Japan · NHTSA recalls & complaints
Subaru VIN decoder
Subaru Corporation is a Japanese automaker; it was called Fuji Heavy Industries until it took the Subaru name on April 1, 2017. Toyota raised its stake to 20 percent of Subaru's voting rights in 2019, and the two companies build vehicles for each other. Subaru's 2026 US lineup includes the Impreza, WRX, BRZ, Crosstrek, Forester, Outback and Ascent, plus the electric Solterra, Trailseeker and Uncharted.
Enter all 17 characters to see the build details NHTSA holds and the recalls for that model year.
- 20 model pages
- 147 recall campaigns
- 25,786 owner complaints
- model years 1995–2026
- 7 WMI codes in vPIC
- origin: Japan
| Country of origin | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Asia |
| NHTSA recall and complaint data | Yes, model years 1995–2026 |
| WMI codes in NHTSA vPIC | 7 |
| Model pages | 20 |
| Other model names in NHTSA data | 5 |
| Vehicle recall campaigns | 147 |
| Owner complaints | 25,786 |
| Complaints reporting a crash | 1,593 (6.2%) |
| Complaints reporting a fire | 348 (1.3%) |
| Complaints reporting an injury | 787 (3.1%) |
| Complaints reporting a death | 19 (0.1%) |
| Data updated | September 25, 2026 |
Subaru's US factory, Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, builds the Ascent, Crosstrek and Forester; production of the Forester Hybrid started there on February 3, 2026, making it the first Subaru hybrid built in the US. The plant began in 1989 as a Subaru-Isuzu joint venture. Most other Subarus come from Subaru's plants in Ota, Gunma, Japan. The electric models are the exception: Toyota's VIN filings list the Solterra as built at Toyota's own plants and give the Trailseeker a Toyota WMI, even though Subaru builds it.
Every Subaru from model year 1981 onward has a 17-character VIN. For US-market Subarus, NHTSA's vPIC database usually decodes the model, engine, trim and plant. For the partner brand, see Toyota; for the Lafayette plant's former partner, see Isuzu.
NHTSA’s files hold 147 vehicle recall campaigns and 25,786 owner complaints for Subaru vehicles from model years 1995 to 2026, summarised here on 20 model pages. The Outback has the most complaints (9,746), followed by the Forester (6,483) and the Legacy (2,827). Of those complaints, 1,593 report a crash, 348 a fire, 787 at least one injury and 19 at least one death; the figures count complaints, not people.
The World Manufacturer Identifier is the first three characters of the VIN. NHTSA’s vPIC database decodes 7 WMIs to Subaru; this is the complete list, with the manufacturer name, country and vehicle type vPIC records for each.
| WMI | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type | Also decoded as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4S3 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC | United States | Passenger Car | – |
| 4S4 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC | United States | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| JF1 | SUBARU CORPORATION | Japan | Passenger Car | Toyota |
| JF2 | SUBARU CORPORATION | Japan | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | – |
| JF3 | FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES U.S.A., INC. (C/O SUBARU OF AMERICA) | Japan | Truck | – |
| JTE | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION | Japan | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | Lexus, Toyota |
| JTM | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION | Japan | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | Toyota |
Some codes are shared across a manufacturer’s brands; the last column names the other brands in our catalog that vPIC links to the same code. See the WMI code guide for how the codes are assigned.
Each model page lists NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints for that model name, by model year and component. Models are sorted by complaints; the data covers model years 1995–2026.
| Model | Model years | Recall campaigns | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outback | 1995–2026 | 71 | 9,746 |
| Forester | 1998–2026 | 43 | 6,483 |
| Legacy | 1995–2025 | 76 | 2,827 |
| Impreza | 1995–2026 | 52 | 2,607 |
| Crosstrek | 2012–2026 | 13 | 1,182 |
| Ascent | 2019–2026 | 13 | 1,031 |
| WRX | 2002–2025 | 23 | 974 |
| XV CrossTrek | 2013–2017 | 3 | 262 |
| B9 Tribeca | 2006–2012 | 7 | 145 |
| Baja | 2003–2006 | 15 | 117 |
| BRZ | 2013–2024 | 5 | 101 |
| Solterra | 2023–2026 | 5 | 77 |
| Tribeca | 2006–2014 | 17 | 41 |
| Uncharted | 2026 | – | 40 |
| Impreza STI | 2008–2009 | – | 36 |
| Trailseeker | 2026 | – | 29 |
| SVX | 1995–1997 | – | 25 |
| WRX STI | 2008–2019 | 2 | 19 |
| Crosstrek Hybrid | 2019–2026 | 3 | 1 |
| Forester Hybrid | 2025–2026 | 3 | – |
– means NHTSA has no records of that kind under the model name.
