U.S. public vehicle records

Subaru DL recalls by model year

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

10 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

161,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1980 to 1989 model years. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1980: 1; 1981: 1; 1982: 1; 1983: 1; 1984: 1; 1985: 2; 1986: 2; 1987: 2; 1988: 2; 1989: 0

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Subaru DL model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1980	0	1	Not available
1981	0	1	0
1982	0	1	0
1983	0	1	0
1984	0	1	0
1985	0	2	+1
1986	1	2	0
1987	2	2	0
1988	5	2	0
1989	2	0	-2

Recall history

5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

90V086000 · Suspension:Rear

Reported: 1990-05-07 (May 7, 1990) · Model years: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986

CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT COULD CAUSE CORROSION OF REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, ESPECIALLY THE INNER ARMS.

Consequence: THE CORROSION COULD AFFECT THE OPERATION AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: RUST PROOF OR REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION, AS NECESSARY.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

92V001000 · Suspension:Rear

Reported: 1992-12-02 (December 2, 1992) · Model years: 1985, 1986, 1987

THE INNER ARMS OF THE REAR SUSPENSION ARE SUBJECT TO CORROSION IN AREAS WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED HEAVILY IN WINTER.

Consequence: OPERATION AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAN BE ADVERSELYAFFECTED BY CORROSION OF THE INNER CONTROL ARMS.

Remedy: RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THE INNER CONTROL ARMS AS NECESSARY.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

89V103000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported: 1989-06-23 (June 23, 1989) · Model years: 1987

THE COMPOSITION OF CERTAIN NON-GENUINE REPLACEMENT PREHEAT TUBES CAN CAUSE COMBUSTION.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED DESIGN PREHEAT TUBE.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

88V052000 · Seat Belts

Reported: 1988-04-05 (April 5, 1988) · Model years: 1988

OMISSION OF INFORMATION SPECIFIED BY FMVSS 210 FROM OWNER MANUAL.

Consequence: FAILS TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 210 REGARDING CHILDRESTRAINT SYSTEMS.

Remedy: ADHESIVE BACKED INSERTS WILL BE FURNISHED WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

95V103006 · Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Reported: 1995-05-24 (May 24, 1995) · Model years: 1988

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

10 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

10.0%Usable mileage1 / 10 records

70.0%Valid incident date7 / 10 records

100.0%Valid filing date10 / 10 records

70.0%Ordered incident and filing dates7 / 10 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	150.0% ODI 964295 1) PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILS TO REMAIN LATCHED. 2) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO BUILD UP OF COMBUSTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT Look up ODI 964295 at NHTSA ↗
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 965714 SEAT BELT BUCKLE APPEAR TO BE FASTEN, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT COMES UNFASTENED. TT Look up ODI 965714 at NHTSA ↗	150.0% ODI 964295 1) PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILS TO REMAIN LATCHED. 2) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO BUILD UP OF COMBUSTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT Look up ODI 964295 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 977914 ENGINE COMPARMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, ELECTRICAL SHORT. TT Look up ODI 977914 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 10171505 · 161,000 mi TIME IS A KEY FACTOR, AS WELL AS PLACES THAT RUST VEHICLES SOONER THAN OTHERS. THE FAILURE IS A FUEL DAMPER AND/OR FUEL LINES AND/OR FUEL PUMP. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SMELL OF FUEL, LEAKS, ERRATIC ENGINE, AND LEAD ON ONE OCCASION TO A LEAN CONDITION THAT FAILED A TIMING BELT. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED. IF THIS LEAK HAPPENS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF FUEL PUMP IT IS ELUSIVE AND DANGEROUS. *NM Look up ODI 10171505 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 531947 VEHICLE HARD TO START IN COLD OR WET WEATHER. Look up ODI 531947 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Fuel System, Gasoline	Too few reports for a range	161,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10171505 · 161,000 mi TIME IS A KEY FACTOR, AS WELL AS PLACES THAT RUST VEHICLES SOONER THAN OTHERS. THE FAILURE IS A FUEL DAMPER AND/OR FUEL LINES AND/OR FUEL PUMP. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SMELL OF FUEL, LEAKS, ERRATIC ENGINE, AND LEAD ON ONE OCCASION TO A LEAN CONDITION THAT FAILED A TIMING BELT. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED. IF THIS LEAK HAPPENS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF FUEL PUMP IT IS ELUSIVE AND DANGEROUS. *NM Look up ODI 10171505 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1988: 0 complaints · 1989: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1988	0	0	0
1989	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1988	4	1	0
1989	0	2	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control	Fuel System, Gasoline	Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	—	1 ODI 964295 1) PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILS TO REMAIN LATCHED. 2) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO BUILD UP OF COMBUSTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT Look up ODI 964295 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	1 ODI 964295 1) PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILS TO REMAIN LATCHED. 2) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO BUILD UP OF COMBUSTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT Look up ODI 964295 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0
Fuel System, Gasoline	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Carburetor System	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 484403 REPLACED 5 CV BOOTS. Look up ODI 484403 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Fuel smell or leak mentions

1 mentions · 10.0% of complaints

Median mileage: 161,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10171505 · 161,000 mi

TIME IS A KEY FACTOR, AS WELL AS PLACES THAT RUST VEHICLES SOONER THAN OTHERS. THE FAILURE IS A FUEL DAMPER AND/OR FUEL LINES AND/OR FUEL PUMP. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE SMELL OF FUEL, LEAKS, ERRATIC ENGINE, AND LEAD ON ONE OCCASION TO A LEAN CONDITION THAT FAILED A TIMING BELT. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED. IF THIS LEAK HAPPENS ON THE SUCTION SIDE OF FUEL PUMP IT IS ELUSIVE AND DANGEROUS. *NM

Look up ODI 10171505 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

1 mentions · 10.0% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 964295

1) PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILS TO REMAIN LATCHED. 2) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO BUILD UP OF COMBUSTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Look up ODI 964295 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b