Recall Alert: 633,842 Subaru Vehicles

Subaru is recalling 633,842 vehicles due to faulty lamp wiring, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The following vehicles are affected: model-year 2009-12 Foresters, 2010-11 Legacys, 2010-11 Outbacks and 2006-12 Tribecas.

These vehicles could be equipped with faulty puddle lamp wiring, which if exposed to electrolytic moisture (like road salt), could short circuit. This could lead to a fire. According to Subaru, the recall is a result of customers' complaints regarding smoke and/or fire coming out from the puddle lights.

Subaru will notify owners starting in February, and dealers will inspect and replace the affected parts for free. Owners can call Subaru at 800-782-2783 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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Subaru Celebrates 25 Years of Manufacturing in the U.S.

This month, Subaru celebrates its 25th anniversary of production in the U.S., according to the carmaker. Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. started in 1987 as a joint-venture between Fuji Heavy Industries (owner of the Subaru brand) and Isuzu.

The car plant originally built Subaru Legacys and Isuzu pickup trucks and Rodeos for U.S. consumption.

Today, the 820-acre facility employees 3,600 workers and can build 360,000 vehicles a year. Currently, the plant builds the Subaru Legacy, Outback and Tribeca as well as the 2012 Toyota Camry, under contract with Toyota, according to Subaru.

Year-End Deal Reality Check: Subaru

Many major retailers are parading their best deals to boost year-end sales, and automakers are no exception. This means the year’s end can be one of the best times to buy a new car, and if it’s a Subaru, donate to charity as well.

Subaru’s offer includes a good deal for buyers and a chance to do a little good for others. Its "Share the Love" event means qualified buyers can get zero-percent financing, pay no money down on most 2012 Subaru vehicles and the automaker will make a charitable donation in the buyer’s name.

After making your new-car purchase, Subaru will donate $250 to your choice of four charities. The organizations include American Forests, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the Special Olympics. So far, Subaru has given almost $15 million to the charities during the last three years.

The zero-percent offer is good on all Subaru vehicles except the redesigned Impreza, though WRX models qualify for zero-percent financing. Instead, qualified Impreza shoppers can take advantage of a 1.9% financing deal. The 2012 Impreza starts at $17,495, excluding a $750 destination charge. Share the Love cannot be combined with any other offers and ends Jan. 3, 2012.

Cars.com Podcast: 2011 Toyota Prius, 2011 Subaru Tribeca, 2011 Smart ForTwo

Join editors Joe Wiesenfelder, Bill Jackson and Joe Bruzek as they discuss three very different vehicles. The most popular hybrid ever, the Toyota Prius, remains alluring, while the editors discuss the merits of the largest Subaru, the Tribeca, and the smallest car on the market, the Smart ForTwo.

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Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Subaru Tribeca

The 2011 Subaru Tribeca is one of the older offerings in the three-row crossover segment, but old doesn’t necessarily mean uncompetitive, according to Cars.com editor Joe Bruzek. The model has aged well, but will the family hauler’s somewhat diminutive size and high asking price inhibit it as a favorite over the likes of the Honda Pilot or even competitors coming from Subaru itself, such as the Outback? Read the full review to find out.

2011 Subaru Tribeca Review

Subaru Continues Charity-Based Incentives for Third Year

Subaru will again participate in a charity-based sales event for 2010, called the “Share the Love Event,” the automaker announced today.

From Nov. 20 to Jan. 3, 2011, every Subaru purchased will come with a $250 donation to one of five charities the automaker has partnered with, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels Association of America and the Ocean Conservancy.

Over the past two years, Subaru has donated more than $10 million to charities through this particular sales initiative.

That extra bonus comes on top of regular incentives such as 1.9% financing and low lease deals, which we detail below.

'Entourage' Star Doesn't Jump Subaru Tribeca

If you caught last night’s season premiere of “Entourage” on HBO, you saw lead character Vince doing his own stunt that involved jumping a Subaru Tribeca SUV 50 feet over water, through flames and into the side of a building.

In the behind-the-scenes clip above — starting about halfway through — the stunt team and crew talk about how to get a car ready for such a feat. It includes removing the fuel and airbags and putting in a driver’s seat from a Baja race truck. Funny enough, Adrian Grenier, who plays Vince, commented that he doesn’t think he’d ever do a stunt as dangerous in real life.

Subaru Checks-In: Add a Badge to Your Subie

If you — or some of your social media chums — battle it out for badges on Foursquare, then Subaru’s latest accessory will be right up your alley, presuming you own a Subaru.

The automaker is offering customizable badges for owners to put on their very non-virtual cars. You get to pick a single emblem that shows how many Subarus you’ve owned — up to 10 — and then add up to 12 lifestyle badges after the fact. Those include icons for activities like biking to more conceptual “love” or “environment” badges.

The Badge of Ownership — as Subaru is calling it — is free, and you can order them here, but you must provide a vehicle identification number. You also can return to the site and order more badges as they become available, free of charge.

So far, Subaru says it has received about 7,000 badge requests since the program launched in late May without any press releases or external promotions. There’s also a form for owners ordering badges to request a new lifestyle badge not yet offered. Subaru spokeswoman Heather Ward says the most common request is for a motorsports badge.   

Recall Alert: 2010 Subaru Tribeca

Subaru has issued a recall for 1,585 Tribeca vehicles from the 2010 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Subaru notified the agency about a defect in models manufactured between Sept. 4, 2009 and March 8, 2010: the door latch cables in the front doors were not positioned properly during the manufacturing process. A cable could get caught in the door glass regulator when a window is opened or closed, which could unlatch the door and cause it to open unexpectedly when rolling a window up or down.

This creates a risk that an occupant could be ejected as well as other hazardous situations that could lead to a crash. It could also lead to the door being caught and unable to open, which could make for a dangerous situation if a vehicle occupant had to get out quickly.

Subaru dealers will repair the vehicles by repositioning and securing the latch cable in both front doors. The service is free of charge. Owners may contact Subaru at 800-782-2783 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.