WRA-24 – Air Bag May Not Deploy – 2020-2022 Subaru Outback & Legacy

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004
Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-227
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Manufacturer Name : Submission Date :
Subaru of America, Inc. MAR 22, 2024 NHTSA Recall No. : 24V-227 Manufacturer Recall No. : WRA-24 Manufacturer Information :
Manufacturer Name : Subaru of America, Inc.
Address : One Subaru Drive
Camden NJ 08103 Company phone : 844-373-6614
Population :
Number of potentially involved : 118,723 Estimated percentage with defect : 1 %
Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2020-2022 Subaru Outback Vehicle Type : LIGHT VEHICLES Body Style : SUV Power Train : GAS
Descriptive Information : -Description of the issue: The affected vehicles may be equipped with defective Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensors on the front passenger seat. -The basis for how the recall population was determined: Vehicles potentially equipped with the ODS sensors were identified using vehicle production records. -How the recalled products differ from products that were not included in the recall: Vehicles not included in this recall are equipped with ODS sensors assembled using a PCB that is not affected under this recall. The recall population includes certain 2020-2022 model year Outback vehicles. The number of potentially affected Outback vehicles is 103,114. Production Dates : JUN 16, 2020 – JUL 13, 2021
VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-227 Page 2 Vehicle 2 : 2020-2022 Subaru Legacy Vehicle Type : LIGHT VEHICLES Body Style : 4-DOOR Power Train : GAS
Descriptive Information : -Description of the issue: The affected vehicles may be equipped with defective Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensors on the front passenger seat. -The basis for how the recall population was determined: Vehicles potentially equipped with the ODS sensors were identified using vehicle production records. -How the recalled products differ from products that were not included in the recall: Vehicles not included in this recall are equipped with ODS sensors assembled using a PCB that is not affected under this recall. The recall population includes certain 2020-2022 model year Legacy vehicles. The number of potentially affected Legacy vehicles is 15,609. Production Dates : JUN 16, 2020 – JUL 12, 2021
VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Description of Defect :
Description of the Defect : There is a possibility that, during the production process in a specific period at a certain supplier, the ODS Sensor Printed Circuit Board (PCB) became deformed, causing a crack to form in a capacitor, which can allow moisture to enter the capacitor over time and result in a short circuit.
FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR
Description of the Safety Risk : If the short circuit occurs, the SRS airbag system warning lamp will
illuminate, front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF indicator will illuminate and the front passenger airbag may not deploy in certain crashes as designed, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the seat.
Description of the Cause : A combination of alternate component sub-supplier used during short term natural disaster recovery and supplier processing could result in capacitor cracking. Identification of Any Warning
that can Occur : The SRS airbag system warning lamp will illuminate and front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF indicator will illuminate. Involved Components : The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-227 Page 3 Component Name 1 : SENSOR ASSY RH
Component Description : Occupant Detection System Sensor Assembly Component Part Number : 98323AN00A Component Name 2 : SENSOR ASSY LH
Component Description : Occupant Detection System Sensor Assembly Component Part Number : 98323AN01A Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer
Name : Aisin Electronics Illinois, LLC Address : 11200 Redco Drive
Marion Illinois 62959
Country : United States Chronology :
January 2021 – February 2024 – Subaru received 23 technical reports related to this condition. Subaru opened a returned part investigation with the supplier. February 15, 2024 – The supplier submitted equipment recall 24E-016 to NHTSA. Mid-February to Mid-March, 2024 – Based on new information provided by the supplier, Subaru began its review process to evaluate the safety impact specific to Subaru vehicles and determine the potentially affected vehicle population. March 15, 2024 – Subaru decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall campaign. Subaru is aware of 253 warranty claims related to this issue. Subaru is not aware of any injuries resulting from this condition. The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-227
Page 4
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Description of Remedy :
Description of Remedy Program : For all potentially affected vehicles, Subaru dealers will replace all (four)
of the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat with new ones.
Subaru will provide reimbursement to owners for repairs according to the general plan submitted in May 2022.
How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component :
Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production :
The replacement ODS sensor was assembled with a PCB manufactured by the original sub-supplier.
On November 14, 2020, production of the PCB reverted to the original supplier. Recall Schedule : Description of Recall Schedule : Dealer notification is expected to occur March 27, 2024
Owner notification will occur within 60 days. Remedy parts will not be available, so an interim owner notification letter will be mailed to customers. Once sufficient remedy parts are available, a final owner notification letter will be mailed to customers.
