# Service bulletin 12\-204\-16R

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.

- Type: Service bulletin
- NHTSA id: 10145073
- Published by NHTSA: 2018\-10\-01
- Manufacturer's number: 12\-204\-16R
- Manufacturer's date: 2018\-08\-24
- NHTSA component: STRUCTURE; SUSPENSION

## NHTSA's summary

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.

## The document

- [NHTSA's copy of the document (PDF)](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10145073-9999.pdf)
- [If that address does not open, try this one](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10145073-0001.pdf)

The document is the manufacturer's. This site does not hold it.

## Components

Body and frame, Suspension

## Vehicles listed

- 2014 to 2018 SUBARU FORESTER

## Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component

- [13\-108\-25](/bulletins/11022304.md), 2025-09-02, Service bulletin: STRUCTURE:BODY. This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
- [WQQ\-52R](/bulletins/11016210.md), 2025-04-01, Service bulletin: SUSPENSION. Due to incomplete repair instructions previously provided in the WQK\-47 recall bulletin, the WQQ\-52 recall will involve applying additional anti\-corrosion material to the four\-way \(2\-2 way\) joint connector area of the brake line system on Forester, Impreza, WRX, and STI vehicles previously repaired under the WQK\-47 \(14V\-311\) brake line corrosion recall prior to the December 23, 2014 WQK\-47 recall bulletin revision. The revisions to the bulletin are for part number changes.
- [03\-94\-24](/bulletins/11008259.md), 2024-10-02, Service bulletin: SUSPENSION. This bulletin outlines the judgment criteria to be used when inspecting front transverse link bushings to reduce unnecessary bushing replacement.
- [05\-91\-24](/bulletins/11005593.md), 2024-08-05, Service bulletin: SUSPENSION. This Bulletin provides guidance for diagnosing a leaking front or rear suspension strut.
- [12\-251\-23](/bulletins/10246093.md), 2023-12-05, Service bulletin: STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. This bulletin announces the initialization service procedures to be followed when diagnosing and/or repairing Power Rear Gate \(PRG\) systems.
- [05\-62\-18R](/bulletins/10237291.md), 2023-06-05, Service bulletin: SUSPENSION. This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top center retaining nut area of the front strut mounts.
- [1217514](/bulletins/10235927.md), 2023-05-08, Service bulletin: VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS; STRUCTURE. Design Change to Rear Door Power Window Regulator
- [1217414](/bulletins/10235926.md), 2023-05-08, Service bulletin: EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE. Instrument Panel Side Vents Coming Loose
- [1217314R](/bulletins/10235925.md), 2023-05-08, Service bulletin: STRUCTURE; EQUIPMENT. Stain Removal from the Headliner
- [1217314](/bulletins/10235924.md), 2023-05-08, Service bulletin: STRUCTURE; EQUIPMENT. Stain Removal from the Headliner

JSON: [/v1/bulletins/10145073](/v1/bulletins/10145073)

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