NHTSA recall 12V602000

A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.

Campaign
Published by	NHTSA (United States)
Campaign number	12V602000
Manufacturer's number	WQE-41
Manufacturer	SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.
Reported	2012-12-26
Owners notified	2013-02-19
Component	EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Units potentially affected	633842

What is wrong

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s).

What can happen

Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. This may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire.

The remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Notes

Subaru's recall campaign number is WQE-41.Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Vehicles this campaign lists
2012 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA
2009 SUBARU FORESTER
2010 SUBARU FORESTER
2011 SUBARU FORESTER
2012 SUBARU FORESTER
2010 SUBARU LEGACY
2011 SUBARU LEGACY
2010 SUBARU OUTBACK
2011 SUBARU OUTBACK
2006 SUBARU TRIBECA
2007 SUBARU TRIBECA
2008 SUBARU TRIBECA
2009 SUBARU TRIBECA
2010 SUBARU TRIBECA
2011 SUBARU TRIBECA

A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.

Bulletins for the same vehicles and component

Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
07-59-07R	2025-01-03. Service bulletin. This bulletin is for information purposes only.The bulletin adresses design changes of the headlamps and rear combination lamps, where moisture and or condensation may develop on the inside of the lamp lenses.
WQE41a	2023-05-08. Service bulletin. Optional Genuine Subaru Puddle Lights
WQE41	2023-05-08. Service bulletin. Preliminary Inspection and Repair Procedure for Puddle Light Campaign WQE-41
TechTIPS	2023-05-08. Service bulletin. Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter
Announcement-2	2023-03-20. Service bulletin. New Subaru Recall Campaign: Optional Genuine Subaru Puddle Lights
711016	2020-11-16. Service bulletin. Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the original warranty on the low-beam ONLY halogen headlamp bulbs to 10 years / unlimited miles from the vehicle?s original warranty start date. This warranty extension will cover low-beam halogen headlamp bulb replacement on 2010, 2011 and a very limited number of early-production 2012MY Legacy and Outback models. Covered vehicles will have a production date prior to those listed in the Production Change Information provided below and meet the guidelines outlined later in this bulletin.
07-131-18	2018-03-13. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides a measurement and adjustment procedure for the stop lamp switch. An improperly adjusted (or faulty) stop lamp switch can cause any of the DTCs listed above to set and result in the related system?s (e. g. VDC and/or EyeSight) warning lamp to illuminate.
ONEILL	2017-08-14. Service bulletin. As part of Subaru's dedication to customer satisfaction, SOA is announcing a Low-Beam Halogen Headlamp Bulb Warranty Enhancement program. This extends warranty coverage for 2010 - 2012 Legacy (for the 2012 model year, the affected models are vehicles that were manufactured through August 8, 2011) and 2010 - 2012 Outback (for the 2012 model year, the affected models are vehicles that were manufactured through August 22, 2011) vehicles sold or leased in the United States ("Affected Vehicles"). Please note that this is not a recall. If a vehicle is presented in which one or more low-beam halogen headlamp bulb(s) are not "burned out," no repair is necessary.
WQE-41M2	2016-11-29. Service bulletin. "THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE PROPER CLAIMS PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN A VEHICLE COMES IN TO YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE WQE]41 PUDDLE LIGHT CAMPAIGN. FIRST AND FOREMOST, VERIFY THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH GENUINE SUBARU ACCESSORY PUDDLE LIGHTS. IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED, RELEASE THE VEHICLE AS NO CORRECTION IS REQUIRED."
WQE41M	2016-11-29. Service bulletin. "IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE DISPLAY OF AN OPEN RECALL ON THE WQE99 PROGRAM (OPTIONAL PUDDLE LIGHTS) THAT WAS USED FOR VEHICLES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PUDDLE LIGHTS, THE WQE99 PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. THE ACTUAL RECALL FOR THE PUDDLE LIGHTS (WQE41) REMAINS UNCHANGED. TO REPLACE THE WQE99 NOTIFICATION, COMMENTS WILL BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE COVERAGE INQUIRY TO IDENTIFY THESE VEHICLES. WHEN LOOKING FOR OPEN RECALLS IN THE VEHICLE COVERAGE INQUIRY, PLEASE CHECK THE COMMENTS TO IDENTIFY VINS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE OPTIONAL PUDDLE LIGHTS. IF THE VEHICLE HAS PUDDLE LIGHTS THAT MEET THE CRITERIA IN THE WQE41 CAMPAIGN BULLETIN, CONTINUE TO CALL THE CLAIMS HELPLINE TO REGISTER THE VIN IN THE WQE41 RECALL. THESE COMMENTS SHOULD APPEAR ON THE VEHICLE COVERAGE INQUIRY BY THE END OF THE DAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ISSUE, PLEASE CONTACT THE CLAIMS HELPLINE AT 1-866-782-2782."

A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.