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The wheels aren’t falling off Subaru’s EV lineup figuratively — but there’s a chance they could literally. A February Subaru Solterra recall says that more than 1,000 of the electric SUVs are at risk of losing their wheels during operation because of hub bolt issues. And it isn’t the first time.

What is the latest Subaru recall?

A blue 2023 Subaru Solterra EV SUV on display at an auto show with people around it.
2023 Subaru Solterra l Sjoerd van der Wal, Getty Images

Subaru issued its latest recall on February 10 regarding loose wheel hub bolts on select 2023 Solterra SUVs. 

According to Subaru, this Solterra issue stems from a repair procedure regarding a previous safety recall that replaced faulty hub bolts. Subaru announced that recall in June 2022, stating that affected models’ hub bolts could loosen on their own. According to reporting from Repairer Drive News, this problem could potentially cause wheels to detach from the vehicle. Now some Solterra drivers face a similar problem due to mistakes from the original fix. 

“Subaru identified an issue with vehicles repaired at two port locations by one particular team of contractors,” a Subaru press release stated. “The teams did not properly complete the repair procedure resulting in the potential for significantly under-torqued bolts.”

Fortunately, the most recent Solterra recall does not affect all 2023 model owners. However, certain drivers will have to get practically the same repairs for the second time on the same problem. If Subaru technicians upon inspection find loose hub bolts, they will re-torque them to proper specifications, per Repairer Driven News.

Subaru and the NHTSA have asked that owners of affected Solterra models not drive their vehicles until inspections and repairs are completed. Repairer Driven News reports that Subaru will pay for towing services to OEM service centers for the required inspections and potential repairs.

Which models has Subaru recalled?

Only a select group of Solterra models that went through repairs at a specific location are subject to the February recall. According to Subaru, owners of vehicles that have already fulfilled the original recall at a different location are not affected. The best way to find out if your Solterra is subject to the newest notice is to check its vehicle identification number (VIN) on the NHTSA website.

Manufacturing issues have stalled 2023 Soterra rollout

A rear three-quarter view of a 2023 Subaru Solterra on display at an auto show.
2023 Subaru Solterra l Sjoerd van der Wal, Getty Images

This recall arrives in the wake of limited Solterra production numbers and delivery delays. 

Subaru took until the end of October 2022 to find a fix for its initial June Solterra notice. This delayed delivery for many Solterra customers from June all the way to November — a notable stumble out of the gate for a brand that has been comparatively slow to jump into the electric vehicle market. 

Solterra production goals weren’t high to begin with. Subaru allotted for production of just 6,500 units by the end of 2022. Furthermore, retail orders for the 2023 Solterra have already closed, forcing prospective buyers to wait for the 2024 model year. It is yet to be seen whether a rollout of the 2024 Solterra will arrive more smoothly than the first production year.

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Staff Writer, Producer - SUVs

Scott Prewitt

Scott Prewitt joined the MotorBiscuit team in 2023 as a Staff Writer for the SUV section. During college, he began his career in journalism as Editor in Chief of The Creightonian. After graduating from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, News and Public Relations, Scott spent time in a local newsroom. He soon found his way to the world of automotive journalism and has been writing about cars since 2017.

A passion for all things automotive began at a young age. Playing Gran Turismo racing games in the early 2000s sparked an interest in cars and Scott began devouring Car and Driver stories when he was in the fourth grade. Since then, Scott’s enthusiasm for autos has grown to become the focal point of his career as a journalist.

By combining the skills that earned him the News Graduate of the Year 2016 and the Omaha Press Club Recognition & Academic Scholarship with a craving for knowledge of automotive industry, Scott covers a wide range of content from breaking news about the latest SUV models to designated off-road and overlanding rigs. His reporting is informed by personal experiences like road trips, intriguing automotive history, and time spent poring over various outlets and YouTube channels. Scott is drawn to car culture because, in his own words,  “these vehicles are a combination of purpose-built engineering and emotive, expressive design.”

The personal aspects of the autos world are of particular interest to Scott, and he is fascinated by the relationship between humans and cars. Years of writing for dealerships across the country and time in the corporate communications world lend to his expertise as a writer here at MotorBiscuit.