Manufacturer recall number

Subaru recall TKA-18

Q: Is TKA-18 the same recall as 18V012000?

Yes. TKA-18 is Subaru’s own number for it; 18V012000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Subaru calls it TKA-18. NHTSA filed it as campaign 18V012000 on Jan 9, 2018: air bags on the 2009–2013 Subaru B9 Tribeca and 6 other Subaru models, 64,179 vehicles potentially affected. One recall, two numbers — the dealer quotes the manufacturer’s, the federal record carries NHTSA’s.

The full filing, 18V012000 →Check a VIN at NHTSA Subaru’s own VIN lookup →

What NHTSA has under this number

Source: 49 CFR Part 573 filings

NHTSA campaign	Vehicles	Component	Filed	Affected	Severity
18V012000	2009–2013 Subaru B9 Tribeca and 6 other Subaru models	Air Bags	Jan 9, 2018	64,179	high

Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. Risk An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.

The manufacturer’s own words as filed for 18V012000. Every model year it covers, the build window and the filed PDFs →

Two numbers, one recall

Every safety recall carries two identifiers. TKA-18 is the number Subaru assigned in its own system: it is what appears on the owner letter, on the dealer’s service screen and on the repair order. 18V012000 is the number NHTSA filed the same recall under when the manufacturer reported it, and it is the one every federal record, this site included, is keyed on.

The repair is free by federal law for vehicles up to fifteen years old. Whether one particular vehicle is included is settled by its VIN against the manufacturer’s build list, not by its model year.

Check one specific vehicle

Both lookups check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list and say whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →Subaru’s own VIN lookup →

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is TKA-18 the same recall as 18V012000?

Yes. TKA-18 is Subaru’s own number for it; 18V012000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Which vehicles does TKA-18 cover?

2009–2013 Subaru B9 Tribeca and 6 other Subaru models, 64,179 vehicles by the manufacturer’s count. A recall covers a build range, so the VIN decides whether one particular vehicle is in it.

Does the TKA-18 repair cost anything?

No. The manufacturer must remedy a safety defect at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.