ATTENTION:
GENERAL MANAGER
PARTS MANAGER
CLAIMS PERSONNEL
SERVICE MANAGER

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IMPORTANT - All
Service Personnel
Should Read and
Initial in the boxes
provided, right.

PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN
APPLICABILITY: 2014MY Subaru Forester
SUBJECT: Genuine Subaru Carpeted Floor Mats

NUMBER: WQH-44
DATE: June 2013

Subaru of America, Inc. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety,
exists on certain 2014MY Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with Genuine Subaru carpeted
floor mats. The resin composition used for the floor mat backing was not manufactured
to specification, which can cause the floor mats to curl when exposed to heat resulting in a
potential safety hazard.

DESCRIPTION OF SAFETY HAZARD
Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle’s clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake
or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult
to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.
Recall code WQH-44 has been assigned to this recall campaign.

AFFECTED VEHICLES
This recall campaign applies to 2014MY Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with Genuine
Subaru carpeted floor mats sold on or before 4/22/13.
Coverage for all potentially affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle
Coverage Inquiry function at Subarunet.com.

OWNER NOTIFICATION
There are two owner notification letters associated with this recall campaign.
The first owner notification letter was mailed on April 26, 2013. The letter explains the
condition associated with the carpeted floor mats and advises vehicle owners to immediately
remove the driver’s mat from the vehicle and store it for future return. It further explains that
a second letter will be sent when replacement mats become available.
The second owner notification letter advising replacement carpeted floor mats are available
will be sent during the week of June 3, 2013.
In addition to notification by mail, vehicle owners with a valid email address will be notified
electronically on the same date letters are mailed.
A copy of both owner notification letters is included at the end of this bulletin.
Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 1

DEALER PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures defined in this bulletin
to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo & SSLP). Additionally,
whenever a vehicle subject to this recall is taken into dealer new or used inventory, or in the
dealership for service, necessary steps should be taken to ensure the recall correction has been
made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
New, used, demo or SSLP vehicles listed in a recall/campaign that are in dealer stock must be:
•

Immediately identified.

•

Tagged or otherwise marked to prevent their delivery or use prior to inspection and/or
repair.

•

Repaired in accordance with the repair procedures outlined in this Product Campaign
Bulletin.

Please be advised that it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor
vehicle covered by a recall under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied. Therefore,
any Authorized Subaru Dealer failing to perform the applicable service procedures as
defined in this bulletin to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo
& SSLP) prior to the vehicle being placed in service may be subject to civil penalties of
up to $6,000 per violation (i.e., for each vehicle), as provided in 49 CFR §578.6 and will
also be in breach of the Subaru Dealer Agreement.

PARTS INFORMATION
Please Note: The 2014 Forester carpeted floor mat backing material used on the revised mats
has changed. The revised mats use a singed needle punch material that is adhered to the back
of the floor mat which grips the vehicle’s carpet. Previous style mats used an extruded TPO
material that provided a nib pattern on the back of the carpet in order to provide carpet retention.

Revised style

Previous style
Continued...

Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 2

Each dealer will automatically be sent a quantity of replacement carpeted floor mat sets
equivalent to cover all recall vehicles expected at that dealership.
Replacement carpeted floor mat sets will be sent to dealers at no charge. Dealers may claim
$32.72 in sublet for reimbursement of the parts handling allowance normally included in the
MSRP of the floor mat set. Please refer to the Claim Reimbursement section of this bulletin
for additional information.
PART NUMBER

DESCRIPTION

J501SSG301

Forester Carpeted
Floor Mat Set

Please note: Replaced floor mat sets are on automatic warranty parts return and should
not be scrapped. A Part Return Notice will be supplied upon claim approval. Please follow
the instructions on the Part Return Notice which includes the return address.
The following information describes an important and required procedure to follow when preparing a UPS Ground return shipment of the floor mats replaced as part of the WQH-44 recall.
When preparing your UPS return shipping label, enter the part number replaced and WQH-44
in the 1st Reference or #1 Reference field. For example: J501SSG301 / WQH-44

REPAIR PROCEDURE
Install the replacement floor mats in the appropriate locations.
Make sure the driver’s floor mat is placed in its proper location and is correctly secured on
the mat retaining pins.
• Retaining pins are located on the driver’s side floor as illustrated below.
• The floor mat should be properly secured using the built-in grommets by placing the
grommets over the pins and pushing them downward.
Important: Do not install more than one floor mat in the driver’s side floor position.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 3

RECALL IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Type or print the necessary information on a Recall identification
label. The completed label should be attached to the vehicle’s upper
radiator support.

