subaru offers Outback SUVs, as well as Liberty (Legacy in the U.S.) sedan and a different version of wagon models. And of course, the Australian models are right-hand drive and shipped from the Subaru plant in Gunma, Japan.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recall says, “If the electronic parking brake circuit board fractures, the warning light will illuminate and the electronic parking brake (EPB) cannot be applied or released. If this happens, the vehicle may be in breach of the Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for motor vehicles”.

According to the ACCC website, if the electronic parking brake on the Outback and Liberty models cannot be applied or released, “It can result in an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants and other road users,” the notice says.

READ: Should You Buy Subaru Ascent or Wait For The Bigger New-Generation Outback?

Subaru also issued a huge global windshield wiper recall recalling 2010-2014 Outback and Legacy models in 2016. In that recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. said, if the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers could fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the wiper motor cover could melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

To see if your 2010-2014 Subaru Outback and Liberty vehicle is on the list for e-parking brake recall, consumers in Australia can go the ACCC website and check. Subaru dealers will fix the electronic parking brake issue free of charge and owners will be notified by mail.

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Photo credit: Subaru USA