What St. Pete Subaru Owners Should Know About The Latest Safety Recall
Michael Babboni
Recalls
If you’ve driven off the lot on 38th Ave N in St Petersburg in the last couple of years in your brand-new Subaru, it might be time to check your make and model. In December of 2022, Subaru issued a safety recall of more than 270,000 vehicles across the United States affecting drivers of their new Ascent SUVs. This recall includes Ascent models from the years 2019 through 2022 and Subaru urges owners to park their vehicles outside and far from any structures until repairs can be made.What Issue Is Behind This Recall?
According to Subaru, a wiring connection may have a factory related defect that leads to the melting of ground terminals and surrounding components, potentially leading to vehicle fires. The risk goes up when the heating in the vehicle is running, and while drivers in St. Petersburg may not use their heating often, the area is expected to have nighttime temperatures in the 50s for the next several months as we roll into the heart of winter. Subaru is urging drivers to not leave their vehicle unattended with the engine running, to park vehicles outside rather than in garages, and to park far away from structures whenever possible until the defect has been repaired.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if a driver or passenger notices the smell of smoke or heat coming from the dashboard or the footwell on the driver’s side, they should stop the vehicle immediately and turn the ignition into the off position.
Why The Subaru Ascent SUV?
In recent years, Subaru introduced new air tools into their production line, serving as a replacement for the former battery tool. During 2020 Subaru received the first technical report of an Ascent SUV collecting smoke in the cabin, with the first fire damage report coming in 2021. While Subaru cannot say definitively that the tool change in their production line caused the production defect, it is a suspected cause in the manufacturing defects of the Ascent SUV.
Production issues with the Subaru Ascent were remedied in late April of 2022, so vehicles manufactured in May of 2022 or later are not affected.
Has The Issue Lead To Any Accidents In St. Petersburg?
The recall issue is yet to cause any accidents or injuries in St. Petersburg or beyond, and Subaru believes that only a small percentage of vehicles may be affected at all. However, there is no way to tell which vehicles may have the issue and which do not, so it’s best for all owners of the 2019-2022 Ascent SUV to have the issue inspected and repaired.
How Can I Have My Vehicle Repaired?
Subaru is expected to contact owners of the affected Ascent vehicles in January and February of 2023. To have your vehicle repaired, call your local St. Petersburg Subaru dealership and arrange an appointment for inspection and repair. When you bring your vehicle in to the dealership, mechanics will first inspect the wires, ground bolt, and connectors and then make any replacements if necessary. Repairs and inspections will be carried out at no cost to owners of the Ascent SUVs.
While there is a repair process in place for the Ascent SUV, any vehicle or product can be defective. If you’ve experienced an accident or injury involved with a defective vehicle or other product, it’s important to get the compensation you deserve. Contact us at TheStPeteLawyer.com to learn more about your next steps.