WQH-44

Additional labels are available through normal parts ordering channels.
The part number is MSA6P1302. Ordering qty 1 = 1 sheet of 20 labels.
CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT AND ENTRY PROCEDURES
Credit to perform this recall will be based on the submission of properly completed repair order
information. Dealers may submit claims through Vehicle Claim Entry on Subarunet.com.
Replacement carpeted floor mat sets will be sent to dealers at no charge. However, dealers may
claim $32.72 in sublet for reimbursement of the parts handling allowance normally included in
the MSRP of the floor mat set.
The part number must be entered on the claim.
CLAIM TYPE &
CAMPAIGN CODE
RC

WQH-44

LABOR

LABOR
OPERATION

PART NUMBER AND
DESCRIPTION

SUBLET AMOUNT FOR
PARTS HANDLING

A106-340
0.2 hrs.

Install Carpeted
Floor Mats

J501SSG301
Carpeted Floor Mats

$32.72

Please note: Replaced floor mat sets are on automatic warranty parts return and should
not be scrapped. A Part Return Notice will be supplied upon claim approval. Please follow the
instructions on the Part Return Notice which includes the return address.
The following information describes an important and required procedure to follow when
preparing a UPS Ground return shipment of the floor mats replaced as part of the WQH-44 recall.
When preparing your UPS return shipping label, enter the part number replaced and WQH-44 in
the 1st Reference or #1 Reference field as shown below. For example: J501SSG301 / WQH-44.

Reference #1: J501SSG301 / WQH-44

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 4

1ST OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER
Important Safety Recall Notice
Subaru Recall Campaign WQH-44
NHTSA Recall No. 13V-159
April 2013

Dear Subaru Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle
Safety Act.
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in
some 2014 model year Subaru Forester vehicles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY DEFECT
Subaru has determined that your vehicle is equipped with carpeted floor mats. The resin composition used
for the floor mat backing was not manufactured to specification, which can cause the floor mats to curl
when exposed to heat.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY HAZARD
Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of
one or a combination of, the vehicle’s clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal
interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could
cause a crash.
REPAIR
In the interest of safety, Subaru is sending this notice to you before replacement mats are available. A
second notification letter will be sent to you when replacement mats become available. At that time,
Subaru will replace the carpeted floor mat set at no cost to you.
PRECAUTIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE
You should immediately remove the driver’s carpeted floor mat from the vehicle and store it for future
return. Do not replace it with any of the other mats.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The condition described only poses a safety risk when an affected Genuine Subaru carpeted floor mat is
installed in the driver’s floor position. Once the mat is removed from the vehicle, the safety risk no longer
exists.
If your vehicle was delivered without carpeted floor mats installed, this notice does not apply to you.
However, you will be notified when replacement floor mats are available for your vehicle.
Genuine Subaru All-weather floor mats (rubber, non-carpeted mats) are not affected by this recall.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 5

CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR SOLD YOUR SUBARU?
If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please complete the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us.
Or, if you prefer to update this information online, please go to www.subaru.com, select Contact Us then
select Update Address from the drop down menu.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE:
To locate the nearest Subaru Dealer you can access our website at www.subaru.com and select “Find a
Dealer”.
For additional information and for the most Frequently Asked Questions, please go to:
•

http://www.wqh44.service-campaign.com

If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly:
• E-mail: Go to www.subaru.com and select “Contact Us”.
• T
elephone: 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)
Monday through Thursday between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.
Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET
Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET
• U
.S. Postal mail: Write us at Subaru of America, Inc.
Attn: CDS Department, P.O. Box 6000, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000.
Please contact us immediately if the dealer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge.
You may also contact the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590 or call the toll free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov if you believe the dealer has failed or
is unable to remedy your vehicle without charge within a reasonable amount of time.
Your continued satisfaction with your Subaru is important to us. Please understand that we have taken
this action in the interest of your safety and your vehicle’s proper operation. We sincerely apologize for
any inconvenience this matter may cause and urge you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to
have this repair performed.
Sincerely,
Subaru of America, Inc.

