Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||||||||||||
| 12V602000 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. | V (Vehicle) | 633842 | 02/19/2013 | MFR | Subaru of America, Inc. | 12/26/2012 | 12/31/2012 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 legacy and outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 tribeca vehicles sold before january 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 forester vehicles sold before january 2012. up to 53,999 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. a short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s). | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. this may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. the recall began february 19, 2013. owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Subaru's recall campaign number is wqe-41.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 60000 | ||
| I have now replaced 3 low beam light bulbs in my car within the last 6 months. two on the left and one on the right. this is a huge safety issue. bulbs should not burn out this quickly and repeatedly. | |||
| 12/03/2012 | |||
| Driver side headlamp burned out, replaced at dealership and 12 weeks later the passenger side headlamp burned out. i am shocked that a vehicle with only 20,000 miles would already have two headlamps burn out within weeks of each other. dealership denies any knowledge of a problem with headlamps even though internet is flooded with similar complaints. | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 60000 | ||
| I have now replaced 3 low beam light bulbs in my car within the last 6 months. two on the left and one on the right. this is a huge safety issue. bulbs should not burn out this quickly and repeatedly. | |||
| 12/03/2012 | |||
| Driver side headlamp burned out, replaced at dealership and 12 weeks later the passenger side headlamp burned out. i am shocked that a vehicle with only 20,000 miles would already have two headlamps burn out within weeks of each other. dealership denies any knowledge of a problem with headlamps even though internet is flooded with similar complaints. | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 60000 | ||
| I have now replaced 3 low beam light bulbs in my car within the last 6 months. two on the left and one on the right. this is a huge safety issue. bulbs should not burn out this quickly and repeatedly. | |||
| 12/03/2012 | |||
| Driver side headlamp burned out, replaced at dealership and 12 weeks later the passenger side headlamp burned out. i am shocked that a vehicle with only 20,000 miles would already have two headlamps burn out within weeks of each other. dealership denies any knowledge of a problem with headlamps even though internet is flooded with similar complaints. | |||
| 11/01/2012 | 60000 | ||
| I have now replaced 3 low beam light bulbs in my car within the last 6 months. two on the left and one on the right. this is a huge safety issue. bulbs should not burn out this quickly and repeatedly. | |||
| 12/03/2012 | |||
| Driver side headlamp burned out, replaced at dealership and 12 weeks later the passenger side headlamp burned out. i am shocked that a vehicle with only 20,000 miles would already have two headlamps burn out within weeks of each other. dealership denies any knowledge of a problem with headlamps even though internet is flooded with similar complaints. | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 10000 | ||
| Subaru outback low beam headlights going out is a dangerous safety issue. purchased 2011 outback in nov 2010. july 2011 driver side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. nov 2011 passenger side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. july 2012 driver side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. dealer checked out lighting system and found no problems. dec 2012 both low beam headlights out. called subaru corporate and they said they had no reports of this problem (even though there are lots of discussions online). replaced at local mechanic because it was 17 degrees out and these bulbs are not easy or cheap to change (my cost was $40+ for 2 bulbs plus $38 for mechanic install). identified that dealer bulbs removed were philips. replaced with sylvania. march 2013 driver side low beam headlight out again. called corporate again. they suggested taking to local dealer (45 minutes away) to have them check the car out. corporate and dealer are sorry to hear of problem and will change the bulb ... but that doesn't eliminate the safety issue. in addition, it doesn't take care of the hassle or the costs. if you need more examples of this same problem (to prove it is not just my car), check out these other cases listed on this nhtsa website: 2011 ------------------------- date of incident: 03/01/2013 nhtsa id number: 10500919 date of incident: 05/03/2012 nhtsa id number: 10487940 date of incident: 09/13/2012 nhtsa id number: 10475296 date of incident: 08/17/2012 nhtsa id number: 10471366 2010 ---------------------------- date of incident: 11/01/2011 nhtsa id number: 10498055 date of incident: 10/01/2010 nhtsa id number: 10486749 | |||
| 03/01/2013 | 15000 | ||
| The lowbeam headlamps on this vehicle have an unusually short lifespan. on several occaisons, both driver and passenger side headlamps have failed within a few days of one another leading to an unsafe vehicle condition. the dealer and subaru have refused to perform free diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the headlamp failures and short lifespan. | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 10000 | ||
| Subaru outback low beam headlights going out is a dangerous safety issue. purchased 2011 outback in nov 2010. july 2011 driver side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. nov 2011 passenger side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. july 2012 driver side low beam headlight replaced at dealer. dealer checked out lighting system and found no problems. dec 2012 both low beam headlights out. called subaru corporate and they said they had no reports of this problem (even though there are lots of discussions online). replaced at local mechanic because it was 17 degrees out and these bulbs are not easy or cheap to change (my cost was $40+ for 2 bulbs plus $38 for mechanic install). identified that dealer bulbs removed were philips. replaced with sylvania. march 2013 driver side low beam headlight out again. called corporate again. they suggested taking to local dealer (45 minutes away) to have them check the car out. corporate and dealer are sorry to hear of problem and will change the bulb ... but that doesn't eliminate the safety issue. in addition, it doesn't take care of the hassle or the costs. if you need more examples of this same problem (to prove it is not just my car), check out these other cases listed on this nhtsa website: 2011 ------------------------- date of incident: 03/01/2013 nhtsa id number: 10500919 date of incident: 05/03/2012 nhtsa id number: 10487940 date of incident: 09/13/2012 nhtsa id number: 10475296 date of incident: 08/17/2012 nhtsa id number: 10471366 2010 ---------------------------- date of incident: 11/01/2011 nhtsa id number: 10498055 date of incident: 10/01/2010 nhtsa id number: 10486749 | |||
| 03/01/2013 | 15000 | ||
