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Service bulletin 03-70-12R

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 id10079980
Published by NHTSA2016-09-14
Manufacturer's number03-70-12R
Manufacturer's date2013-01-03
NHTSA componentPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NHTSA's summary

THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES PRODUCTION CHANGE, REPAIR PROCEDURE AND PARTS INFORMATION TO ADDRESS A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF A HIGH-PITCHED SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING AREA. IN COLD TEMPERATURES, THERMAL CONTRACTION CAUSES SHRINKING OF THE TRANSMISSION CASE. IN HIGH TEMPERATURES, EXPANSION OF THE CASE OCCURS. THESE TEMPERATURE CHANGES AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF PRELOAD ON THE TRANSFER DRIVEN SHAFT BEARINGS. IN SOME RARE CASES, WHEN PRELOAD IS VERY NEAR THE LIMIT OF SPECIFICATION COMBINED WITH UNUSUAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THIS THERMALLY-INDUCED PRE-LOAD CHANGE MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BEARINGS AND RESULT IN THE SOUND HEARD BY THE CUSTOMER. A CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE EXTENSION CASE AND A NEW “DISH PLATE” ADDED. THE MACHINING DEPTH OF THE EXTENSION CASE HAS BEEN INCREASED TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW DISH PLATE. WHEN USED ALONG WITH A SELECTIVE THRUST WASHER, THE SPRING TENSION OF THE DISH PLATE HELPS TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT AMOUNT OF PRE-LOAD ON THESE BEARINGS THROUGHOUT VARYING TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS.

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

Transmission and driveline, Automatic transmission

Vehicles listed
SUBARU IMPREZA2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
SUBARU LEGACY2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
SUBARU OUTBACK2000 to 2004
SUBARU OUTBACK2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

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

Recalls for the same vehicles and component
02V2820002002-10-30. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

A recall listed here may apply to some of the same vehicles. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle.

Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component
1692142023-04-24. Service bulletin. Replacement AT Oil Cooler Piping
1691142023-04-24. Service bulletin. Correction to Diagnostics for 5AT-Related DTCs
166399R2023-04-17. Service bulletin. Remanufactured Automatic Transaxle Program
16-102-162017-08-14. Service bulletin. TSB: All Models Equipped with CVT Transmissions. This Service Information bulletin provides a new flow chart and additional diagnostic tools to assist Technicians with troubleshooting DTC P0841- SECONDARY OIL PRESSURE SENSOR PERFORMANCE.
PM022017-03-02. Service bulletin. ADDITIONS TO REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION APPLICATIONS
16-83-122017-02-28. Service bulletin. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THE AVAILABILITY OF UPDATED TCM REPROGRAMMING FILES.
03-67-12R2017-02-28. Service bulletin. SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. HAS EXTENDED THE AVAILABILITY OF REMANUFACTURED CVT TRANSMISSIONS TO INCLUDE CROSSTREK, FORESTER AND IMPREZA APPLICATIONS. PLEASE CHECK APPLICATIONS AND AVAILABILITY THROUGH NORMAL PARTS CHANNELS PRIOR TO MAKING VEHICLE REPAIRS. RETAILERS ARE REQUIRED TO USE A REMANUFACTURED UNIT FOR ALL REPAIRS REIMBURSED BY SUBARU THAT REQUIRE A MAJOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A “NEW” AND “IN-STOCK” VEHICLE.
16-92-142017-02-23. Service bulletin. REPLACEMENT AT OIL COOLER PIPING - THIS BULLETIN WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING A CHANGE TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (AT) FLUID COOLER PIPING AND AN ADDITION TO THE SERVICE PROCEDURE USED DURING THEIR REPLACEMENT.
03-70-12R2017-01-31. Service bulletin. REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR HIGH-PITCHED SOUND FROM EXTENSION HOUSING AREA USING LATEST GENERATION PRODUCTION PARTS - THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES PRODUCTION CHANGE, REPAIR PROCEDURE AND PARTS INFORMATION TO ADDRESS A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF A HIGH-PITCHED SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING AREA.
16-92-142016-05-23. Service bulletin. SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.