Camden, NJ – August 7, 2022 – Subaru (OTCMKTS:FUJHY) has issued a recall for 59,934 2015-2021 WRX sedans over “inoperative” rear lights and reverse camera. This increases the risk of a crash.

The backup light switch is responsible for activating the reverse lights on a car. Shifting the transmission to Reverse gear allows the switch to activate the rear lights and also engages the rearview camera. On the affected vehicles, the backup light switch is exposed to heated oil. The sulfur in the oil can corrode the electrical contacts of the switch, and they will not be as efficient in conducting electricity. Eventually, this will cause the backup light switch to stop working.     

The cause of the defect is not clear but was replicated in tests conducted by the manufacturer under “excessive or abusive driving conditions.”

Read more about the risks of this defect in our recent article about a similar rearview camera recall issued by Dodge. 

When the backup light switch has failed, drivers will notice that the “R” symbol will not appear on the dashboard when reverse gear is engaged. 

In January 2022, the company issued a recall for 198,255 Ascent and Outback SUVs due to a malfunctioning transmission.

In May 2021, Subaru recalled 446,205 Impreza and Crosstrek vehicles over a problem with the engine control module or ECM. A programming failure on the component can lead to the engine stalling while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will inspect and replace the faulty backup light switch with a new one. The repairs will be done free of charge, and Subaru will reimburse customers who availed of the remedy before the recall was announced.  

Affected owners will have been notified by September 19, 2022. 

More than 59,000 vehicles are included in this WRX recall. To see if your vehicle is affected by this electrical issue, run a Subaru recall check using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.  

MotorSafety.org is dedicated to helping consumers resolve problems related to vehicle recalls. Through education, awareness, government relations, repair facility referrals, and strategic partnerships, MotorSafety.org hopes to remove every unsafe vehicle from the road, facilitate its proper repair, and ensure its prompt return to the owner once the vehicle has met the required safety and performance standards.

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