These Subarus are being recalled for a potentially faulty welding job

If you have a 2019 Subaru Legacy sedan or 2019 Outback wagon, you need to know about a recall announced by the car manufacturer. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Subaru is recalling certain Legacy and Outback vehicles due to faulty welding.

“Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle’s body strength,” according to the NHTSA recall notice. This poor welding means an increase in the risk of injury during a car crash.

The sub-standard welding job happened as a result of a part supplier’s robotic welders not being cleaned properly. This caused improper weld application, according to Consumer Reports.

The fix for the recall first requires customers to bring their car to a Subaru dealer. From there, a representative will inspect the car to see if the welds were applied incorrectly. If the weld is faulty, the dealer will send the vehicle back to the manufacturer for repair. These inspections and potential repairs will be free for the customer.

In a rare move, Subaru said affected customers have a few options regarding their cars. The first option is they can decide to have the repairs done at no cost. The second option is the customer can exchange the car for an unaffected model. Or Subaru will buy back the car from customers so they can purchase a new one.

Starting July 26, Subaru plans to notify customers directly if they are impacted by the 2019 Legacy or Outback recalls. The recall notice reports more than 2,100 vehicles are affected by this recall.

The NHTSA also has a place on its website for customers to enter their car’s VIN (vehicle identification number) to see if it is included in the recall. Subaru also created a hotline for its customers to contact the company with any questions related to the recall. Customers can call 888-327-9153 to get more recall information.