Backrest to cushion assembly bolts (4): 52 Nm (38.4 ft. lbs.)

•

Inner Seat Belt Buckle Nut (1): 38 Nm (28 ft. lbs.) VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure the
seat belt buckle assembly rotates freely on the shoulder of the mounting stud BEFORE
AND AFTER torqueing the retaining nut.

•

Seat Assembly to vehicle floor mounting bolts (4): 53 Nm (39.1 ft. lbs.).

Step15- Reconnect the negative (-) battery cable, reset the customer’s audio (and Navigation where
applicable) presets and confirm proper vehicle operation to complete the procedure.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUM-98R; Revised: 03/02/20

Page 7 of 11

DTC Diagnosis:
IMPORTANT: BEFORE proceeding with diagnosis of any ODS-related DTC. Always check to
see if the passenger seat cushion is wet, contains moisture or has been exposed to excessively humid
conditions for some time. The seat cushion must be completely dry before proceeding with further
diagnostics. NEVER use a hair dryer or heat gun to dry the seat cushion.
Step

Check

Yes

No

1. CHECK DTC.
Read the DTC of the occupant detection system.

Are any of DTC B1760, Perform the diagnosis
B1761, B1771 and
according to DTC.
B1795 detected?

2. CHECK POOR CONTACT OF CONNECTORS.
Check for poor contact of the connectors
between the occupant detection control module
and airbag control module.

Is there poor contact?

Reconnect the connector. If Go to step 3.
condition is not improved,
replace the Right Hand (RH)
rear body harness.

3. CHECK AIRBAG REAR HARNESS.
1) Turn the ignition switch to OFF, disconnect the
battery ground cable, and wait for 60 seconds
or more.
2) Disconnect the connectors (AB59) and (AB53)
under the passenger’s seat.
3) Disconnect the connectors (AB6, AB17, AB18)
from the airbag control module, and connect
the connector (1AG) in the test harness AG to
connectors (AB6, AB17, AB18).
4) Connect the connector (1AP) in the test
harness AP to the connector (AB53).
5) Measure the resistance between connector
(6AG) in the test harness AG and connector
(2AP) in the test harness AP.
Connector & terminal
(6AG) No. 9 — (2AP) No. 1:
(6AG) No. 11 — (2AP) No. 2:

Is the resistance less
than 10 Ω?

Go to step 4.

Replace the RH
rear body harness.

4. CHECK AIRBAG REAR HARNESS.
Measure the resistance between connector (6AG)
in the test harness AG and chassis ground.
Connector & terminal
(6AG) No. 9 — Chassis ground:
(6AG) No. 11 — Chassis ground:
(6AG) No. 9 — (6AG) No. 11:

Is the resistance 1 MΩ
or more?

Go to step 5.

Replace the RH
rear body harness.

5. CHECK OCCUPANT DETECTION HARNESS.
1) Turn the ignition switch to ON.
2) Measure the voltage between connector(2AP)
in the test harness AP and chassis ground.
Connector & terminal
(2AP) No. 3 (+) — Chassis ground (–):

Is the voltage 10 V or
more?

Go to step 6.

Check the battery
voltage and fuse.
If there is no fault,
replace the RH
rear body harness.

6. CHECK AIRBAG SYSTEM DTC.
1) Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
2) Reconnect the disconnected connector.
3) Turn the ignition switch to ON.
4) Read Airbag System current DTC.

Is DTC B1650
detected?

If the condition is not
improved, replace the
occupant detection system
(passenger side cushion &
frame assembly).

The system is
currently normal.
Check if any other
DTC is detected. If
there is no current
DTC, perform
Clear memory.

If the condition is still not
improved, then replace the
airbag control module.

Go to step 2.

REMINDER: The INSTALLED part’s supplier code AND date code MUST be recorded on the
document(s) submitted for claim reimbursement. Use the following format example: 657818074.
Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUM-98R; Revised: 03/02/20

Page 8 of 11

CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT AND ENTRY PROCEDURES:
Credit to perform this recall will be based on properly completed repair order information. The
Repair Order must include the Original AND (if the seat cushion assembly was replaced) the
INSTALLED part’s supplier code and date information as outlined above.
Specific Conditions Identified During Inspection

Recall Coding

Labor
Operation #

Labor
Time

Harness Outside Affected Range- No Repairs Required

WUM-98R Inspection Only

A182-048

0.2

Harness Within Affected Range- ODS Harness or
Seat Cushion Assembly R&R Only**
(includes inspection)

WUM-98R- Seat Cushion R&R

A182-051

0.8

WUM-98R- ODS Harness R&R

A182-042

1.0

Claim
Type
RC

** IMPORTANT NOTES:
•
Seat cushion assemblies are not to be used for WUM-98R repairs initiated after 3/9/2020.
•

Retailers can continue to claim seat cushion assemblies for those repairs initiated prior to
3/9/2020 (including those with parts ordered prior to this date).

•

Any case-by-case exceptions must be reviewed with the Claims Team prior to claim
submission.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
•

SOA strongly discourages the printing and/or local storage of service information as
previously released information and electronic publications may be updated at any time.

•

Always check for any open recalls or campaigns anytime a vehicle is in for servicing.

•

Always refer to STIS for the latest service information before performing any repairs.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUM-98R; Revised: 03/02/20

Page 9 of 11

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
This notice applies to the VIN below

Subaru of America, Inc
PO Box 9103
Camden, NJ 08101-9877
844-373-6614
www.subaru.com

Subaru Safety Recall WUM-98
NHTSA Recall ID 19V-701
February 2020
Dear Subaru Owner:
This notice is sent to you in accordance with 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 certain
2015-2018 model year Forester vehicles. You previously received a letter informing you of this recall, stating that the
remedy parts were not yet available.
This letter is to inform you that parts are now available.

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL
Over time, the terminals connecting the Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness to the sensor mat in the bottom of the front passenger seat can loosen, developing an unstable electrical connection. If this happens, the ODS
may not properly determine the correct status of the right front seat occupant and prevent the front passenger-side
airbag from deploying in the event of a crash.
If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the right front seat occupant, the front passenger airbag
may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a
crash.
WHAT SUBARU WILL DO
Subaru will replace the ODS sensor mat harness with a remedied one at no cost to you.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
You should contact your Subaru retailer (dealer) for an appointment to have the ODS sensor mat harness
replaced in your vehicle, free of charge.
As a precaution, please limit the use of the front passenger seat until this safety recall is completed. If you must
use the front passenger seat, and the airbag warning light and/or the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
illuminates while the seat is occupied, the passenger should move to the rear seat after the vehicle has come to
a complete stop in a safe area.
HOW LONG WILL THE REPAIR TAKE?
The time required for this repair is approximately one hour. Your retailer can provide you with a better estimate of the
overall time for this service visit, as it may be necessary to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time.
To minimize your inconvenience while the repair is being performed, please ask your retailer for alternative transportation options.
OWNER INFORMATION
Government regulations require that recall notifications be sent to the last known owner of record. That information
is based primarily on state registration and title data. If you are a lessor of this vehicle, federal regulations require
you to forward this notice to your lessee within ten days.

If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please update this information online at www.subaru.com, select ‘Customer Support,’ then select ‘Address Update’ or ‘Ownership Update’ from the “Quick Links” menu.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUM-98R; Revised: 03/02/20

Page 10 of 11

IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR A REPAIR
If you have already paid for repairs associated with this condition, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Reimbursement consideration will be based on the amount an authorized Subaru retailer in your area would charge for
the same repair.
Please send the original service repair order, which has the name of the repair facility, date of repair, mileage at the
time of repair, complete 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN), and your name, with correct mailing address
and telephone number to the address listed below:
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer-Retailer Services Department, Attention: WUM-98 Recall
P.O. Box 9103, Camden, NJ 08101-9877
IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE:
To locate the nearest Subaru retailer, you can access our website at www.subaru.com and select ‘Find a Retailer.’
For additional information about future parts availability and the most Frequently Asked Questions, please go to:
•

http://www.wum98.service-campaign.com

If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly:
•

By e-mail: Go to www.subaru.com and select “Customer Support”

•

By telephone: 1-844-373-6614
Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET

•

By U.S. Postal mail:
Subaru of America, Inc.
Attn: Customer-Retailer Services Department
P.O. Box 9103, Camden, NJ 08101-9877

To subscribe to the NHTSA Recall Notification email System, please go to: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/
subscriptions.
Please contact us immediately if the Subaru retailer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge.
You may also contact the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1200 New Jersey
Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590 or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-4249153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov if you believe the Subaru retailer 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.
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 SUBARU CORPORATION
Bulletin Number: WUM-98R; Revised: 03/02/20

Page 11 of 11