2019–2022 Subaru Ascent: electrical system recall
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
What was reported
Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573Reported to NHTSA Dec 8, 2022 by Subaru of America, Inc, owners notified Jan 25, 2023.
The fix, from the dealer bulletin
Source: NHTSA remedy instructions and dealer noticeSpecial tools
- Tool Description Application Image Thread Chaser (M6 x 1.0) For cleaning the female thread of the ground terminal Tap (M
- found at the ground point) 1. There is a QMR submission requirement should a repair require the harness kit (SOA635175)
- • A TechShare QMR must be issued including photo(s) clearly showing the melting or arcing condition found at the ground
- comments. This will be used to prioritize release of parts as they become available 2. ALL claim submissions for repairs
- attachment of photos to the claim submission documenting the condition found requiring a harness kit repair Continued CO
- (94060XC01AVH)
Torque
- the thread chaser. If the turning torque is 7Nm or higher, clean the threads with a tap
- turning torque. Once the turning torque is less than 7Nm, continue to the next STEP
The advisory, as filed: “Please be advised that it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle covered by a recall under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied.”
Read from NHTSA’s copy of the manufacturer’s dealer documents (manufacturer campaign WRL-22). The procedure itself is in the bulletin; a franchised dealer has the current copy on the manufacturer’s portal, and that copy governs. Working a lot or a fleet? Recall Watch carries this line on every VIN it checks: remedy status, hours, stop-sale.
Which vehicles are covered
Source: NHTSA campaign 22V907000| Model year | Class | Safety Signal | Recalls on file |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Subaru Ascent | Large SUV | F | 9 |
| 2020 Subaru Ascent | Large SUV | D | 5 |
| 2021 Subaru Ascent | Large SUV | B | 2 |
| 2022 Subaru Ascent | Large SUV | B | 2 |
Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.
How much of it has been fixed
Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7of the campaign
The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.
This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.
It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.
The federal paperwork
Source: nhtsa.govFiled documents
Check one specific vehicle
A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.
Campaign 22V907000 · the manufacturer calls it WRL-22
Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.
A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.
Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573What does this advisory mean?
Park outside means the vehicle can catch fire while parked and switched off, so it should be kept away from buildings and other vehicles until the repair is done. These are the two most serious things NHTSA can attach to a campaign, and both mean the risk exists while the vehicle is switched off.
Is WRL-22 the same recall as 22V907000?
Yes. WRL-22 is the number Subaru of America, Inc uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 22V907000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.
Does this recall repair cost anything?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.
How do I know whether my vehicle is included?
By VIN, not by model year. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.
What if the repair is not available yet?
It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.
What did the manufacturer say was wrong?
The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.
Who started this recall?
NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.