ATTENTION:
GENERAL MANAGER
PARTS MANAGER
CLAIMS PERSONNEL
SERVICE MANAGER

q
q
q
q

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

PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN
APPLICABILITY: 2003-2004 Subaru Legacy and Outback
2003-2004 Subaru Baja
2004 Subaru Impreza
(including WRX and STI)

NUMBER:
DATE:
REVISED:
NHTSA ID:

WQL-48R
August 2014
September 25, 2014
14V-399

SUBJECT: Front Passenger Air Bag Inflator Replacement
September, 2015:
• This recall (WQL-48) has been superseded to the WQR-53 Takata Front Passenger Air
Bag Inflator Replacement.
• If a WQL-48 claim was approved prior to the release of the WQR-53 recall, the VIN
will not be included in the WQR-53 recall.
• On September 25, 2015 any incomplete WQL-48 recall applicability was expired in
SOA’s system.
оо Claims for WQL-48 repairs submitted after this expiration date should be
submitted for reimbursement under the WQR-53 recall.
оо Coverage for all affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle
Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com.
• Please refer to the WQR-53 recall bulletin for more detail.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle
safety, may exist on certain 2003-2004 model year Subaru Legacy, Outback, and Baja
vehicles, and certain 2004 model year Subaru Impreza (including WRX and STI) vehicles.
The subject vehicles are equipped with front passenger air bag inflators which could have
been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers. In the event of a crash
necessitating deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, improperly manufactured
propellant wafers inside the inflator could cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments
striking and potentially seriously injuring the vehicle occupants.
Although the percentage of affected vehicles is unknown, this recall will involve replacing the
front passenger air bag inflator on all of the potentially affected vehicles.

AFFECTED VEHICLES
This condition may exist on certain 2003-2004 model year Legacy, Outback, and Baja
vehicles, and certain 2004 model year Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles listed below.
Not all vehicles within these production date ranges are affected by this recall. The
potentially affected vehicles were identified based on the serial number of the front passenger
air bag inflator installed during vehicle production.
Coverage for all potentially affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle
Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. This data will be available when owner
notification begins.
Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 1

MODEL YEAR

MODEL

STARTING
PRODUCTION DATE

ENDING
PRODUCTION DATE

2003

Legacy

01/22/2003

05/14/2003

2004

Legacy

03/17/2003

02/10/2004

2003

Outback

02/18/2003

04/15/2003

2004

Outback

02/28/2003

02/11/2004

2003

Baja

01/22/2003

05/06/2003

2004

Baja

03/03/2003

07/21/2004

2004

Impreza,
WRX, STI

01/08/2003

05/15/2003

OWNER NOTIFICATION
Notification letters will be sent to owners of all potentially affected vehicles. Owner
notification is currently scheduled to begin on August 11, 2014. A copy of the Owner
Notification Letter is included at the end of this bulletin.

RETAILER AFFECTED VIN LISTS
Each Subaru retailer will receive an affected VIN list from their Zone Office when owner
notification begins. Vehicles will be assigned to retailers in the affected VIN list as follows:
•

Original vehicle owners are assigned to the original selling retailer when their current
address is within a 100 mile radius of that retailer.

•

If the original selling retailer is inactive, the VIN has been assigned to the nearest
active retailer.

•

For any new owners or when original owners live more than 100 miles from the
original selling retailer, the VIN has been assigned to the nearest active retailer.

Important: Retailer affected VIN lists include owner name and address information for
vehicles affected by this recall. This information will enable retailers to follow-up with
owners of potentially affected vehicles. The lists contain owners’ names and addresses
obtained from State Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle
registration data for any other purpose is unlawful. Accordingly, retailers are urged to
limit the use of these lists for the purpose of completion of this safety recall.

SUBARU RETAILER PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY
Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected
vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo & SSLP). Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject
to this recall is taken into retailer new or used inventory, or in 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 (Subaru Service Loaner Program) vehicles listed in a recall/
campaign that are in the retailer’s 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.
Continued...

Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 2

PARTS INFORMATION
The parts required for this recall are the passenger air bag inflator module kits listed below:
PART NUMBER

APPLICABILITY

98279AE00A

Legacy, Outback, and Baja

98279FE000

Impreza, WRX, and STI

DESCRIPTION
WQL-48 Air Bag Inflator
Module Kit
WQL-48 Air Bag Inflator
Module Kit

ORDER
QUANTITY
1
1

These parts are available through normal parts ordering channels. In order to maintain an
adequate part supply, SOA requests that retailers only order quantities necessary to satisfy
anticipated demand.

