Subarunet Announcement
To: All Subaru Retailers
From: Subaru of America, Inc.
Date: August 4, 2014
Subject: New Subaru Recall Campaign: Front Passenger Air Bag Inflators WQM-49
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) will be initiating a limited regional recall on certain 2003-2005MY Subaru
Legacy, Outback and Baja vehicles, and 2004-2005MY Subaru Impreza (including WRX/STI) vehicles,
equipped with certain TK Holdings, Inc. (Takata) front passenger air bag inflators.
Subaru has been requested by NHTSA and Takata to collect and replace the front passenger air bag
inflators from vehicles currently or previously registered in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands for evaluation to determine if the inflators could rupture and cause the air bag to inflate
abnormally when activated in a crash. The investigation is focused on these areas due to isolated rupture
incidents that occurred in Florida and Puerto Rico, on a wide variety of manufacturer makes and models,
to determine if exposure to high levels of absolute humidity may be a contributing factor to the risk of
failure.
SOA has not made a determination that a safety defect exists in these vehicles and in fact is not aware of
any incidents involving ruptured inflators on the models that will be affected by this recall.
Affected Vehicles
This limited regional recall will include certain 2003-2005MY Subaru Legacy, Outback and Baja vehicles,
and certain 2004-2005MY Subaru Impreza (including WRX/STI) vehicles. This will be limited to vehicles
currently or previously registered in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Model Year
2003
2004
2005
2003
2004
2005
2003
2004
2005
2004
2005

Model
Legacy
Legacy
Legacy
Outback
Outback
Outback
Baja
Baja
Baja
Impreza, WRX, STI
Impreza, WRX, STI

Starting production date
2/18/2003
3/17/2003
2/23/2004
2/18/2003
3/13/2003
2/6/2004
2/18/2003
4/7/2003
3/16/2004
1/28/2003
2/11/2004

Ending production date
6/6/2003
3/1/2004
1/26/2005
6/11/2003
3/15/2004
10/6/2004
6/6/2003
7/21/2004
10/27/2004
2/13/2004
12/10/2004

Not all vehicles within these production date ranges are covered by this recall. Coverage for all affected
vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. This data
will be available when owner notification begins.
Description of the Safety Hazard
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of an affected passenger frontal air bag, the inflator
could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the vehicle occupants.

SOA has elected to initiate this recall in support of NHTSA’s and the supplier’s ongoing investigation of the
risk of failure of the passenger airbag inflators installed on the vehicles listed above that are currently or
have ever been registered in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The primary goal is to protect the passengers in these areas for which there have been isolated incidents
of inflator rupture on a wide variety of manufacturer makes and models. The secondary goal is to collect
air bag inflators for analysis and testing.
Description of Field Action
Replacement of the vehicle’s front passenger air bag inflator will be performed on all of the vehicles
included in this limited regional recall.
Retailer Program Responsibility
Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected vehicles in their
inventory (used, demo & SSLP). Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall is taken into retailer
inventory, or in for service, necessary steps should be taken to ensure the recall correction has been
made before selling or releasing the vehicle.
Any vehicles listed in a recall/campaign that are in retailer 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 the Product Campaign Bulletin, which
will be issued shortly.

Owner Notification
Subaru is in the process of identifying the affected vehicles based on current and historical vehicle
registration data. Subaru is also in the process of acquiring replacement parts for these vehicles. When
available, Subaru will notify potentially affected vehicle owners by first class mail. This is expected to
occur within the next 60 days. Retailers will be advised when owner notification begins.