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Service bulletin WQD-40

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

The communication, as NHTSA indexes it (as of 2026-10-19)
TypeService bulletin
NHTSA id10051640
Published by NHTSA2013-03-26
Manufacturer's numberWQD-40
Manufacturer's date2013-01-01
NHTSA componentENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

NHTSA's summary

SUBARU: OVER TIME, FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY DEGRADES BEYOND AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL AND RELEASES AIR POLLUTANTS THAT REQUIRES THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BE REPLACED AND ECM TO BE REPROGRAMMED. MODELS 2008-2009 LEGACY, OUTBACK, FORESTER. *PE

The document

No address for NHTSA's copy can be built for this communication. Ask the dealer for it by the manufacturer's number.

Components

Engine, Exhaust and emissions, Catalytic converter

Vehicles listed
SUBARU FORESTER2008, 2009
SUBARU LEGACY2008, 2009
SUBARU OUTBACK2008, 2009

Listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned: the document says which.

Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component
WQD402023-05-08. Service bulletin. Subaru of America, Inc. has determined vehicles affected by this Service Program require front catalytic converter replacement and ECM reprogramming.
WQD-402016-09-16. Service bulletin. SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. HAS DETERMINED VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS SERVICE PROGRAM REQUIRE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND ECM REPROGRAMMING. FOR VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS SERVICE PROGRAM, EFFICIENCY OF THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME. IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY DEGRADES BEYOND AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, THE VEHICLE MAY BE RELEASING AIR POLLUTANTS WHICH EXCEED CALIFORNIA STANDARDS. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REPROGRAM THE ECM SOFTWARE LOGIC, IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS SOFTWARE CHANGE WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT FUEL ECONOMY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE.
WQD-40DA2016-09-14. Service bulletin. SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. HAS DETERMINED THAT VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS SERVICE PROGRAM REQUIRE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND ECM REPROGRAMMING. FOR VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS SERVICE PROGRAM, EFFICIENCY OF THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME. IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY DEGRADES BEYOND AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, THE VEHICLE MAY BE RELEASING AIR POLLUTANTS THAT EXCEED CALIFORNIA STANDARDS. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REPROGRAM THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE LOGIC WHICH IMPROVES MANAGEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS SOFTWARE CHANGE WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT FUEL ECONOMY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. REPLACEMENT PARTS AND ECM REPROGRAMMING PAK FILES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL MODELS AT THE TIME THIS SERVICE PROGRAM IS INITIALLY RELEASED. PAK FILES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEDULE FOUND ON PAGE 4 OF THE WQD-40 BULLETIN. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM AFFECTS A HIGH VOLUME OF VEHICLES WITHIN THE AFFECTED STATES, MAILING OF OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTERS WILL BE PHASED ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE. THIS SCHEDULE COINCIDES WITH REPLACEMENT PART AND PAK FILE AVAILABILITY.
SB-WVM-232010-04-07. Service bulletin. SUBARU SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) REPROGRAMMING. UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE DRIVING PATTERNS, SUCH AS HIGH SPEED HIGHWAY/UPHILL DRIVING AND/OR ACCELERATING WITH HIGH ENGINE REVOLUTIONS, THE EFFICIENCY OF AN AFFECTED VEHICLE'S CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY BEGIN TO DEGRADE BEYOND DESIGN PARAMETERS. CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. *PE