Manufacturer recall number

Subaru recall TKB-16

Q: Is TKB-16 the same recall as 16V359000?

Yes. TKB-16 is Subaru’s own number for it; 16V359000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Subaru calls it TKB-16. NHTSA filed it as campaign 16V359000 on May 25, 2016: air bags on the 2003–2008 Saab and Subaru, 146,010 vehicles potentially affected. One recall, two numbers — the dealer quotes the manufacturer’s, the federal record carries NHTSA’s.

The full filing, 16V359000 →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
16V359000	2003–2008 Saab and Subaru	Air Bags	May 25, 2016	146,010	high

Problem Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. Risk An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This notice is only for vehicles that were not covered by 16V-358 for Zone A.

The manufacturer’s own words as filed for 16V359000. Every model year it covers, the build window and the filed PDFs →

Two numbers, one recall

Every safety recall carries two identifiers. TKB-16 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. 16V359000 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 TKB-16 the same recall as 16V359000?

Yes. TKB-16 is Subaru’s own number for it; 16V359000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Which vehicles does TKB-16 cover?

2003–2008 Saab and Subaru, 146,010 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 TKB-16 repair cost anything?

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