Japanese automaker Subaru will soon issue the company’s largest ever recall due to an issue with brake lights, according to Reuters. The voluntary recall will include more than two million Forester and Impreza models in the United States, according to Reuters, as well as 300,000 in Japan and models sold in other countries, all of which were manufactured between the years 2008 and 2017. Other news outlets report conflicting numbers, but regardless of the specific amount of vehicles recalled, it will be a massive undertaking for consumers as well as the car giant.
Subaru models are being recalled to repair a fault with a brake light switch, an issue that can lead to ignition problems. The issue does not impact the brakes or the functionality of the brakes. But it goes without saying that rear brake lights not functioning properly can increase the risk of a traffic accident, and the issue needs to be fixed if you own any of the Subaru models impacted by this 2019 recall. The recall has not technically begun yet, and CNET reports that owners of impacted vehicles will be notified by first-class mail.
Technically, the ongoing Takata airbag recalls are the biggest-ever for automakers, but this recall is Subaru’s largest on its own. That said, the company is in fact impacted by the Takata airbag callbacks. In early February, Subaru, Tesla, and Ferrari (among many other brands) were added to the Takata recall list.