Photo: Miro Vrlik Photography (Shutterstock)
Vehicles catching on fire seems to be trending this year, with Ford and Ram Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) being recalled in November, and Kia SUVs in October. Now, Subaru is joining the group with their most recent SUV recall. Subaru of America, Inc. has announced a safety recall for certain Subaru Ascent SUVs for the potential of a fire risk stemming from a production issue—and the company is telling nearly 272,000 owners to park their Subaru Ascents outside due to the risk.
The recall was made official after two separate reports of an SUV catching fire were made to the company. There have been no reports of injuries due to the incidents.
What is the Subaru Ascent recall?
According to the official recall statement from Subaru, there was a bolt that may have been improperly fastened during production. The bolt secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater, which when improperly secured, has the potential to melt the ground terminal and other components, resulting in a fire risk when the PTC heater is in operation.
Which Subaru SUVs are being recalled?
The following year and models are recalled and encouraged by Subaru to be parked outdoors away from objects that could catch on fire:
Subaru Ascent 2019Subaru Ascent 2020Subaru Ascent 2021Subaru Ascent 2022What should you do if your Subaru Ascent is recalled?
Until the inspection and repair is done, Subaru advises customers not to leave the SUV unattended when running, to park the vehicle outdoors, and be mindful of the surroundings of where they decide to park it. If any owners smell or see smoke coming from the dash or driver’s foot well area, Subaru recommends turning the ignition off immediately and contacting Subaru’s Roadside Assistance program or nearest Subaru retailer for assistance.
Subaru will replace the PTC Heater Ground Bolts and replace the ground wire and connector holder if determined necessary by them (they estimate that 0.6% of the recall vehicles will require the replacement.) The inspection and repair will come at no cost to the owners.
Subaru owners can expect to be officially notified of the recall within 60 days of the notice, or by Feb. 9, 2023. You can also type your vehicle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) at Subaru’s recall website to see if your car is affected by the recall. If you want more information on the recall, you can call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
