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Service bulletin 12-202-16

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 id10111090
Published by NHTSA2017-08-14
Manufacturer's number12-202-16
Manufacturer's date2016-07-13
NHTSA componentSTRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE; STRUCTURE

NHTSA's summary

TSB: Rear Gate and Rear Gate Buffer Information. This bulletin describes a design change to the rear gate panel eliminating the plugs previously installed in the lower outer corner water drain holes. As a result of this change, there has been a change made to the rear gate buffers as described in the Service Procedure section below.

The document

The document is the manufacturer's. This site does not hold it. NHTSA files a document at one of these two addresses; we have not asked NHTSA which.

Components

Body and frame

Vehicles listed
SUBARU OUTBACK2015

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
13-108-252025-09-02. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
1080142023-04-24. Service bulletin. Whistling Sound from Side Dash Vents
12176142023-03-20. Service bulletin. Service Procedure to Address a Wind Rushing Sound from the Front Door Sash Area
12-192-15R2021-03-04. Service bulletin. Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) Quality Assurance has identified an increase in the number of cracked windshields on some 2015 and 2016MY Legacy and Outback models. SOA has now further extended the warranty to 8 years / unlimited miles.
12-246-18R2019-08-06. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides a procedure for diagnosing and repairing customer concerns of a “popping” or “snapping” -type sound heard when opening the sunroof. The sound may occur when the rear portion of the glass lid weatherstrip contacts or catches the roof frame when the sunroof is opened.
12-246-182018-08-20. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides a procedure for diagnosing and repairing customer concerns of a "popping" or "snapping" -type sound heard when opening the sunroof. The sound may occur when the rear portion of the glass lid weatherstrip contacts or catches the roof frame when the sunroof is opened.
15-212-172018-04-02. Service bulletin. ALL OUTBACKS AND 5-DOOR IMPREZA MODELS ONLY. This bulletin announces a design change of the tonneau cover assembly to address customer concerns of the handle portion coming loose. The handle has been changed to optimize retention and made available as a service part separate from the tonneau cover.
07-127-182018-03-13. Service bulletin. This bulletin announces a design change to the power rear gate (PRG) rod. The new rod will address isolated cases of one end of the rod coming off the ball stud just as the latch releases and the gate starts to open / move.
12-219-172017-08-14. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides new part information and an identification procedure to address a small number of vehicles identified with a sticking secondary hood latch mechanism. The hood latch mechanism is exposed to foreign materials during normal use which can accumulate and cause the secondary portion to not operate properly. The spring-loaded secondary latch is manually released (after pulling the inside hood release lever to operate the primary latch mechanism) by the operator to open the hood. If faulty, the spring may not have enough force to return the lever back to its original position while the hood is open. Once the hood is closed, the secondary latch is forced into the closed position by design.
12-218-172017-08-14. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides supplemental information and an inspection point to use when diagnosing a wind rushing sound concern that persists on vehicles: * past the production change provided in TSB 12-176-14R, dated 10/28/2015 or * which have already had the repairs outlined in TSB 12-176-14R performed and the concern persists from the front door(s). PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION: The latest production changes were implemented during September, 2015 starting with the following VINS: G3014581 (LEGACY) and G3230683 (OUTBACK).