Service bulletin 12-227-17

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)
Type	Service bulletin
NHTSA id	10117548
Published by NHTSA	2017-09-14
Manufacturer's number	12-227-17
Manufacturer's date	2017-08-29
NHTSA component	STRUCTURE

NHTSA's summary

This Service Information bulletin announces a design change made to the upper front grille. The two small retaining slide bolts /cap nuts previously used have been eliminated.

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 FORESTER	2018

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
13-108-25	2025-09-02. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
12-251-23	2023-12-05. Service bulletin. This bulletin announces the initialization service procedures to be followed when diagnosing and/or repairing Power Rear Gate (PRG) systems.
12-289-20R	2020-11-05. Service bulletin. In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty for the rear gate stays on the listed models and model years.
Subarunet Announ	2020-11-05. Service bulletin. We recently informed retailers and customers of an extension to the New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 2014-2018 Forester Rear Gate Stays.
12-289-20	2020-09-04. Service bulletin. In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty for the rear gate stays on the listed models and model years. This will apply to Forester models with or without the power rear gate (PRG).
07-173-20	2020-04-02. Service bulletin. This Service Information Bulletin provides insight on how to address a customer concern of the rear hatch, Power Rear Gate (PRG) or trunk release operating (or finding the PRG/trunk open unexpectedly after parking) without a specific input (button press) from the operator.
05-69-19	2019-08-06. Service bulletin. This Service Information Bulletin announces a change made to the rear subframe retaining bolts used on the models listed above. The design changes provide the bolt with an increased durability against rust.
02-182-19	2019-07-01. Service bulletin. This Service Information bulletin announces a design change made to the TGV assemblies used on the Forester Turbo models and WRXs listed above. Condensation resulting from EGR system operation may enter the area between the TGV shaft and bearing. Over time, corrosion can develop and impede movement of the TGV shaft and cause any of the DTCs P2004, 2005, 2006 and /or P2007 to set. The material of the TGV shaft has been changed to stainless steel to optimize corrosion resistance.
07-154-19	2019-07-01. Service bulletin. This Service Information bulletin provides a revised Step to follow when diagnosing a DTC B2513- LATCH CONDITION FAILURE. The number of wiring checks found in Step 9 has been reduced from six to three as shown in the illustration below. The Service Manual will be updated with these revisions in the near future.
12-204-16R	2018-10-01. Service bulletin. This bulletin provides potential source locations and procedures to help isolate areas of the vehicle which may be generating popping, clicking or creaking sounds when the body is in a ?twisting? condition. This can occur while driving on rough, irregular or uneven road surfaces or even during lowspeed maneuvers such as pulling into or backing out of a driveway. Production information and field reports received indicate where multiple layers of the vehicle?s body structure are spot-welded together, primarily in the ?D?-pillar and rear gate opening areas, a ?stick-slip? condition can occur between the layers and cause these types of sounds to occur. Service information has been released previously describing similar conditions which involved accessing and then punching or separating the layers of metal and applying a lubricant to prevent recurrence. Those same techniques may also provide good results on these vehicles too but, in some cases, a Body Shop repair may be required.