IllustrationVEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE DRIVER HEARD THE WINDSHIELD CRACK. DRIVER NEVER SAW ANY ITEM STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD. BECAUSE EYESIGHT SENSORS HAVE TO BE RECALIBRATED AFTER A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT, THIS INCIDENT COST ALMOST $1000 TO REPAIR.
2017 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Outback years
Owner complaints for the 2017 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than the model-year median of 207.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
2040–25K
20725–50K
7750–75K
2075–100K
6100–150K
2150K+
516 reports with mileage · 401 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 391 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 205 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports3 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
917 reportsTHE WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW. OUR BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED PREMATURELY NUMEROUS TIMES AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE FACTORY BATTERY QUICKLY AFTER PURCHASING IT. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THE CAR BEING UNABLE TO START AT ALL. MAJORITY OF TIMES THIS OCCURRED, WE HAD LEFT ON THE ACCESSORIES LESS THAN 5MIN. WHILE WAITING I…
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WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW. OUR BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED PREMATURELY NUMEROUS TIMES AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE FACTORY BATTERY QUICKLY AFTER PURCHASING IT. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THE CAR BEING UNABLE TO START AT ALL. MAJORITY OF TIMES THIS OCCURRED, WE HAD LEFT ON THE ACCESSORIES LESS THAN 5MIN. WHILE WAITING IN OUR CAR BEFORE THE ENTIRE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. ON ONE OCCASION, THE BATTERY DRAINED WITH NO EXPLANATION. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS ISSUES IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER CAR WE HAVE EVER HAD. IT IS COMMON TO LEAVE ACCESSORIES ON FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME WITHOUT DRAINING THE WHOLE BATTERY. ESPECIALLY IN A NEW CAR. AFTER BECOMING FRUSTRATED WITH THE DEALERSHIP'S RESPONSE, WE LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR SUBARU OUTBACKS FROM OUR YEAR. APPARENTLY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FLAWED. WE PLAN TO TRADE IN THIS VEHICLE AS IT IS NOT RELIABLE AND WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED SO MANY TIMES IT IS NOT A SAFE CAR TO OWN. THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED OR AT LEAST HAVE A FIX AVAILABLE.
ON DECEMBER 7, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS, I RETURNED TO MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK AFTER A BRIEF SHOPPING TRIP. THE BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO USE A PORTABLE BATTERY STARTER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVE FROM MY RESIDENCE TO THE STORE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LONG. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED U…
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ON DECEMBER 7, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS, I RETURNED TO MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK AFTER A BRIEF SHOPPING TRIP. THE BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO USE A PORTABLE BATTERY STARTER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVE FROM MY RESIDENCE TO THE STORE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LONG. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED UPON STARTING UP MY VEHICLE WAS IT DREW HARD FROM THE BATTERY, ALMOST NOT STARTING. I AM NOT NEW TO THIS ISSUE, AS IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST 4.5 YEARS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE. THE BATTERY THAT CAME WITH MY VEHICLE, PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2016, WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 808 MILES. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS LATER, SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUES. THE BATTERY WOULD WORK OKAY AT BEST, THEN START TO DRAW HARD ON THE BATTERY, THEN DIE COMPLETELY. WHEN TESTED, ALL OF THE BATTERIES WERE SUPPOSEDLY SUFFERING FROM A BAD CELL. 3 BATTERIES WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT BATTERY WAS PURCHASED JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY IN 2019, AS THE LAST WARRANTY BATTERY WAS IN 2017. THIS BATTERY IS SUPPOSEDLY A NEWER, UPDATED MODEL WITH MORE CCA. I DO NOT LEAVE LIGHTS ON IN THE CAR, OR ANY ELECTRONICS PLUGGED IN DUE TO THIS CONSISTENT ISSUE. THIS RECURRING ISSUE HAS LEAD TO A LACK OF TRUST IN THE VEHICLE STARTING, HAVING STRANDED MY FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES. TO COMBAT THIS ISSUE, I KEEP A PORTABLE BATTERY CHARGER AND JUMPER CABLES IN THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS INSPECTED AND REPLACED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WERE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS INSPECTED AND REPLACED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WERE CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED THREE TIMES IN FOUR YEARS, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT EACH TIME. THE FIRST TWO TIMES STARTED WITH A SMALL ROCK CHIP ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THAT SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD WITHIN A FEW DAYS. THE LATEST ONE CRACKED FROM DRIVERS SIDE ROOF DOWNWARD WITH NOT APPARENT DAMAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE IN THE G…
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WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED THREE TIMES IN FOUR YEARS, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT EACH TIME. THE FIRST TWO TIMES STARTED WITH A SMALL ROCK CHIP ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THAT SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD WITHIN A FEW DAYS. THE LATEST ONE CRACKED FROM DRIVERS SIDE ROOF DOWNWARD WITH NOT APPARENT DAMAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE IN THE GARAGE. IN 35 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE ONLY REPLACED A FEW WINDSHIELDS DUE TO CRACKS CAUSED BY LARGE STONES HITTING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE HIGHWAY. I VIEW THE CRACKING WINDSHIELD ON THE SUBARU AS VERY UNUSUAL.
