NHTSA campaign 16V361000 · Subaru campaign TKC-16
Subaru Recall 16V-361: Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 16V361000 (Subaru campaign TKC-16) was reported by Subaru of America, Inc. on May 25, 2016, with 62,940 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Subaru Baja, Subaru Legacy and Subaru Outback for model years 2003–2004. 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 16V361000 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.
Subaru VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 16V361000 (also written 16V-361 or 16V361)
- Filed by
- Subaru of America, Inc.
- Subaru campaign number
- TKC-16
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 62,940 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 88.83% (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 16V361000. 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.
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 16V361000.
Defect description
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C.". 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 owners, and 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 TKC-16. Note: This recall covers vehicles that were not previously covered in 16V-358 for Zone A or 16V-359 for Zone B.
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 16V361000
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.