The wheels aren’t figuratively falling off, but there’s a chance they literally could. A Solterra recall from February says more than 1,000 electric SUVs are at risk of losing wheels during operation due to hub bolt issues. And it is not the first time.
What is the latest Subaru recall?
Subaru issued its latest recall on Feb. 10 regarding loose wheel hub bolts on select.
, this Solterra issue stems from a repair procedure related to a previous safety recall that replaced bad hub bolts. Subaru announced that recall in June 2022, saying the hub bolts on affected models could loosen on their own. According to reports from , this issue could potentially cause the wheels to detach from the vehicle. Now some Solterra drivers face a similar problem due to errors from the original fix.
“Subaru has identified an issue with vehicles being repaired at two port locations by a particular contractor team,” said a Subaru press release. “Teams did not complete the repair procedure properly, with the possibility of significantly undertorqued bolts.”
Fortunately, Solterra’s latest recall doesn’t affect all owners of the 2023 model year. However, some drivers will need to get virtually the same repairs a second time around the same issue. If Subaru technicians find loose hub bolts during inspection, they will re-tighten them to the proper specification, according to Repairer Driven News.
Subaru and NHTSA have asked owners of the affected Solterra models not to drive their vehicles until inspections and repairs are completed. Repairer Driven News reports that Subaru will pay towing services to OEM service centers for required inspections and potential repairs.
What models has Subaru recalled?
Only a select group of Solterra models that have been repaired in a specific location are subject to the February recall. According to Subaru, vehicle owners who have already met the original recall in a different location are not affected. The best way to find out if your Solterra is subject to the most recent warning is to check its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the NHTSA website.
Production problems stalled the launch of Soterra in 2023
This recall comes in the wake of delivery delays.
It took Subaru until the end of October 2022 to find a resolution for its initial June Solterra notice. This delayed delivery for many Solterra customers from June until November – a major setback for a brand that has been relatively slow to enter the electric vehicle market.
Solterra’s production goals weren’t high at first. Subaru has allocated a production run of just 6,500 units by the end of 2022. Additionally, retail orders for the 2023 Solterra have already closed, forcing potential buyers to wait for the 2024 model year. Whether or not the launch of the Solterra 2024 will come more smoothly than the first year of production.
