Recall 17V014 covers 53,480 2005-2012 Subaru vehicles for passenger air bag inflators that can rupture. Repair is free at any franchised Subaru dealer.
Subaru is recalling 53,480 2005-2012 Baja, Impreza, Tribeca, Forester, Legacy, Outback, B9 Tribeca, and Wrx vehicles sold or registered in specified humid-weather states and territories because the passenger frontal air bag inflator can rupture in a crash that deploys the air bag. Metal fragments can strike occupants and cause serious injury or death; Subaru dealers will replace the inflator free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The passenger frontal air bag inflator in the 2005-2012 Subaru Baja, Tribeca, B9 Tribeca, Impreza, Wrx, Forester, Legacy, and Outback is the device that fills the passenger air bag during a crash. It uses a chemical propellant to create gas fast enough to inflate the bag between the passenger and the dashboard.
On affected vehicles, the Takata inflator contains non-desiccated phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate, a propellant that breaks down after long-term exposure to humidity and temperature cycling. Once degraded, the propellant burns too aggressively when the air bag deploys. That creates excessive pressure inside the inflator and can rupture the inflator body instead of inflating the air bag as designed.
Owners do not get a dashboard light, sound, smell, or change in air bag operation before this happens. There is no warning sign before failure.
Who's affected?
Spans 8 Subaru nameplates across 8 model years, all tied to the passenger-side front air bag inflator module.
| 2010 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2011 Subaru Forester | front air bag |
| 2011 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2011 Subaru Outback | front air bag |
| 2012 Subaru Legacy | front air bag |
| 2012 Subaru Outback | front air bag |
| 2012 Subaru Forester | front air bag |
| 2011 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2006 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2007 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2012 Subaru B9 Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2012 Subaru Wrx | front air bag |
| 2010 Subaru Legacy | front air bag |
| 2010 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2011 Subaru Legacy | front air bag |
| 2005 Subaru Baja | front air bag |
| 2006 Subaru Baja | front air bag |
| 2006 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2007 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2008 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2009 Subaru Forester | front air bag |
| 2009 Subaru Legacy | front air bag |
| 2009 Subaru Impreza | front air bag |
| 2009 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2008 Subaru Tribeca | front air bag |
| 2009 Subaru Outback | front air bag |
| 2010 Subaru Outback | front air bag |
| 2010 Subaru Forester | front air bag |
| Units affected | 53,480 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
A front passenger air bag inflator rupture can send metal fragments into the cabin and strike vehicle occupants, causing serious injury or death. There is no warning sign before an inflator rupture. Confirm whether your VIN is included and schedule the repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Subaru dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2005-2012 Subaru Tribeca, Forester, Impreza, Outback, Legacy, B9 Tribeca, Wrx, or Baja is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Subaru dealer to schedule the free passenger front air bag inflator replacement that fixes the rupture risk during deployment.
- Bring the recall notice if Subaru mailed one, or reference recall number 17V014 and Subaru recall TKA-17 when you call.
- Ask the Subaru dealer about driving guidance before the repair appointment, especially if the vehicle carries a front-seat passenger.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Subaru technician replaces the front passenger air bag inflator in the passenger frontal air bag module. Parts and labor are free under recall 17V014, and the repair is available now through Subaru dealers. Subaru has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid for an inflator related repair before the recall notice. Bring repair invoices, proof of payment, and any Subaru correspondence to the service desk, or contact Subaru customer service to ask how to submit documentation under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 10, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 6, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V014?
Recall 17V014 covers 53,480 2005-2012 Subaru Baja, Impreza, Tribeca, Forester, Legacy, Outback, B9 Tribeca, and Wrx vehicles with passenger frontal air bag inflators that can rupture during deployment. Subaru dealers replace the front passenger air bag inflator for free.
What should I do if my 2005-2012 Subaru Baja, Impreza, Tribeca, Forester, Legacy, Outback, B9 Tribeca, or Wrx is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 17V014. If it is, call a franchised Subaru dealer and schedule the front passenger air bag inflator replacement. Reference recall 17V014 or Subaru recall TKA-17 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Subaru's remedy says dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator free of charge. Any franchised Subaru dealer can perform the recall repair.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is metal fragments entering the cabin if the passenger frontal air bag inflator ruptures during a crash. Subaru's filing says those fragments can strike occupants and result in serious injury or death. Confirm your VIN, then schedule the free dealer repair.
What if I bought my Subaru used?
The free repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner, so a used Subaru in this campaign remains eligible for the no-cost inflator replacement. Check your VIN, then call a Subaru dealer with recall 17V014 or TKA-17.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V014000 |
|---|---|
| Subaru customer service | 1-800-782-2783 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V014 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V014000 |
Source documents
-
Download Misc. Document (PDF) - Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →