1990 Subaru Loyale: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1990 Subaru Loyale. The newest campaign is 95V103006. NHTSA received the report on 24 May 1995. The NHTSA record gives the component Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly. NHTSA has 13 complaints on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 95V103006, in the NHTSA record

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 VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 227,883 units in total.

95V10300624 May 1995Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly
94V05200023 Mar 1994Power Train / Manual Transmission
91V09100011 Jun 1991Power Train / Automatic Transmission
91V08200030 May 1991Power Train / Automatic Transmission

95V103006Received 24 May 1995. 100,825 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 1 Jan 1996.
94V052000Received 23 Mar 1994. 31,295 units.
Power Train / Manual Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
When the vehicle is driven continuously under extremely cold temperatures (-22 degrees f.) and high humidity weather conditions, the transmission breathing (air) vent can be blocked due to moisture freezing at the oil level gauge. If this occurs, pressure inside the transmission case will increase and push out the rear oil seal, causing transmission oil leakage. The lack of lubrication can burn the internal components of the transmission, cause the transmission to seize and the vehicle to come to a sudden stop.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Sudden stops without prior warning can cause vehicle occupants to be thrown around the vehicle and cause loss of vehicle control which can result in an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will modify the oil gauge pipe and modify the oil level gauge (dipstick) or replace it, depending on the type of dipstick in the vehicle.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 24 Jun 1994.
91V091000Received 11 Jun 1991. 19,763 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Transmission shift linkage may be incorrectly adjusted and would not be engaged in a full park position when placed in park.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If transmission park mechanism is not in park while thevehicle is running or on an incline, a runaway situation would occur whichcould result in a vehicle accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Repair the transmission park mechanism.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC..
91V082000Received 30 May 1991. 76,000 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Under certain load conditions, the park gear may not disengage immediately when the transmission lever is moved from park to reverse.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Delayed release of transmission from park causes delayedand possibly abrupt vehicle movement that could result in loss of vehiclecontrol and an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a modified parking brake pawl to prevent delayed release into reverse gear.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Jul 1991.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

13 complaints, 16 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1990 Subaru Loyale: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Engine and Engine Cooling		5
Seat Belts		5
Tires		3
Power Train		2
Electrical System		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 20 Aug 2002

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1990 Subaru Loyale, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1995, with 7 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1990 Subaru Loyale
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA95008	Engineering analysis	TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE	Fuel System, Other / Storage / Tank Assembly / Pressure Relief Devices	10 Mar 1995	2 Aug 1995	95V103006
PE94051	Preliminary evaluation	HOOD LATCH FAILURE	Structure	29 Jun 1994	31 Oct 1994
PE91039	Preliminary evaluation	REVERSE DELAYED ENGAGEMENT	Power Train / Automatic Transmission	23 Jan 1991	30 May 1991	91V082000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

19891
19904
19912
19921
19931
19940

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1990 Subaru LoyaleThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1990 Subaru Loyale: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/subaru/loyale/1990/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1990 Subaru Loyale?: 227,883 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Subaru Loyale have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the Subaru Loyale, model years 1989 to 1994. 4 of them name the 1990 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1990 Subaru Loyale name most often?: Engine and Engine Cooling: 5 of 16 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1990 Subaru Loyale open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.