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT FROM ROAD DEBRIS. CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ON A RURAL ROAD. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 9/16/20 BY SAFELITE AUTO. AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE PROVIDED PARTIAL COVERAGE.
2017 SUBARU OUTBACK, CONSTANTLY DEAD BATTERY. I'VE HAD THE CAR DUE ON ME MULTIPLE TIMES. IT CANNOT HOLD A CHARGE. DEC 5TH IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND HAD TO CALL TOW COMPANY TO JUMP IT SO I COULD TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS JUST 16,000 MILES.
MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT HAS TRANSVERSED THE ENTIRETY OF THE WINDSHIELD, NECESSITATING ITS REPLACEMENT. THE CRACK BEGAN ON THE LOWER LEFT (DRIVER'S) SIDE AND MOVED ACROSS TO THE RIGHT (PASSENGER'S) SIDE BEFORE CURVING BACK AND UPWARD TOWARD THE LOCATION OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THIS HAS OBSCURED THE EYE SIGHT CAMERAS AND…
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MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT HAS TRANSVERSED THE ENTIRETY OF THE WINDSHIELD, NECESSITATING ITS REPLACEMENT. THE CRACK BEGAN ON THE LOWER LEFT (DRIVER'S) SIDE AND MOVED ACROSS TO THE RIGHT (PASSENGER'S) SIDE BEFORE CURVING BACK AND UPWARD TOWARD THE LOCATION OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THIS HAS OBSCURED THE EYE SIGHT CAMERAS AND IMPAIRED THE SAFETY MECHANISMS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CRACK BEGAN WITH NO PRECIPITATING DAMAGE OBSERVED TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS. ~`````````````
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THAT WASN'T VERY BUSY (AROUND 12:30 PM) AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A SLIGHT CRACK NOISE. I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE A CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS GROWING LONGER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHERE IT CAME FROM BUT I AM SCARED THAT IT IS GOING TO GET LARGER…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THAT WASN'T VERY BUSY (AROUND 12:30 PM) AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A SLIGHT CRACK NOISE. I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE A CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS GROWING LONGER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHERE IT CAME FROM BUT I AM SCARED THAT IT IS GOING TO GET LARGER AS THE DAY AND WEEK CONTINUES. NO DEBRIS NOR LARGE DUMP TRUCK WAS NEAR ME. THIS CRACK HAPPENED TOO EASILY AND HAS ME QUESTIONABLE ABOUT MY WINDSHEILD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMETHING SO LITTLE IS TURNING INTO SOMETHING SO LARGE AND CAN POTENTIALLY BECOME DANGEROUS.
Official recalls
419V910000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
Dec 19, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
16V716000 · Air Bags:knee Bolster; Steering:column
Oct 6, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:knee Bolster
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Consequence: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Steering:column
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Consequence: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
16V576000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper; Suspension
Aug 3, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Consequence: If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
Suspension
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Consequence: If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
16V292000 · Steering:column
May 11, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.