PART RETURN PROCEDURES
IMPORTANT:
Each removed air bag inflator must be returned directly to the supplier, Takata USA, in the
same box in which the new one was received.
As the shipper, you are responsible for proper packing and document completion. The
person packaging the inflator must have received hazardous material training per 49CFR
172.702, and the training records must be on file at your dealership. The US Department
of Transportation will impose substantial fines and/or penalties on the shipper if either
packaging, labeling or documentation is not properly prepared and the Customer Copy of
OP 900PRP form is not kept on file for a minimum of 2 years.
IMPORTANT: Do not deploy any inflator. Return the used inflator within 1-2 business
days. The person packing the used inflator must read and follow the provided instructions.
•

The shipping box contains a bar code label which will be used by Takata USA to
document the replacement of the old inflator with the new inflator. Therefore, it is
very important that the removed inflator be returned in the exact same box that
contained the newly-installed inflator for that vehicle. If the original box cannot
be re-used, please refer to the shipping instructions under “Requesting a new box/
shipping labels.”

•

IMPORTANT: When affixing the shipping label to the shipping box do not obstruct
the bar code label.

•

Prepaid FedEx shipping documents and shipping instructions will be included with
each new air bag inflator kit. A copy of this information is included as ‘Appendix A’
of this bulletin.

•

A completed SOA Warranty Parts Tag (MSA5W402A) must be attached to the
returned inflator. The tag must contain the following information: claim number,
repair date, full 17-digit VIN, and mileage.

•

Takata USA has assigned each Subaru retailer a ChemTrec Contract Number
(CCN). As shown in step 5 of the shipping documentation instructions, the shipping
retailer must fill in their name, address, and CCN.
оо ChemTrec is a company that provides 24-hour emergency response and
information to hazardous material shippers.
оо The assigned CCN allows the Subaru retailer to ship hazardous material as an
affiliate to Takata USA’s registration with ChemTrec. This number is required
on the return shipping form.
Continued...

Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 3

A list of all Subaru retailers along with their assigned CCN information is included as ‘Appendix
B’ of this bulletin. It is SOA’s intention to include a copy of this list with each new air bag
inflator kit, however the first shipment of parts will not include this list as it was not available at
the time the parts were packed. Future shipments will include this document for reference.
The CCN list included with future shipments will be updated periodically to include new
Subaru retailer information. If a Subaru retailer is unable to find their CCN, they should
contact Takata USA as described in step 5 of the shipping documentation instructions.
SOA PART RETURN NOTICE
Upon claim approval, Subaru of America, Inc. will generate a Part Return Notice requesting
information only. To ensure proper claim credit, the following information must be recorded
on the SOA Part Return Notice and sent to SOA Part Collection Center (PCC) as instructed on
the return notice:
•
•

The FedEx Shipper Receipt # (from shipping form)
The OLD and NEW air bag inflator serial numbers

The Part Return Notice should then be returned using UPS 3rd party billing to the address
listed at the bottom of the notice. Please keep the UPS tracking number for your records.
Under no circumstances should the air bag inflator be returned to Subaru of America, Inc.
SERVICE PROCEDURE
This Campaign involves the replacement of the inflator portion of the passenger-side front
airbag assembly. The subject inflators could have been assembled with improperly manufactured
propellant components which may affect how the assembly inflates in the event of a collision
resulting in an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants. This procedure will outline removal
of the passenger-side airbag assembly and replacement of the inflator component and related
wiring harness.
VERY IMPORTANT: Failure to follow these service procedures carefully and correctly
may result in an accidental deployment of the inflator and potentially cause serious injury.
Please read through and understand these procedures COMPLETELY before beginning
repairs. In addition, proper operation of the airbag after reassembly may be compromised
if these service procedures are not followed.
Tools Required
DESCRIPTION
Pliers

BRAND OR TYPE
-

QUANTITY
1

Wire Cutters

-

1

Needle-Nose Pliers

-

1

Torque Wrench

Inch-Pound

1

Safety Goggles

-

1

Flat-Blade Screwdriver

-

1

Scissors

-

1

Ratchet
8 mm and 10 mm Socket
Airbag Deployment Fixture

1/4” Drive
J-39401-B

1
1 ea,
1

NOTE: Although the service procedure is similar for both Legacy / Outback / Baja and Impreza
models, there are some significant differences. For this reason, procedures for both models will
be outlined.
Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 4