Other Subaru models in NHTSA data
NHTSA also lists these Subaru model names, but with no recall campaign and fewer than 25 complaints each, so they have no page of their own: Impreza WRX, Justy, Outback Sport, Wagon, XV CrossTrek Hybrid.
Which WMI codes appear on Subaru VINs?
Subaru's model-year 2027 filing uses JF1 for passenger cars and JF2 for MPVs built in Japan, and 4S4 for MPVs built in Indiana. The table also includes two Toyota WMIs that vPIC lists with the Subaru make.
| WMI | Manufacturer (NHTSA vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JF1 | SUBARU CORPORATION | Japan | Passenger car |
| JF2 | SUBARU CORPORATION | Japan | MPV |
| 4S3 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC | United States | Passenger car |
| 4S4 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC | United States | MPV |
| JTM | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION | Japan | MPV (shared with Toyota) |
| JTE | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION | Japan | MPV (shared with Toyota and Lexus) |
Toyota's 2027 filings give both the Solterra (built at Toyota's Motomachi and Takaoka plants) and the Trailseeker (built at Subaru's Yajima plant) the WMI JTM. In the other direction, Subaru's filing covers the Toyota GR86 under Subaru's WMI JF1.
What do positions 4 to 11 mean on a Subaru VIN?
In Subaru's model-year 2027 filing (NHTSA Manufacturer Information Database file ORG26655), positions 4 and 5 give the make, line, series and body type, position 6 the engine, 7 the trim level and options, and 8 the restraint system. Position 9 is the check digit and 10 the model year, V for 2027. Unusually, position 11 combines the plant with the transmission type:
| Position 11 | Plant |
|---|---|
| 3 | Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), Lafayette, Indiana |
| 8 or 9 | Main plant, Ota, Gunma, Japan (code depends on transmission) |
| H or Y | Yajima plant, Ota, Gunma, Japan |
Was my Subaru built in Indiana or Japan?
Check the WMI and position 11. Indiana-built Subarus use 4S4 (or 4S3 for older passenger cars) and, in the 2027 filing, plant code 3 for Lafayette. Japanese-built models use JF1 or JF2 with codes such as 8, 9, H or Y.
Why does my Subaru Solterra or Trailseeker VIN start with JTM?
Toyota files the VIN information for these electric models. Its 2027 filings give both the WMI JTM, registered to Toyota Motor Corporation, whether the vehicle was built at a Toyota plant (Solterra) or at Subaru's Yajima plant (Trailseeker).
Can I check Subaru recalls with this decoder?
The decoder lists recalls NHTSA has issued for your Subaru's make, model and model year, from NHTSA's public data for US-market vehicles. For one VIN's open-recall status, use NHTSA's VIN search or a Subaru retailer. See recalls.
Does a Subaru VIN decode show accident or title records?
No. It shows factory data such as line, body, engine, trim, restraints, model year and plant. Accident, title and ownership records come from state agencies and licensed history providers, which this site does not connect to.
Brands mentioned in the notes above, then other Asian brands, each with its own VIN notes and WMI list.
- Toyota (66) Japan · 375 recall campaigns
- Isuzu (36) Japan · 112 recall campaigns
- Acura (22) Japan · 117 recall campaigns
- Genesis (12) South Korea · 34 recall campaigns
- Honda (127) Japan · 363 recall campaigns
- Hyundai (49) South Korea · 285 recall campaigns
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files and NHTSA vPIC, updated September 25, 2026.