Planned Dealer Notification Date : MAR 27, 2024 – MAR 27, 2024
Planned Owner Notification Date : MAY 21, 2024 – MAY 21, 2024
* NR – Not Reported

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To: All Subaru Retailers From: Subaru of America, Inc. Date: April 3, 2024 WRA-24 ODS Sensor Replacement and Used Vehicle Inventory Subaru of America, Inc. has determined that a safety recall for certain 2020-2022 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles to replace all (four) of the Occupant Detec􀆟on System (ODS) sensors on the front passenger seat. The affected vehicles may be equipped with defec􀆟ve ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, which over 􀆟me may result in a short circuit. If a short circuit occurs, the SRS airbag system warning lamp will illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may not deploy in certain crashes as designed, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the seat. While Subaru is in the process of obtaining parts for this repair, it will take several months for supply to arrive at retailers. We realize this could affect vehicles in your used car inventory. As it relates only to WRA-24, vehicles in your used car inventory affected by the WRA-24 recall (as reported on the Vehicle Inquiry on Subarunet) may be delivered to a purchaser if the following 3 condi􀆟ons are met:
1.Vehicle cannot be represented as qualifying in the Subaru Cer􀆟fied Pre-Owned program: If the used vehicle is affected by the WRA-24 recall, the vehicle cannot be cer􀆟fied through the Subaru Cer􀆟fied Pre-Owned program.
2.The vehicle does not have the SRS indicator illuminated- If the vehicle is in your used car inventory and has an SRS light illuminated, the vehicle should not be sold. Refer to the WRA-24 retailer announcement for addi􀆟onal informa􀆟on regarding the diagnostic and seat bottom parts ordering process.
3.The selling retailer discloses informa􀆟on about this safety recall to the purchaser using the Vehicle Disclosure Form- It is impera􀆟ve that the purchaser is made aware of the open safety recall on the vehicle and signs the Vehicle Disclosure Form, and ini􀆟als that they received the WRA-24 Subaru Safety Recall Information as part of the sales process.
The Vehicle Disclosure Form and the WRA-24 Subaru Safety Recall Informa􀆟on sheet can be found on Subarunet in both in the Resources area on the le􀅌 naviga􀆟on menu or in Recall & Campaigns, specifically in the WRA-24- ODS Sensor Replacement area of Recall/Campaign Details.
If the above condi􀆟ons are met, as part of the delivery process we ask the Retailer Sales Department to please do the following:
1.Fill out the Owner Contact and Vehicle Disclosure Form included with this no􀆟ce if the purchaser agrees to purchase the vehicle in this condi􀆟on. This form can be found on Subarunet in theResources area on the le􀅌 naviga􀆟on menu or in Recall & Campaigns, specifically in the WRA-24- ODS Sensor Replacement area of Recall/Campaign Details.
2.Print and provide a copy of the Safety Recall Informa􀆟on sheet, also included with this no􀆟ce. There is an area on the disclosure form the customer will need to ini􀆟al to acknowledge receipt of the Safety Recall Informa􀆟on sheet. The Safety Recall Informa􀆟on sheet can be found on Subarunet in theResources area on the le􀅌 naviga􀆟on menu or in Recall & Campaigns, specifically in the WRA-24- ODS Sensor Replacement area of Recall/Campaign Details.
3. When remedy parts become available, we ask that the retailer contact the owner to schedule an appointment to complete the WRA-24 recall.
4. Please encourage the purchaser to update their ownership informa􀆟on by visi􀆟ng Customer Support in the Connect with Us area on Subaru.com.

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Subarunet Announcement
To: All Subaru Retailers
From: Subaru of America, Inc.
Date: March 27, 2024
New Safety Recall: WRA-24 ODS Sensor Replacement
Background
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated a safety recall for certain 2020-2022 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles to replace all (four) of the Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensors on the front passenger seat.
Description of the Defect and Safety Risk
The affected vehicles may be equipped with defective ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, which over time may result in a short circuit. If the short circuit occurs, the SRS airbag system warning lamp will illuminate, the front passenger’s frontal airbag OFF indicator will illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may not deploy in certain crashes as designed, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the seat.
Remedy
Subaru is in the process of obtaining parts for this repair, however, it will take several months for supply to begin. Once parts are available, for all potentially affected vehicles, Subaru retailers will replace all (four) of the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat with new ones at no cost to the customer.
Affected Vehicles
A total of 118,723 U.S. vehicles will be affected by 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.
The affected VIN information will be available on subarunet later this week. Subaru is in the process of obtaining remedy parts for this repair; however, it will take several months for supply to begin. Therefore, the WRA24 recall coverage status for the affected VINs will be ‘Open-Remedy not yet available’ until the remedy parts are available. Retailers will be advised as the parts supply situation progresses.
