Subaru of America, Inc.: Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (prndl)
Subaru of America, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Feb 20, 1998 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 19,386. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. DUE TO POOR WELDS, IGNITION KEYS CAN STICK, SHIFT LEVERS/LINKAGES CAN BREAK AND SHIFT LEVERS CAN MOVE.
The risk
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLIES (EXCEPT THE HANDLE GRIP).
4 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 Subaru Legacy | 114 | 5 | 2 | 17 |
| 1998 Subaru Outback | 127 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 1997 Subaru Legacy | 139 | 6 | 2 | 18 |
| 1997 Subaru Outback | 79 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 98V042000.
Full record for the 1998 Subaru Legacy → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →