Photo: Subaru
Two months ago, Subaru received a worrying report from Tokai Rika Co., the company that supplies replacement driver-side seatbelts used in the 2009 to 2013 model year Forester. Both parties worked together to trace affected parts based on the lot number information. Come October 2022, the Japanese automaker traced 11 potentially affected parts that were shipped to dealers in the United States for use in the compact crossover.
No fewer than 16 possible vehicles could have received these suspect assemblies, prompting the Tokyo-based automaker to issue a safety recall. What is the problem? Well, these driver-side assemblies may have been produced with a force limiter torsion bar that wasn’t manufactured to specification. The force limiter may not function as intended in the event of a crash, needlessly increasing the risk of injury or death to the driver.
Subaru isn't aware of complaints or worse resulting from this condition. The suspect driver-side seatbelt assembly carries part number 64621SC010AP. The vehicles that may have received these replacement assemblies were produced between January 10th, 2008, and November 14th, 2012, between 2009 and the 2013 model year. Dealers have already been instructed to inspect the vehicles to identify the ID number of the seatbelt.
The remedy seatbelt assembly contains a force limiter torsion bar that conforms to the manufacturer’s specification. Subaru further highlights that only replacement seatbelt assemblies – not the originals used in series production of the Forester – are called back. Owners can expect to receive a Subaru-branded envelope by first-class mail on or about December 9th.
Despite supply chain problems, Subaru sold no fewer than 583,810 vehicles in the United States in 2021. The Forester ended last year as Subaru's best-selling nameplate in this part of the world, totaling 154,723 units versus 154,624 for the wagon-esque Outback. The top three was rounded off by another crossover, the Impreza-based Crosstrek.
Subaru isn't aware of complaints or worse resulting from this condition. The suspect driver-side seatbelt assembly carries part number 64621SC010AP. The vehicles that may have received these replacement assemblies were produced between January 10th, 2008, and November 14th, 2012, between 2009 and the 2013 model year. Dealers have already been instructed to inspect the vehicles to identify the ID number of the seatbelt.
The remedy seatbelt assembly contains a force limiter torsion bar that conforms to the manufacturer’s specification. Subaru further highlights that only replacement seatbelt assemblies – not the originals used in series production of the Forester – are called back. Owners can expect to receive a Subaru-branded envelope by first-class mail on or about December 9th.
Despite supply chain problems, Subaru sold no fewer than 583,810 vehicles in the United States in 2021. The Forester ended last year as Subaru's best-selling nameplate in this part of the world, totaling 154,723 units versus 154,624 for the wagon-esque Outback. The top three was rounded off by another crossover, the Impreza-based Crosstrek.
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