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Service bulletin 12-249-18

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 id10144880
Published by NHTSA2018-10-01
Manufacturer's number12-249-18
Manufacturer's date2018-08-15
NHTSA componentSTRUCTURE

NHTSA's summary

This Service Information bulletin advises of a design change made to the rear body panel. This panel is located between the trunk and the rear glass and incorporates the package shelf. It has been re-designed with convex surfaces added to prevent items going into or out of the trunk from being scratched or caught by the rear edges of the reinforcement panels.

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 LEGACY2015, 2016, 2017

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

Recalls for the same vehicles and component
20164872016-10-06. Structure

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
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.
12-248-182018-10-01. Service bulletin. This Service Information bulletin announces a change made to the trunk hinge mounting bolts. The threaded end of the new flange bolts has been changed to a round type instead of square to prevent getting caught on items as they are loaded into and out of the trunk.
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.
12-230-172018-04-02. Service bulletin. This Service Information bulletin provides precautions to use when installing the trunk garnish panel located between the combination lamps. If the garnish is not installed properly, the small rubber protector(s) at the bottom edges of the garnish may become displaced and possibly allow the panel to contact / scratch the painted surface of the trunk. Over time, the finish may abrade through to bare metal and potentially allow rust to develop.
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).