A Message to Our Valued Owners:
We would like to thank you for your selection of a Subaru vehicle. At Subaru we take pride in our products and are committed to your continued
satisfaction. It is with your continued satisfaction in mind that we are announcing the following recall service program.
Subaru of America, Inc. has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2012 model year Impreza vehicles equipped with a capacitance-type occupant detection system (ODS) in the front passenger seat.
When a right front seat passenger plugs a cell phone or other device into the accessory power outlet or touches a metal part of the vehicle that is grounded (such as the seat adjustment lever), the ODS may erroneously determine that the front passenger seat is unoccupied and deactivate the front passenger air bag.
Should this happen, the Air Bag Warning Light will illuminate and the Passenger Air Bag Indicator will illuminate .OFF., providing a visual warning that the air bag system is not operating properly.
The passenger air bag will not deploy under these circumstances , increasing the risk of injury to a front seat passenger in the event of a crash.
WQT-55 Safety Recall FAQs:
Q: What should I do?
A: You should immediately contact your Subaru retailer (dealer) for an appointment to have the ODS Occupant Control Unit replaced. Until this repair is
performed, the front seat passenger should avoid using the accessory power outlet or contacting any grounded metal parts of the vehicle.
Q: Are there any precautions I should take until this repair is performed?
A: If the Air Bag Warning Light turns on and the Passenger Air Bag Indicator illuminates .OFF., the right front seat passenger should move to the rear seat
after the vehicle has come to a complete stop in an area where it is safe to do so.
Q: What will be done to the vehicle?
A: Subaru will replace the ODS Occupant Control Unit in your vehicle with a modified one at no cost to you.
Q: What Subaru models are involved?
A: Certain 2012 model year Impreza vehicles equipped with a capacitance-type occupant detection system (ODS) in the front passenger seat.
Q: How much will this recall cost?
A: This recall will be performed free of charge at any authorized Subaru retailer.
Q: Do I have to return to the retailer where I bought the car?
A: Any authorized Subaru retailer will be able to perform this recall free of charge for you.
Q: Can I have this recall performed at an independent repair facility?
A: Only an authorized Subaru retailer can perform this recall free of charge for you.
Q: How long will this repair take?
A: The time to replace the ODS Occupant Control Unit is approximately 25 minutes. However, it may be necessary to leave your vehicle for a longer period of
time on the day of your scheduled appointment to allow your Subaru retailer flexibility in scheduling.
Q: Do I need to make an appointment?
A: Yes, please contact your authorized Subaru retailer to set up an appointment to ensure that the retailer is able to allocate a time slot to best
accommodate you.
Q: If I no longer own the vehicle what should I do?
A: If you no longer own your vehicle, please complete the prepaid postcard enclosed with your notification letter and mail it to us. If you prefer to
update this information online, please go to www.subaru.com/customer-support.html, select Email
Us then select Update Address from the drop down menu.
Q: What if I have previously paid for this repair?
A: If you have already paid for repairs associated with this condition, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Reimbursement consideration will be based on
the amount an authorized Subaru retailer in your area would charge for the same repair.
Please send the original service repair order, which has the name of the repair facility, date of repair, mileage at the time of repair, complete 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN), and your name, with correct mailing address and telephone number to the address listed below.
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer-Retailer Services Department, Attention: WQT-55 Recall
P.O. Box 6000, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
Please send original receipts only and retain a photocopy for your records. Please be assured that we will attempt to process your reimbursement request as quickly as possible, but it may take up to 60 days for this process to be completed.