Some 2019 Subaru Ascent crossover SUVs may be replaced for faulty roof welds
Some owners of 2019 Subaru Ascent crossover SUVs may get a second chance at the new car smell.
The automaker said in government filings last week that it will recall 293 examples of its new three-row crossover to inspect them for spot welds that may have not been applied at the factory. If Subaru finds that spot welds around one of the roof pillars are missing, it will take the unusual step of replacing the defective 2019 Ascents with new vehicles.
MORE: Read our 2019 Subaru Ascent review
Subaru said that the affected Ascents were built July 16-25, 2018, at its Lafayette, Indiana, assembly plant. Owners of the 293 recalled crossover SUVs will receive notices in the mail by the end of August instructing them to contact their dealer to schedule an inspection from a Subaru representative.
The automaker said that no crashes or injuries have been reported due to the missing spot welds, which it says were discovered during a routine inspection of a vehicle at the Indiana assembly plant. Using stored data from the robots that perform welding at the plant, Subaru found "improper software programing" that could have affected some of the vehicles.
DON'T MISS: 6 things to know about the 2019 Subaru Ascent
Subaru said that "less than 1 percent" of the recalled vehicles are likely to be missing the spot welds.
The automaker will also evaluate Ascents in dealer inventories for the defect before selling them.
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