NHTSA campaign 16V359000 · Subaru campaign TKB-16
Subaru of America, Inc. Recall 16V-359: Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 16V359000 (Subaru campaign TKB-16) was reported by Subaru of America, Inc. on May 25, 2016, with 146,010 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Subaru Baja, Subaru Impreza, Subaru Tribeca and more for model years 2003–2008. Owners were notified on August 24, 2016, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 16V359000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 16V359000 (also written 16V-359 or 16V359)
- Filed by
- Subaru of America, Inc.
- Subaru campaign number
- TKB-16
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 146,010 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 88.01% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 16V359000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Saab
Saab 9-2X
- 2006 · Vehicles built September 26, 2005 – March 31, 2006 (per NHTSA)
Subaru
Subaru Baja
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Subaru Tribeca
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 16V359000.
Defect description
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Safety consequence
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This notice is only for vehicles that were not covered by 16V-358 for Zone A.
Notes
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.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 16V359000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.