Brake line rust forces Subaru to recall 200k vehicles from snowy states
Subaru is recalling almost 200,000 of its cars and SUVs to fix a brake line issue that increases the risk of crashes for drivers in snowy states including Minnesota.
The Japanese car company is recalling 2009 to 2013 Forester models, 2008 to 2011 Imprezas, and 2008 to 2014 WRX and WRX-STI models in 20 cold-weather states where salt is used to clear roads in the winter, CNBC reports.
The news station says that the recall will affect vehicles originally sold in, or now registered in, Minnesota and Wisconsin, while those in North and South Dakota are not affected.
According to Autoblog, dealers will apply an anti-corrosion wax to areas of the cars' brake line systems, and owners won't be charged for the repairs.
The National Traffic Safety Administration (NTSA) says there is potential for salty water to splash onto the brake lines, causing rust that can increase stopping times.
It is the second time the company has recalled vehicles for this reason, with the NTSA saying the previous recall did not solve the problem as "incomplete repair instructions" were provided to dealers, Associated Press reports.