Subaru is recalling 541,237 vehicles in the U.S. because a mislabeled weight-rating sticker could lead owners to overload their own SUV without realizing it, according to the automaker’s recall filing with NHTSA. The recall covers the 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, the 2025-2026 Forester and Forester Hybrid, and the 2019-2026 Ascent — and the fix is free.

Key Points

• 541,237 vehicles are affected across four Subaru nameplates.
• The defect is an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) label on the rear axle safety certification sticker.
• An incorrect GAWR “may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash,” per federal regulators.
• Subaru will mail owners a corrected sticker at no cost, or dealers will install one for free.
• No crashes or injuries have been reported in connection with the mislabeling.

What’s Affected

• 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
• 2025-2026 Subaru Forester and Forester Hybrid
• 2019-2026 Subaru Ascent

Why a sticker error is a real safety issue

The Gross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum load a vehicle’s axle system is engineered to carry safely — it’s the number that tells an owner how much cargo, passengers and trailer tongue weight the SUV can handle before its suspension, brakes and tires are pushed past their design limits. When that number is printed wrong on the door-jamb certification label, an owner following the sticker in good faith could load the vehicle beyond what it can safely carry without ever knowing it, according to CBS News’s coverage of the recall filing. An overloaded SUV handles differently under braking and in turns, and NHTSA’s own language ties the defect directly to increased crash risk.

What Owners Should Do

• Subaru began mailing notification letters and corrected stickers to owners on August 25, 2026.
• Owners can apply the corrected label themselves over the incorrect one, or bring the vehicle to an authorized Subaru dealer for free installation.
• Check recall status by VIN at NHTSA.gov or by calling 1-888-327-4236.
• Subaru customer service can be reached directly at 1-844-373-6614.

The recall is logged with NHTSA under campaign number 26V436000 (Subaru’s internal number WRH-26), and Fox Business separately confirmed the same population and label defect in its own review of the filing. It’s a straightforward paperwork fix rather than a mechanical repair, but it’s the kind of recall worth acting on quickly if you regularly load up a Forester or Ascent for road trips, camping gear or a loaded roof box — knowing the real limit matters more than the sticker looking official.