The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·16V694000·Announced 2016-09-27

Subaru Recalls 2010-2014 Legacy and Outback for Wiper Motor Fire Risk

Subaru is recalling 2010-2014 Legacy and Outback vehicles because windshield wiper motor components may interfere, causing overheating, wiper failure, or fire.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect increases the risk of a fire, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' or structural defects leading to severe hazards.

Plain-English summary

Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy and Outback vehicles. The recall covers Legacy vehicles manufactured between November 26, 2008, and June 7, 2013, and Outback vehicles manufactured between January 9, 2009, and June 7, 2013. The total number of affected vehicles is 592,647.

The defect involves contamination within the windshield wiper motor bottom cover that may cause components to interfere with each other. If an obstruction such as snow or ice prevents the wiper arms from stopping in the parked position, the wiper motor may overheat and the bottom cover may melt. This can result in wiper failure, which reduces driver visibility and increases the risk of a crash, or a fire caused by the melting cover.

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly free of charge. The recall began in October 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. This recall supersedes recall 11V-469, meaning vehicles previously remedied under that campaign must have the cover replaced again.

The recalled product

Product
SUBARU OUTBACK, LEGACY
Brand
SUBARU
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Windshield Wiper System
Hazard
Affected units
592,647

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • OUTBACK
  • LEGACY

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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