CAUTION: Before starting this service procedure, perform a visual inspection of both front
airbags looking for any damage or abnormality. Next, turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position and confirm the airbag warning lamp illuminates then extinguishes normally. If it
does not or if ANY concern is noted with the airbag system, STOP and report these findings
to the customer BEFORE proceeding further. Any concerns identified with the airbag system
(when no airbag deployment has occurred), are not related to this campaign and must be
addressed separately. Even if the system has a concern, this may not preclude completion of
this campaign. If you are unsure about proceeding, document and fully diagnose the concern
then contact the SOA Technical Helpline to review your findings. It is in the best interest
of the retailer to fully document any concerns found during this preliminary inspection and
review with the customer BEFORE proceeding with the campaign service procedure.
•

Vehicles that do not contain Genuine Subaru air bags are not eligible for this
recall repair. For more information on identifying counterfeit air bags and how
to address related customer situations, please refer to STIS for the “Counterfeit
Air Bag Information” Dealer Advisory Bulletin dated October 25, 2012 by going
to Subarunet>Service>STIS>Online Reference - choose Publication Type: ‘Other/
Miscellaneous’ and search keywords: ‘Air Bag’).

•

Do not proceed with this repair if your inspection reveals a non-Genuine Subaru
air bag module has been installed in the vehicle. Follow the instructions described
in the “Counterfeit Air Bag Information” Dealer Advisory Bulletin and contact the SOA
Warranty Helpline to close out the WQL-48 recall coverage on the vehicle.

•

IMPORTANT: Always examine airbag modules closely before and during removal.
Confirm they match the photos of the Genuine Subaru airbag components supplied
throughout this bulletin BEFORE proceeding. The photos below are just 2 examples
of aftermarket or counterfeit airbag components identified by retailers since the release
of this campaign bulletin. These photos are being provided as only 2 examples of what
may be a wide variety of non-OEM components.

•

If an aftermarket or counterfeit passenger airbag or inflator is identified at any point
during the campaign service procedure, STOP IMMEDIATELY. NEVER attempt to
remove or otherwise disable any aftermarket or counterfeit device.

•

Document the presence of the aftermarket or counterfeit device on the repair order and
with photos. Report this information immediately on a Quality Monitoring Report (QMR).

•

Once the QMR has been submitted, contact the Subaru Claims Helpline to discuss the
details. They will advise you on how to proceed with treatment of the open campaign.
No visible stopper plates, a
6-nut configuration and rubber
harness boots are other examples
to indicate this is not a Genuine
Subaru airbag module.

The shape, holes, and
copper-colored stud indicate this
not a Genuine Subaru inflator.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 5

*SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR LEGACY / OUTBACK AND BAJA MODELS*
CAUTION: Refer to the “CAUTION” section in the General Description portion
of Airbag System AB in the Body Section of the Service Manual before handling or
servicing any airbag module!
STEP 1- PREPARATION:
•

Turn the ignition “OFF”.

•

Disconnect the Negative (ground) cable from the battery and wait at least 20 seconds
before proceeding further.

•

Remove the glove box assembly following the procedure in the applicable Service
Manual and using the tips below.

The glove box is held in place by 8 screws.
оо The 2 upper left and right hand corner screws have a distinctive gold finish and
10mm hex head. It is helpful to leave these 2 screws until last when removing and
install first during replacement to support the weight of the assembly.
оо It is necessary to remove the knockout plugs (stopper in the Service Manual) to
gain access to all the mounting screws.
оо It is possible to leave the stoppers in place during servicing by carefully bending
in the sides of the glove box until the stoppers are cleared.
•

To prevent damage, do not bend them in any further than necessary.

•

IMPORTANT: Whenever beginning to remove (or install) the airbag assembly,
and periodically while performing the procedure or after stepping away, remove
any possible static charge from your body by momentarily touching a clean, bare
metal ground point on the vehicle (e.g. the door striker). Remove from your
person all electronic devices including cell phones before proceeding.

•

Disconnect the airbag module harness connector (A) and release it from the support
beam bracket.

Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 6

•

Remove the 3 retaining bolts and CAREFULLY remove the airbag module from
the vehicle and place it on a clean cloth to protect the dash trim outer surface portion
from damage.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT destroy or damage the Kit Box as it MUST be used for the
original inflator’s return shipping.
•

Open the Kit Box and confirm all the necessary components are included:
4 Self-Locking nuts
New Inflator (yellow tape applied to one end to identify it as the replacement part)
New Inflator Harness
Electro-Tap (red shorting crimp connector)
Shipping Declaration document, FedEx document pouch and return shipping label

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WQL-48R; Revised: September 25, 2014

Page 7