Subarunet Announcement
To: All Subaru Retailers From: Subaru of America, Inc. Date: September 22, 2023
New Safety Recall: WRN-23 Propeller Shaft Center Brace Mounting Surfaces
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated a safety recall for certain 2023 model year Outback, Legacy, Ascent and Impreza vehicles.
Description of the Defect and Safety Risk
Some mounting surfaces for the propeller shaft center support brace bolts on affected vehicles may have been inadvertently painted during the supplier’s manufacturing process. If these mounting surfaces are painted, the support brace bolts may not retain the specified torque.
If the vehicle is driven with the bolt loosened, occupants may experience irregular sounds and/or vibrations from the propeller shaft area during vehicle operation. In the worst case, if both of the center support bolts completely come out due to continuous vibration, the front end of the propeller shaft could separate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
For all the potentially affected vehicles, Subaru dealers will clean the bolt seating surfaces of the center support brace, install new bolts, and tighten to the specified torque at no cost to the customer.
Affected Vehicles
A total of 4,311 U.S. vehicles will be included in this recall as listed below. Not all vehicles in the production range listed below are affected by this recall. Coverage must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com prior to repair. This information will be available later today.
Model Year 2023 Production Dates
Outback March 21, 2023 – March 31, 2023
Legacy March 21, 2023 – March 30, 2023
Ascent March 20, 2023 – March 29, 2023
Impreza (4-door) March 22, 2023 – March 27, 2023
Impreza (5-door) March 22, 2023 – March 31, 2023
Please be advised that the parts supply for this recall is not yet available. Therefore, the WRN23 recall coverage status for the affected VINs will be ‘Open-Remedy not yet available’ until the parts are available. We expect parts to be available in October, at which time the VIN status will be updated to allow repairs to begin. Retailers will be notified when this update occurs.
