Subaru Recalls Outback and Legacy for Front Passenger Airbag That May Not Deploy

Affected vehicles were produced for the 2020 through 2022 model years at the Lafayette assembly plant in the state of Indiana. Said vehicles rolled off the assembly line between June 16, 2020 and July 13, 2021. According to Subaru, a capacitor in the sensors for the occupant detection system is prone to cracking, which may result in a short circuit.

In case of a short, the front passenger airbag will not deploy, therefore increasing the risk of injury. The sensor assembly is listed under two part numbers: 98323AN00A and 98323AN01A, respectively, with said assemblies produced by Aisin Electronics Illinois. The supplier decided to recall the iffy capacitors in February 2024. Subaru of America, on the other hand, became aware of this concern by means of a technical report from January 2021.

Based on the information provided by Aisin Electronics Illinois, the automaker's North American division reviewed production data and assembly plant records to determine which VINs had been equipped with the faulty capacitors. Subaru had also learned that the ODS circuit board was deformed during production, explaining the crack forming in the capacitor. Said crack allows moisture in the capacitor, causing a short circuit.

The Japanese automaker is currently aware of 253 warranty claims related to the described condition. The remedy comes in the form of four new sensors on the front passenger seat. Dealers have already been instructed to replace the ODS sensors at no charge whatsoever to the owners, while owner notifications will have to wait until May 21, 2024.

Based on the Subaru Global Platform that underpins pretty much all Scoobies except for the BRZ sports car and Solterra electric crossover, the Outback was the best-selling Subaru in the United States last year. It moved 161,814 units, representing an increase of 9.9 percent over the previous year.

The Legacy, by comparison, is one of the least popular models in the Japanese automaker's lineup, managing a meager 25,510 deliveries in 2023. The sedan carries a starting price of $24,895 for the Base grade, whereas the range-topping Touring XT kicks off at $38,195 (excluding the destination charge).

As for the Outback, make that anything between $28,895 and $42,795. Both stablemates come with a free-breathing boxer as standard, while better-equipped trims level up to a turbocharged four-pot. The standard 2.5-liter engine puts out 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet (239 Nm), whereas the force-fed 2.4 develops 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm) of torque at 2,000 rpm.

All-wheel drive is obviously standard, as is the Lineartronic chain-driven continuously variable transmission. Even though it has no physical gears, the CVT in question does boast an eight-speed manual shifting mode. Although some may describe this feature as being pointless, the ability to select a lower gear makes sense on a downhill grade.