As the new generation of the Subaru Outback and Legacy for the 2020 model year have started to arrive at dealerships, it appears the Japanese automaker has encountered a roadblock and have announced a recall on newly rolled out units of both models. The culprit? A missing part in the brake pedal.
Fortunately for Subaru, the recall only affects a total of 3,467 vehicles, from which 2,862 are Outback models and 605 are Legacy sedans.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through documents it made public, shared two possible reasons that may have caused the problem with the cars’ brake pedal: either a bolt for the brake pedal mounting bracket was not tightened enough or the entire mounting bracket is missing from the assembly.
Subaru, however, clarified that out of the more than 3,400 vehicles affected by the recall, only an estimated 1% actually has the defect. But they are not playing it safe because, according to Subaru, there is still a chance the brake pedal may diminish.
Once a car’s brake pedal diminishes, braking performance is also affected, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
In relation to the recall, Subaru conducted its own internal investigation where the company discovered a defective bolt feeder in the production line which may have caused the problem.
Subaru has since advised 2020 Outback and Legacy owners to bring their cars to the nearest dealer for proper inspection. If the brake pedal is found to be defective, the technician will replace the hardware or the entire assembly. Owners may also expect to receive their notifications via mail beginning October 1.
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