Model Year
Carline
Production Date Range
Vehicle Count
2020-2022
Outback
June 16, 2020 – July 13, 2021
103,114
2020-2022
Legacy
June 16, 2020 – July 12, 2021
15,609
Retailer Responsibility
Please be advised that it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle covered by a recall under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied. Therefore, any Authorized Subaru Retailer failing to perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory prior to the vehicle being placed in service may be subject to civil penalties of up to $27,168 per violation (i.e., for each vehicle), as provided in 49 CFR §578.6 and will also be in breach of the Subaru Dealer Agreement.
Any vehicles listed in any recall/campaign that are in retailer stock must be:
•
Immediately identified
•
Tagged or otherwise marked to prevent their delivery or use prior to repair
•
Repaired in accordance with the repair procedures outlined in the Product Campaign Bulletin, once the parts become available.
Until the recall remedy parts are available, this recall cannot be performed. If an affected vehicle is in for service without a confirmed ODS sensor failure, please inform the owner that their vehicle is affected by this recall and that remedy parts are not yet available.
If an affected vehicle is in for service with a confirmed ODS sensor failure, there is a limited supply of seat bottom assemblies which include the ODS sensors to remedy the condition. Please refer to the interim diagnosis procedures and special claim instructions included in the Service, Parts, and Claim Instructions section of this announcement.
Owner Notification
Subaru will notify affected vehicle owners with an interim letter by first class mail by May 21, 2024 advising them of this recall and that parts are not yet available. Owners will be re-notified when remedy parts become available, and retailers will be advised of that notification schedule.
Service, Parts, and Claim Instructions
As previously stated above, remedy parts are not yet available. Detailed service, parts, and claim information will be forthcoming and will be available on STIS when parts are available. However, if an affected vehicle is in for service with a confirmed ODS sensor failure, there is a limited supply of seat bottom assemblies which include the ODS sensors, to remedy that failure.
Special part ordering and claim entry process for seat bottom replacement
Should a customer bring their vehicle in with the SRS light illuminated, the technician should first pull all DTCs. If DTC B1788 is present, the replacement of the seat bottom is required. If DTC B1788 is not present, refer to the applicable service manual and perform diagnostics, noting all key steps and results.
There are three seat bottom assembly part numbers, depending on model applicability, for the 2020-2022 MY Legacy and Outback models affected by this recall:
64139AN00A CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
64139AN01B CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
64139AN02B CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
To ensure adequate inventory of these parts is available for customers that are experiencing an ODS sensor failure, these part numbers are restricted from retailer ordering. Therefore, the following process must be followed in order to obtain one of these parts:
1.
If technician diagnosis results in the seat bottom requiring replacement, a QMR must be submitted. The QMR should be coded using WRA as the failure code. If the vehicle is affected by the WRA-24 Recall, the SSM data must be attached to the QMR.
If the vehicle is not affected by the WRA-24 recall, a QMR is still required to obtain the seat bottom. The QMR should be coded using WRA as the failure code and all Service Manual diagnostics steps/results as well as the SSM data, if there was a DTC, must be attached to the QMR.
2.
The QMR and required attachments will be reviewed by SOA and, if approved, a parts order for the appropriate seat bottom will be placed by the PICs for your dealership. Orders will only be placed if a QMR is submitted with the required attachments and SOA is able to confirm the diagnosis of a defect requiring replacement of the seat bottom.
3.
Once the seat bottom is received and the vehicle has been repaired, if the vehicle is part of the WRA-24 recall, a Recall Claim (RC) must be submitted using the following information:
Recall Code
Labor Operation
Description
Labor Hours
WRA24
A100-576
WRA-24 ODS SEAT BOTTOM R&R
0.9
If the seat bottom was replaced in a vehicle that is not affected by the WRA-24 recall, please refer to the Labor Time Guide for applicable coverage and claim coding.
4.
Please direct any inquiries regarding this process or the status of QMR documentation to the Subaru Claims Helpline at: 866-782-2782, option 2.

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To: All Subaru Retailers
From: Subaru of America, Inc. – Service Quality
Date: April 1, 2024
Re: WRA-24 ODS Sensor Replacement FAQs
_____________________________________________________________________
To assist with customer inquiries regarding the WRA-24 ODS Sensor Replacement recall, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions. Please refer to these FAQs as a consistent means of communicating with customers.
1.
Question: What is an Occupant Detection System (ODS)?Answer: The Occupant Detection System determines the occupant’s presence and status in the passenger seat to enable or disable the passenger side airbag from deployment in an accident.
2.
Question: What is the reason for the recall?
Answer: Vehicles affected by this recall may be equipped with defective Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensors on the front passenger seat. If the defect exists, a short circuit of the ODS sensors may occur, causing the SRS airbag system warning lamp to illuminate. At the same time, the front passenger’s airbag OFF indicator will also illuminate, indicating that the front passenger airbag may not deploy in certain crashes as designed, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the seat.
3.
Question: Does this recall affect all 2020-2022 MY Legacy and Outback models?
Answer: No. Not all 2020-2022MY Legacy and Outback models are affected by this recall. Coverage will be confirmed by using the Vehicle Inquiry function on Subarunet.com. A total of 118,723 U.S vehicles have been affected by this recall. Vehicles not included in the recall are equipped with ODS sensors using a printed circuit board (PCB) that is not affected under this recall.
4.
Question: What is the recall remedy?
Answer: When remedy parts become available, Subaru retailers will replace all four of the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat with new ones at no cost to the customer.
5.
Question: When will customer notifications begin?
Answer: Customer notification will take place on May 21, 2024. At that time, customers will be advised that parts are not yet available. Customer re-notification regarding parts availability will be released when parts become available.
6.
Question: When will remedy parts become available?
Answer: We are in the process of obtaining parts for this repair, however, it will take several months for the supply to begin. As the supply of remedy parts becomes available, we will send out another customer notification.
7.
Question: What if a customer vehicle does not have a current failure (no SRS light illuminated), but the customer feels unsafe driving the vehicle?
Answer: There is NO risk to the driver of the vehicle; this recall affects only the front passenger side air bag. The safety risk only exists if the SRS light is illuminated. Please reassure the customer that if the SRS light is not illuminated, the ODS sensors are operating as designed and there is no need to take any action until Subaru notifies the customer that parts are available. IMPORTANT NOTE: Customers are only eligible for alternate transportation if the SRS light is illuminated.
If the ODS sensor failure occurs, the SRS light will illuminate. Please refer to question 8 for additional information.
8.
Question: What if a customer vehicle experiences the ODS sensor failure (SRS light illuminates) prior to the recall parts becoming available?
Answer: If the ODS sensor failure occurs, the SRS light will illuminate. The customer should be instructed that any passenger in the front passenger seat should move to the rear seat and that they should avoid using the passenger front seat until the vehicle is inspected and repaired by the retailer. Customers are only eligible for alternate transportation if the SRS light is illuminated.
Currently, we have a limited supply of ODS seat bottoms, which include the ODS sensors, available for customers who experience an ODS failure (SRS lamp illuminated) prior to the recall parts becoming available. Should a customer bring their vehicle in with the SRS light illuminated, the technician should first pull all DTCs. If DTC B1788 is present, the replacement of the seat bottom is required. If DTC B1788 is not present, refer to the applicable service manual and perform diagnostics, noting all key steps and results.
There are three seat bottom assembly part numbers, depending on model applicability, for the 2020-2022 MY Legacy and Outback models affected by this recall:
64139AN00A CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
64139AN01B CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
64139AN02B CUSHION AY OCPANTRH
To ensure adequate inventory of these parts is available for customers that are experiencing an ODS sensor failure, these part numbers are restricted from retailer ordering. Therefore, the following process must be followed in order to obtain one of these parts:
SRS airbag warning light:
1.
If technician diagnosis results in the seat bottom requiring replacement, a QMR must be submitted. The QMR should be coded using WRA as the failure code. If the vehicle is affected by the WRA-24 Recall, the SSM file data must be attached to the QMR.
If the vehicle is not affected by the WRA-24 recall, a QMR is still required to obtain the seat bottom. The QMR should be coded using WRA as the failure code and all Service Manual diagnostics steps/results as well as the SSM data, if there was a DTC, must be attached to the QMR.
2.
The QMR and required attachments will be reviewed by SOA and, if approved, a parts order for the appropriate seat bottom will be placed by the PICs for your dealership. Orders will only be placed if a QMR is submitted with the required attachments and SOA is able to confirm the diagnosis of a defect requiring replacement of the seat bottom.
3.
Once the seat bottom is received and the vehicle has been repaired, if the vehicle is part of the WRA-24 recall, a Recall Claim (RC) must be submitted using the following information:
Recall Code
Labor Operation
Description
Labor Hours
WRA24
100576
WRA-24 ODS SEAT BOTTOM R&R
0.9
If the seat bottom was replaced in a vehicle that is not affected by the WRA-24 recall, please refer to the Labor Time Guide for applicable coverage and claim coding.
4.
Please direct any inquiries as follows:
•
If you have questions regarding the status of your QMR, please refer to the QMR itself, specifically the status on the QMR.
–
If the QMR is in a “Pending Review” status, it has been received but has not been reviewed yet. The status will be updated once the QMR has been reviewed.
–
If the status of the QMR is “No Action Needed” either the PICs have placed an order for the seat bottom (which can be viewed in RPM), or you will be notified via phone or email of information that was missing from the QMR.
•
Additional inquiries should be directed to the Subaru Claims Helpline at: 866-782-2782, option 2.

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