1981 Subaru Subaru: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1981 Subaru Subaru. The newest campaign is 83V026000. NHTSA received the report on 3 Mar 1983. The NHTSA record gives the component Electrical System / Wiring / Fuses and Circuit Breakers. NHTSA has no complaint on file for 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, 83V026000, in the NHTSA record

Dealer will replace the headlight fuse holder with an inline fuel harness kit.

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 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 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. 399,905 units in total.

83V0260003 Mar 1983Electrical System / Wiring / Fuses and Circuit Breakers
82V13000020 Dec 1982Electrical System / Wiring / Front Underhood
82V03600019 Apr 1982Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
81V0290005 Mar 1981Vehicle Speed Control

83V026000Received 3 Mar 1983. 230,041 units.
Electrical System / Wiring / Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The defect involves the 25 amp headlight fuse holder. There may be excessive electrical resistance caused by the looseness of the rivet holding the fuse holder to the terminal plate. Excess resistance may cause the soldered end of the fuse to melt. An open circuit could occur and the headlights would not operate.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will replace the headlight fuse holder with an inline fuel harness kit.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 25 Apr 1983.
82V130000Received 20 Dec 1982. 94,564 units.
Electrical System / Wiring / Front Underhood
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain vehicles, the front main wiring harness chafes against the threads of the rear battery hold down rod. Chafing of the wiring harness can lead to an electrical short caused by the exposed wires.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will provide protective covers to be installed on the wiring harness and rear battery hold down rod. These protective covers will be provided free of charge.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 Apr 1983.
82V036000Received 19 Apr 1982. 43,300 units.
Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The steering wheel nut may have been tightened insufficiently during the assembly process and may loosen and develop play between the steering wheel and the steering shaft. The steering wheel could separate from the steering shaft.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect and retighten the steering wheel nut to torque specifications at no cost to owner.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 4 Jun 1982.
81V029000Received 5 Mar 1981. 32,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Upon releasing the accelerator pedal, the foot idle control device throttle lever may bind on the actuator mounting bracket due to insufficient clearance. This will cause the carburetor throttle to fail to return to the idle position.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Defective throttle lever will be replaced with a newly designed lever at no charge.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 May 1981.

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

The NHTSA complaint file has no complaint for this model year.

Investigations

The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.

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.

19772
19782
19791
19804
19814
19823
19831
19841
19860
19870
19880
19890
19900
19910
19920
19930
19950
19960
19970
19980
19990
20010
20020
20030

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 1981 Subaru SubaruThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1981 Subaru Subaru: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/subaru/subaru/1981/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
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 1981 Subaru Subaru?: 399,905 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 Subaru have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the Subaru Subaru, model years 1977 to 2003. 4 of them name the 1981 model year.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1981 Subaru Subaru open?: The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.