Subaru Recalls New Crosstrek Over A Seatbelt Defect That Could Cause Injury

Subaru has announced a new recall for certain Crosstrek subcompact models over defective seatbelts. See if your vehicle is on the list.

Subaru of America is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek subcompact models over a potential problem with its rear seat belt assemblies. Subaru says the Crosstrek has a dual-mode locking mechanism and the seat belt webbing sensors may not lock as intended.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says in the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

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This latest recall affects some 2019 models because of a manufacturing defect in their rear seatbelts. The seatbelts may not lock as intended during an accident, and rear occupants may not be restrained properly increasing the risk of injury and/or death to vehicle occupants. Here is a quick NHTSA VIN lookup tool.

2019 Subaru Crosstrek rear seatbelt recall

The U.S. recall includes all 2019 Crosstrek model year vehicles manufactured from August 22, 2019, through September 13, 2019. The NHTSA reports the number of potentially affected U.S. Crosstrek vehicles is 4,862.

The problem

The Crosstrek subcompact is equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual locking mechanism; a primary G-sensor lock and a redundant webbing sensor lock. Due to the improper installation of a pawl spring at the supplier, the redundant webbing sensor lock may become inoperative for some right and left rear seatbelts identified by the supplier. The recall says the primary G-sensor lock in these seatbelts is not affected and will remain fully functional.

There are more Crosstrek recalls customers should be aware of

Subaru issued another huge recall affecting new Crosstrek and Impreza models. Subaru of America recalled the next-generation 2018-2019 Crosstrek and Impreza vehicles for an electrical system issue. The NHTSA said the recall affected 466,205 vehicles in the U.S. alone. In another recent Subaru Crosstrek recall (256 U.S. vehicles), 2019 model year subcompact SUVs were recalled to replace the left-side rear door window glass.

What should customers do about the most recent seatbelt issue?

Subaru will notify owners in the next 60 days, and dealers will replace rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on April 24, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614 if you have questions about the rear seatbelt defect affecting your 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. Customers can also use the Subaru VIN lookup tool to check if your vehicle has a recall. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-20. Stay tuned to Torque News for the latest recall information.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Photo credit: Subaru USA