| The lowbeam headlamps on this vehicle have an unusually short lifespan. on several occaisons, both driver and passenger side headlamps have failed within a few days of one another leading to an unsafe vehicle condition. the dealer and subaru have refused to perform free diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the headlamp failures and short lifespan. | |||
| 05/03/2012 | 22345 | 1 | |
| The low beam headlights have burned out twice. the car is a 2011 subaru outback, and it has less than 30,000 miles on it. the headlight setting is not kept on the auto setting. (some claim using the auto setting causes the lights to switch on-and-off more causing additional wear to the headlight.) the headlights were installed by a dealer, so it can be assumed they were installed to correct subaru specifications. the commute to and from work every day is a sinuous, tree-lined road, with the occasional deer crossing. during this time of year, the commute to and from work is in the dark. having one or both headlights burn out is a safety issue; driving with the high-beams on just to see the road is also a safety issue and is illegal. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2012 | 22345 | ||
| The low beam headlights have burned out twice. the car is a 2011 subaru outback, and it has less than 30,000 miles on it. the headlight setting is not kept on the auto setting. (some claim using the auto setting causes the lights to switch on-and-off more causing additional wear to the headlight.) the headlights were installed by a dealer, so it can be assumed they were installed to correct subaru specifications. the commute to and from work every day is a sinuous, tree-lined road, with the occasional deer crossing. during this time of year, the commute to and from work is in the dark. having one or both headlights burn out is a safety issue; driving with the high-beams on just to see the road is also a safety issue and is illegal. | |||
| 09/13/2012 | 53000 | 3 | |
| I am on my third set of headlight bulbs car is 23 months old and bulbs keep burning out. never had a problem like this. many other owners have the same issue and no resolution has been found. this is the low beam bulbs that burn out. not at the same time usually within 2-4 weeks of each other. *tr | |||
| 08/17/2012 | 23000 | 1 | |
| I keep replacing headlight bulbs and they keep burning out friday we had to drive a mountain road with fog lights only because they both burned out. there must be a problem as it is happening all to often. *tr | |||
| 08/17/2012 | 23000 | ||
| I keep replacing headlight bulbs and they keep burning out friday we had to drive a mountain road with fog lights only because they both burned out. there must be a problem as it is happening all to often. | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 20 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2011 subaru outback. the contact stated that the headlights did not provide proper illumination of the roadway. the contact stated that there were two different light shades where the top half of the light was dark and the lower part of the light was bright, making it difficult to drive at night. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 20 and the current mileage was 7,000. the vin was not available. | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 20 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2011 subaru outback. the contact stated that the headlights did not provide proper illumination of the roadway. the contact stated that there were two different light shades where the top half of the light was dark and the lower part of the light was bright, making it difficult to drive at night. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 20 and the current mileage was 7,000. the vin was not available. kmj | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 20 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2011 subaru outback. while driving at night with the headlight on, the contact stated that it was difficult to see. the contact states that there are two different light shades; the top half of the light is dark and the lower part of the light was bright, making it difficult to drive at night. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repair to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 20 and the current mileage was 7,000. nw | |||
| 01/12/2011 | 5035 | ||
| With the headlight switch in auto mode the headlights come on and then turn off while going under interstate bridge overpasses. the hazard with this is: vehicles in front think they are being signaling at and they suddenly slow . also vehicles in oncoming lanes think they are being signaled at. they slow and stare. this issue i have taken to the dealers. they know its a problem but give no solution or have a correct replacement part.they say it is normal, all subarus do this. there is an adjustment they have tried but either the lights come on too soon or they don't come on soon enough. at the happy medium they come on as describe above at every bridge overpass. this is not normal. i wish someone would address this defect. other owners i have talked with either manually turn their lights on when needed or they leave the headlight switch in the always on position. headlights are expensive for this model and leaving them on is not an option for me. sometimes i forget to turn them and i find myself driving in the dark. all my other cars have auto-on lights and naturally work properly. i would appreciate your attention to this potentually hazardous defect. if i was privy to this defect i would not have bought a subaru. | |||
| 07/28/2011 | 15 | ||
| I have owned several subaru's over the years and always loved the headlights. unfortunately, i have owned this one less than a month and i almost had an accident driving at night on the country roads in ct. the night time driving lights only illuminate to a very low height (10 feet maybe?) and have a cut off line which appears to bounce up and down on country roads, making it almost impossible to see the road or anything in the distance. when i took the car back to the dealer to have them adjust or replace the headlight bulb they said that is how it was manufactured and there was no adjustment needed. they said to drive with the high beams on it will help. i honestly think that this may (probably will if it hasn't already) cause accidents, it almost did for me and subaru should really look into a fix for this before someone loses their life. | |||
| 07/17/2010 | 5000 | ||
| Tl. the contact owns a 2011 subaru outback. the contact stated while driving 50 mph the low beams that come equipped with the vehicle makes it very difficult to see at night. the contact stated visibility is effected and makes it difficult to see in a distance and in height. the contact stated driving at night is a crash waiting to happen. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer regarding the headlights and the dealer as well as the manufacturer stated the headlight meant the government safety standard. the contact stated the headlights need to be adjusted and the manufacture will not provided any assistance. the contact stated this is a major safety issue that should be looked into. the failure mileage was 5,000. jo | |||