Secondary Air Injection Pump Relay Replacement (WTM-73R)

WARNING: This page is about the Legacy GT Limited, Automatic, which is a different variant/trim than selected.

Publication date: 2017-07-11
Reference number: WTM-73R
Supersedes refnos: WTM-73

SECONDARY AIR INJECTION PUMP RELAY REPLACEMENT

SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN

Reference Number(s): WTM-73R, Date of Issue: July 11, 2017

SUBARU:

2007-2009 Legacy (Turbo), Outback (Turbo); 2008-2014 Impreza (WRX/STI); 2009-2013 Forester (Turbo)

Superceded Bulletin(s): WTM-73, Date of Issue: October 31/16

APPLICABILITY

2007-2009 MY Legacy (Turbo)

2007-2009 Outback (Turbo)

2008-2014 Impreza (WRX/STI)

2009-2013MY Forester (Turbo)

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling 100,127 vehicles including certain 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback (turbo models only), 2008-2014 model year Impreza (turbo models only) and 2009-2013 model year Forester (turbo models only) vehicles to replace the secondary air pump relay.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY RISK

Contacts points inside the relay which controls the secondary air injection pump may be welded due to insufficient understanding of one of the relay specifications (characteristics) and the relay may allow the pump to operate continuously. Under this condition, the vehicle "check engine" light will illuminate. The continuous operation may cause the secondary air injection pump to overheat. In some instances, if overheating were to occur, the secondary air injection pump could begin to smoke, increasing the risk of fire.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REMEDY

The secondary air pump relay will be replaced.

OWNER NOTIFICATION

Notification letters will be sent by first class mail to owners of all potentially affected vehicles. Owner notification will occur December 16, 2016. A copy of the letter will be added to the end of this bulletin prior to owner notification.

AFFECTED VEHICLES

Coverage for all affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. This data is now available.

Model Years	Models	Production Start Date	Production End Date
2007 through 2009	Legacy	December 8, 2005	October 27, 2008
2007 through 2009	Outback	December 8, 2005	October 23, 2008
2008 through 2014	Impreza (WRX/STI)	April 26, 2007	September 13, 2013
2009 through 2013	Forester	December 6, 2007	January 7, 2013

RETAILER AFFECTED VIN LISTS

Each Subaru retailer will receive an affected VIN list from their Zone Office when owner notification begins. Vehicles will be assigned to retailers in the affected VIN list as follows:

Original vehicle owners are assigned to the original selling retailer when their current address is within a 100 mile radius of that retailer.
If the original selling retailer is inactive, the VIN has been assigned to the nearest active retailer.
For any new owners or when original owners live more than 100 miles from the original selling retailer, the VIN has been assigned to the nearest active retailer.

IMPORTANT: Retailer affected VIN lists include owner name and address information for vehicles affected by this recall. This information will enable retailers to follow-up with owners of potentially affected vehicles. The lists contain owners' names and addresses obtained from State Motor Vehicle Registration Records. The use of such motor vehicle registration data for any other purpose is unlawful. Accordingly, retailers are required to limit the use of these lists for the purpose of completion of this safety recall.

SUBARU RETAILER PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY

Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory. Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject to this recall is taken into inventory or in for service, necessary steps should be taken to ensure the recall correction has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

Any vehicles listed in a recall/campaign that are in the retailer's stock must be:

Immediately identified.
Tagged or otherwise marked to prevent their delivery or use prior to inspection and/or repair.
Repaired in accordance with the repair procedures outlined in this Product Campaign Bulletin.

Please be advised that it is a violation of Federal law for a retailer to deliver a new motor vehicle covered by a recall under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied. In addition, any Authorized Subaru Retailer failing to perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory prior to the vehicle being placed in service will be in breach of the Subaru Dealer Agreement.

PARTS INFORMATION

The parts required for this recall are listed below:

Part Number

Description

25232AA090

RELAY

14828AA050⁽¹⁾

PUMP AY SECD AIR

⁽¹⁾	See Important Note Below

Parts are available through normal parts ordering channels. In order to maintain an adequate part supply, SOA requests that retailers only order quantities necessary to satisfy anticipated demand.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Replacement of the air pump is only required if the Check Engine light is illuminated and the corresponding DTC is present. This should be a VERY RARE case.

The part number for the new/replacement relay is unchanged.
All affected vehicles must have the relay replaced.
There is no inspection requirement as part of this campaign.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

Connect the Subaru Select Monitor and check all systems for any stored DTC(s). If any DTC(s) are found, perform the appropriate diagnostics per the applicable Service Manual before proceeding further with this campaign procedure.
If determined the Secondary Air Pump is inoperative and requires replacement (VERY RARE occurrence), perform the repair under this campaign following the procedure in the applicable Service Manual.
NOTE: If replacing the air pump is required, do not start the car until the relay has been replaced.
Record the customer's radio station presets (and Navigation Favorites where applicable).
Remove the negative cable from the battery.
Remove the lid from the underhood (Main) fuse box (M/B), locate and replace the Secondary Air Pump Relay.
IMPORTANT: To prevent damaging the contacts in the fuse box, avoid "rocking" the relay while removing it. Always pull straight up.
Reconnect the negative battery cable.
Reset the customer's radio station presets (and Navigation Favorites where applicable).

CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT AND ENTRY PROCEDURES

Credit to perform this service campaign will be based on the submission of properly completed repair order information. Retailers may submit claims through subarunet.com.

Labor Description	Labor Operation #	Labor Time	Fail Code	Claim Type
DTC CHECK and SECONDARY AIR PUMP RELAY (only) REPLACE	B143-481	0.5	WTM-73	RC
WTM23 SECONDARY AIR PUMP REPLACE	C143-482	0.3	WTM-73	RC

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

SOA strongly discourages the printing and/or local storage of service information as previously released information and electronic publications may be updated at any time.
Always check for any open recalls or campaigns anytime a vehicle is in for servicing.
Always refer to STIS for the latest service information before performing any repairs.

OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

This notice applies to the VIN identified in the address section printed below.

Subaru of America, Inc

Subaru Plaza

PO Box 6000

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000

800-782-2783

www.subaru.com

Subaru Recall Campaign WTM-73 NHTSA Recall No. 16V738 December 2016

Dear Subaru Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback (turbo models only - includes Legacy GT and Outback XT), 2008-2014 model year Impreza (turbo models only - includes WRX and STI) and 2009-2013 model year Forester (turbo models only - includes Forester XT) vehicles.

You received this notice because our records indicate that you currently own one of these vehicles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SAFETY RISK

Due to a potential defect in the relay which controls the secondary air injection pump, the relay may allow the pump to operate continuously. i>Under this condition, the vehicle "check engine" light will illuminate.

The continuous operation may cause the secondary air injection pump to overheat. In some instances, if overheating were to occur, the secondary air injection pump could begin to smoke, increasing the risk of fire.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

You should immediately contact your Subaru retailer (dealer) for an appointment to have this recall repair performed.

If you prefer to make alternative arrangements for having your vehicle towed to your retailer, you may contact the Subaru Roadside Assistance Program at 1-800-261-2155.

Both the repairs and the towing will be at no cost to you.

There are several important precautions you should take until this repair has been performed:

Be sure the check engine warning light located in the instrument cluster is not illuminated when the vehicle is running. Immediately contact your Subaru retailer for assistance if the check engine light is ON .
If you notice or smell smoke coming from the engine compartment of the vehicle, be sure the ignition switch is in the "off" position and do not operate the vehicle. Immediately contact your Subaru retailer for assistance.
As a precautionary measure, it is highly recommended that you not park your vehicle in a garage, car port or other structure until this repair is completed.

REPAIR

To correct this condition, Subaru will replace the relay at no cost to you.

HOW LONG WILL THE REPAIR TAKE?

The actual time to replace the secondary air pump relay is approximately 30 minutes or, in the event that the secondary air pump is found to need replacement, this could take up to 1 hour. However, it may be necessary to leave your vehicle for a longer period of time on the day of your scheduled appointment.

CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR SOLD YOUR SUBARU?

If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please complete the enclosed prepaid postcard and mail it to us. Or if you prefer to update this information online, please go to www.subaru.com, select 'Customer Support,' then select 'Address Update' or 'Ownership Update' from the drop down menu.

IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR A REPAIR

If you have already paid for repairs associated with this condition, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Reimbursement consideration will be based on the amount an authorized Subaru retailer in your area would charge for the same repair.

Please send the original service repair order, which has the name of the repair facility, date of repair, mileage at the time of repair, complete 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN), and your name, with correct mailing address and telephone number to the address listed below.

Subaru of America, Inc.

Customer-Retailer Services Department, Attention: WTM-73 Recall

P.O. Box 6000, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000

Please send original receipts only and retain a photocopy for your records. Please be assured that we will attempt to process your reimbursement request as quickly as possible, but it may take up to 60 days for this process to be completed.

IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE:

To locate the nearest Subaru retailer, you can access our website at www.subaru.com and select 'Find a Retailer.'

For additional information, please go to: http://www.wtm73.service-campaign.com.

If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly:

By e-mail: www.subaru.com, Customer Support and select "Contact Us"
By telephone: 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)
- Monday through Thursday between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET
- Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET
- Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET
By U.S. Postal mail:
Subaru of America, Inc.

Attn: Customer-Retailer Services Department

P.O. Box 6000

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000

Please contact us immediately if the Subaru retailer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge.

You may also contact the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590 or call the toll free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov if you believe the Subaru retailer has failed or is unable to remedy your vehicle without charge within a reasonable amount of time.

Your continued satisfaction with your Subaru is important to us. Please understand that we have taken this action in the interest of your safety and your vehicle's proper operation. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this matter may cause and urge you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have this repair performed.

Sincerely,

Subaru of America, Inc.

A subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.

Notice to Lessors: Under Federal law the lessor of a vehicle who receives this letter must provide a copy of it to the vehicle lessee(s) within 10 business days from receipt. The lessor must also keep a record of the lessee(s) to whom this letter is sent, the date sent, and the applicable vehicle identification number (VIN). (For the purposes of this section, a lessor means a person or entity that in the last twelve months prior to the date of this notification has been the owner, as referenced on the vehicle's title, of any five or more leased vehicles. A leased vehicle is a vehicle leased to another person for a term of at least four months.)

A subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.