Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Forester, 2008-2016 Impreza sedans, 2012-2016 Impreza station wagons, 2008-2014 WRX sedans (including STI), and 2013-2017 Crosstrek vehicles. Exposure to certain contaminants may cause the brake light switch to malfunction, preventing the brake lights from illuminating and also preventing keyless ignition vehicles from starting and CVT/automatic transmissions from being able to be shifted out of Park.
Safety risk
Brake lights that do not illuminate properly will not alert other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUE-90.
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2014 Forester vehicles manufactured from January 2013 through March 2013. The backing for the carpeted floor mats was not manufactured to specification. As a result, the floor mats may curl when exposed to heat.
Safety risk
Curling of the driver side floor mat could distract the driver and/or interfere with proper operation of one or a combination of, the vehicle's clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals. Brake or accelerator pedal interference may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace each of the vehicle's four (4) carpeted floor mats with new ones. These services will be performed free of charge. Subaru issued an interim notification during April 2013. Notification that the remedy is now available was mailed to owners on June 5, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQH-44.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Suspension
94
55,565 mi
Engine
72
36,643 mi
Air bags
59
72,500 mi
Unknown or other
46
43,000 mi
Power train
43
61,222 mi
Electrical system
42
61,222 mi
Vehicle speed control
42
25,000 mi
Service brakes
32
41,870 mi
Structure: body
20
34,069 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
17
17,000 mi
Steering
17
69,000 mi
Seats
13
65,000 mi
Wheels
11
64,000 mi
Seat belts
9
65,000 mi
Visibility/wiper
9
25,000 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
8
110,000 mi
Exterior lighting
7
109,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
6
7,700 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
Structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut
2
—
Back over prevention: camera system
1
24,000 mi
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
1
72,500 mi
Child seat
1
—
Electrical system: wiring
1
60,000 mi
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner
1
35,000 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights
1
68,000 mi
Lane departure: blind spot detection
1
—
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
1
42,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages: tailgate: lock
1
174,944 mi
Seats: mid/rear assembly: recliner
1
85,000 mi
Structure: body: door
1
6,000 mi
Structure: body: hood
1
18,000 mi
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
1
18,000 mi
Suspension: rear: springs: coil springs
1
48,000 mi
Tires
1
28,000 mi
Tires: sidewall
1
—
Traction control system
1
11,200 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
1
61,765 mi
Visibility
1
—
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system: windshield: electrical heating element
1
—
Visibility: windshield
1
40,000 mi
The 2013 model has 6 times as many complaints as this one. The 2015 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.