Subaru issues the new 2022 WRX sports car its first recall. See why an owner's manual mistake brings the next-generation WRX to retailers for a fix that's hard to believe.
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The next-generation Subaru WRX sports car has not had any problems until now. Subaru of America recalled the next-generation 2022 WRX performance car for incorrect information in its owner's manual. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says, "The owner's manual may contain incorrect instructions for adjusting the sensitivity of the High Beam Assist (HBA) function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Subaru of America is initiating the safety recall for certain 2022 model year WRX vehicles equipped with EyeSight, which would include all of the WRX GT trim levels and other new WRX trims with the optional HBA safety technology. Subaru says 4,615 models are affected by the recall, and 100 percent of the owner's manuals are estimated to have the defect. It's not unusual for a new model to have manufacturing issues, but an owner's manual mistake is usually not among the problems.
photo credit: Competition Subaru
Although it's not unprecedented. Subaru issued a recall for the newly released 2013 BRZ sports coupe, not for the car itself but also for the owner’s manual. The owner’s manual contained inaccurate information concerning the vehicle’s front passenger airbag, which could cause drivers to misinterpret the airbag system.
The NHTSA says incorrect instructions for adjusting the sensitivity of the High Beam Assist function contained in the new WRX owner's manual may cause the driver to misunderstand the system's status, increasing the risk of a crash. Description of the Cause: The operating instructions in the owner's manual mistakenly referenced the operation of a different "type of" dimmer switch.
Subaru is unaware of any warranty claims, field reports, crashes, or injuries resulting from this condition.
The Remedy
Subaru will send affected customers an owner's manual insert containing the correct information, which can be installed in the original owner's manual by the customer. As an alternative option, a customer may have a Subaru retailer install the corrected insert at no cost to the customer. Subaru will reimburse owners for repairs according to the general plan submitted in May 2022.
2022 Subaru WRX owner notification letters should be mailed on February 15, 2023. Owners of the WRX may contact Subaru of America’s customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-23. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov. Using the Subaru vehicle recall VIN lookup tool, you can also check the WRX recall.
The next-generation 2022 Subaru WRX performance car has its first recall. A small owner's manual mistake brings the new WRX to retailers for an owner's manual insert containing the correct information. There are no other WRX open recalls and zero investigations from the NHTSA.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report, where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: main image Competition Subaru
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