Subaru Outback/Legacy Airbag Inflator Recall

John McGaw wrote on 2016/02/27:

That they list your model year doesn't mean the recall *A Message to Our Customers About Air Bag Recalls*

You may be aware of recent reports about recalls involving air bags supplied by Takata. Ten different car companies, including Subaru, are affected. No Subaru vehicle has driver?s front air bags supplied by Takata. Certain vehicles among the models and model years listed below are affected.

2003, 2004 and 2005 model year Baja 2004 and 2005 model year Impreza (including WRX and STI) (Updated as of 5/28/15) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 model year Legacy 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 model year Outback

Not all vehicles within the models and model years listed above are involved.

You can go to the following Subaru recall site to see how your car is affected:

(says "Information Last updated: 02/26/2016 at 8:17pm EST") If they have not yet added the air bag recall data then you'll have to check again later. They say the defective air bags are made by Takata but that they don't use those for front /driver/ air bags. So put someone in the front /passenger/ seat that you don't like.

I'm relatively certain that, since Subaru sent me a notice letter listing and based upon my VIN, that my vehicle is included.

Later: I just verified at the link you gave and my car is indeed included as I assumed. The site shows four recalls for my model, two ECM reprograms, the brake pipes, and this airbag. I don't remember doing two ECMs but they are both shown as complete. Now if they'd just get the parts in order and DO something...

John McGaw:

This seems entirely realistic for vehicles carrying fewer than five occupants, which /almost/ all vehicles are /almost/ all of the time. If you meant "totally inconvenient," then I agree with you.

OK, that's the problem in a nutshell. Subaru doesn't have a fix at the moment. Do you?

No, I don't have a fix and that leaves me in a fix. I am responsible for taking care of an elderly family member and she cannot (and probably wouldn't if she could) get into the Subie's rear seat because of severly limited mobility. All I can realistically do is to limit how much she is in the car but there are always doctor's visits and those cannot be avoided at her age and with her condition. Subaru, if you are reading this, get off your collective rear ends and do something productive for your loyal customers.

VanguardLH:

I don't have a 'legal' mind; when I think of risk, I think of safety, not legal liability. But your point is taken. It has often been said that air bags are not very important for belted front-seat passengers. It is the steering wheel that presents the threat. That sounds reasonable to me.

Steering wheel will collapse. Seat belt alone is not enough to protect driver or passengers. I'd worry about unexpected sudden deployment.

Just remember to keep your hands at the 3 and 9 o'clock position - there's less chance of breaking your thumbs if the airbag goes off.

My daughter recently crashed into the car in front of her. I asked her what it felt like to have an airbag go off in her face. She said she didn't know because she was sleeping at the time. That sounds reasonable. :)

If that's what happened she is one lucky girl. Placing hands at 3, 9 o'clock on steering wheel is common sense unless one wants to punch his/her own face when bag is deployed, LOL!.

Yes, punching yourself in the face is a big LOL!

I think 3 and 9 o'clock are what they teach in high school driver-ed classes. (I went to high school before those existed...) But in the classes I took to get a competition license, albeit 30 years ago, the instructors were clear that we would be better off with 10 and 2. More room to turn the wheel further in a single motion, before a hand is forced down so far it hits your legs or something. Of course 3 and 9 gives you slightly more leverage, but that doesn't matter much so long as power steering is working... Bob Wilson

The old school driving position was 10 and 2. These days the steering wheels are shaped to move your hands to the safer position. I used to drive my Fiats with the hands in the 8 and 4 position - like a good Italian dude would.

Jumping in on an old thread.

I got a notice (Recall: TKB19 - NHTSA ID 19V008) that covers 2010 - 2014 m odel year Legacy, Outback, Tribeca and WRX (including STI) along with 2010

- 2013 Forester vehicles and 2010 - 2011 model year Imprenza vehicles equip ped with a non-desiccated Takata sourced passenger side front air bag.