Notice to Lessors: Under Federal law the lessor of a vehicle who receives this letter must provide a copy of it to the vehicle lessee(s) within

10 business days from receipt. The lessor must also keep a record of the lessee(s) to whom this letter is sent, the date sent, and the applicable
vehicle identification number (VIN). (For the purposes of this section, a lessor means a person or entity that in the last twelve months prior to the
date of this notification has been the owner, as referenced on the vehicle’s title, of any five or more leased vehicles. A leased vehicle is a vehicle
leased to another person for a term of at least four months.)

A subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Continued...
Page 6

2ND OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER
Important Safety Recall Notice
Subaru Recall Campaign WQH-44
NHTSA Recall No. 13V-159
June 2013

Dear Subaru Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle
Safety Act.
In April 2013, we notified you that SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. decided that a defect, which relates to
motor vehicle safety, exists in some 2014 model year Subaru Forester vehicles. We informed you that we
would send you a second letter when repair parts became available. Those parts are now available.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY DEFECT
Subaru has determined that your vehicle is equipped with carpeted floor mats. The resin composition used
for the floor mat backing was not manufactured to specification, which can cause the floor mats to curl
when exposed to heat.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY HAZARD
Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of
one or a combination of, the vehicle’s clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal
interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could
cause a crash.
REPAIR
To correct this condition, Subaru will replace the carpeted floor mat set at no cost to you.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
You should contact your Subaru dealer and schedule an appointment to have a replacement floor mat set
installed. Please present this letter to your Subaru Dealer on the day of your service appointment along
with the original floor mats for exchange.
PRECAUTIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE
If you have not already done so, you should immediately remove the driver’s carpeted floor mat from the
vehicle and store it for future return. Do not replace it with any of the other mats.
HOW LONG WILL THE REPAIR TAKE?
The actual time to install the carpeted floor mat set is approximately 10 minutes. However, it may be
necessary to leave your vehicle for a longer period of time on the day of your scheduled appointment to
allow your dealer flexibility in scheduling.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The condition described only poses a safety risk when an affected Genuine Subaru carpeted floor mat
is installed in the driver’s floor position. Once the mat is removed from the vehicle, the safety risk no
longer exists.

Continued...

Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 7

If your vehicle was delivered without carpeted floor mats installed, this notice does not apply to you.
However, new carpeted floor mats are now available for your vehicle. Please schedule an appointment
with your Subaru dealer. The mats will be installed at no cost to you.
Genuine Subaru All-weather floor mats (rubber, non-carpeted mats) are not affected by this recall
CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR SOLD YOUR SUBARU?
If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please complete the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us.
Or, if you prefer to update this information online, please go to www.subaru.com, select Contact Us then
select Update Address from the drop down menu.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE:
To locate the nearest Subaru Dealer you can access our website at www.subaru.com and select “Find a
Dealer”.
For additional information and for the most Frequently Asked Questions, please go to:
•

http://www.wqh44.service-campaign.com

If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly:
• E-mail: Go to www.subaru.com and select “Contact Us”.
• T
elephone: 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)
Monday through Thursday between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.
Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET
Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET
• U
.S. Postal mail: Write us at Subaru of America, Inc.
Attn: CDS Department, P.O. Box 6000, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000.
Please contact us immediately if the dealer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge.
You may also contact the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590 or call the toll free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov if you believe the dealer has failed or
is unable to remedy your vehicle without charge within a reasonable amount of time.
Your continued satisfaction with your Subaru is important to us. Please understand that we have taken
this action in the interest of your safety and your vehicle’s proper operation. We sincerely apologize for
any inconvenience this matter may cause and urge you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to
have this repair performed.
Sincerely,
Subaru of America, Inc.

Notice to Lessors: Under Federal law the lessor of a vehicle who receives this letter must provide a copy of it to the vehicle lessee(s) within

10 business days from receipt. The lessor must also keep a record of the lessee(s) to whom this letter is sent, the date sent, and the applicable
vehicle identification number (VIN). (For the purposes of this section, a lessor means a person or entity that in the last twelve months prior to the
date of this notification has been the owner, as referenced on the vehicle’s title, of any five or more leased vehicles. A leased vehicle is a vehicle
leased to another person for a term of at least four months.)

A subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.
Bulletin Number: WQH-44; Date: June 2013

Page 8