- Vehicles
- 223,520
- Built between
- Mar 1996 – May 1997
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Other
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 15 November 2000
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between March 1996 and May 1997. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1996-1998 Subaru LegacyBuilt March 1996 to May 1997
What the defect is
This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles have an alternator problem that can result in a loss of charging capability.
What could happen
If the alternator fails, the alternator warning telltale will alert the driver to the problem, giving ample opportunity to seek repair before a loss of battery power, which, if the warning were ignored, could ultimately result in a loss of vehicle power (engine stall).
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR WITH A MODIFIED ALTERNATOR. OWNERS WILL ALSO BE CAUTIONED THAT, SHOULD THE ALTERNATOR TELLTALE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATE, THEY MUST SEEK IMMEDIATE REPAIR TO AVOID THE EVENTUAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtMarch 1996 to May 1997
- Recall reported to NHTSA15 May 2000
- Owners notified15 November 2000
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 15 May 2000.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
Subaru has decided to conduct a service program to replace the alternator. This replacement campaign will be conducted in phases.owner notification began november 15, 2000.OWNERS can contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783, concerning this program.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.