Service bulletins for the 2012 Subaru Forester
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.
388 on file from NHTSA, as of 2026-10-19.
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Only bulletins with component: Engine are shown. Show all
| 02-157-14R | 2017-03-08. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT; ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLES CONFIRMED AS HAVING THIS CONDITION WHICH ARE WITHIN THE SUPPLIED VIN RANGES WILL NO LONGER BE REPAIRED WITH PISTON RING REPLACEMENT. THE REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS VERIFIED UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION CONCERNS ON THESE SPECIFIC VEHICLES WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY. |
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| 02-131-12R | 2017-03-08. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; ENGINE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF OIL SEEPAGE WHICH MAY BE COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER, FRONT CAMSHAFT CAP, CAMSHAFT CARRIER AND / OR UPPER OIL PAN. |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-03-07. Service bulletin. ENGINE; EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS |
| 11-126-12 | 2017-03-07. Service bulletin. ENGINE. DTC P0456 REPROGRAMMING FILE AVAILABILITY |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-03-06. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLES CONFIRMED AS HAVING THIS CONDITION WHICH ARE WITHIN THE SUPPLIED VIN RANGES WILL NO LONGER BE REPAIRED WITH PISTON RING REPLACEMENT. THE REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS VERIFIED UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION CONCERNS ON THESE SPECIFIC VEHICLES WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY. |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-03-06. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLES CONFIRMED AS HAVING THIS CONDITION WHICH ARE WITHIN THE SUPPLIED VIN RANGES WILL NO LONGER BE REPAIRED WITH PISTON RING REPLACEMENT. THE REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS VERIFIED UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION CONCERNS ON THESE SPECIFIC VEHICLES WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY. |
| 11-135-13 | 2017-03-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ECM REPROGRAMMING FILES TO ADDRESS A FALSE CEL/MIL ILLUMINATION AND SETTING OF DTC P050A. THIS DTC CAN RESULT FROM SPECIFIC CLUTCH OPERATION (ON MT MODELS) AND / OR DRIVING PATTERNS OCCURRING IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. |
| 02-131-12R | 2017-02-28. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF OIL SEEPAGE WHICH MAY BE COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER, FRONT CAMSHAFT CAP, CAMSHAFT CARRIER AND / OR UPPER OIL PAN. |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-02-27. Service bulletin. ENGINE. "THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLES CONFIRMED AS HAVING THIS CONDITION WHICH ARE WITHIN THE SUPPLIED VIN RANGES WILL NO LONGER BE REPAIRED WITH PISTON RING REPLACEMENT. THE REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS VERIFIED UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION CONCERNS ON THESE SPECIFIC VEHICLES WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY." |
| 02-162-15 | 2017-02-27. Service bulletin. ENGINE. "THIS SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN ANNOUNCES A DESIGN CHANGE TO THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH ASSEMBLY. NICKEL PLATING HAS BEEN APPLIED TO THE INTERNAL SWITCH CONTACTS TO ENHANCE THEIR DURABILITY AND REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF POOR CONTACT WHICH COULD AFFECT OPERATION OR CAUSE IMPROPER ILLUMINATION OF THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LAMP. A SMALL PILOT PORTION WAS ADDED TO THE THREADED AREA ON P.N. 25240KA051 AS SHOWN IN THE ILLUSTRATION BELOW." |
| 07-96-15 | 2017-02-22. Service bulletin. ENGINE. "THIS SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN REVIEWS A DESIGN CHANGE TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS TO ELIMINATE IMPROPER DIAGNOSIS OF THE EVAPORATIVE LEAK CHECK MODULE (ELCM) BY THE ECM WHICH COULD SET DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0451 IN ERROR. SOME EXAMPLES OF OTHER DTCS AFFECTED BY THIS HARNESS CHANGE ARE: P0068, P0452, P0453, P0107, P0108 AND P0300. THE CHANGE INVOLVES A REPOSITIONING OF THE SENSOR AND ACTUATOR WIRING GROUND JUNCTION POINT TO A LOCATION UNAFFECTED BY ENGINE MOVEMENT AND HIGH TEMPERATURES (NEAR TURBOCHARGER) WHICH MAY DEVELOP EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE. SINCE THIS CONDITION DEVELOPS OVER TIME, DTC(S) MAY SET VERY INTERMITTENTLY WITH LONG PERIODS OF TIME BETWEEN OCCURRENCES. A MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF ANY OF THESE DTC(S) MAY INDICATE A DIFFERENT ROOT CAUSE OTHER THAN THE CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THIS BULLETIN." |
| 02-131-12R | 2017-02-22. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF OIL SEEPAGE WHICH MAY BE COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER, FRONT CAMSHAFT CAP, CAMSHAFT CARRIER AND / OR UPPER OIL PAN. |
| 11-133-13 | 2017-02-17. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ECM REPROGRAMMING FILES TO ADDRESS A POSSIBLE EXTENDED ENGINE CRANKING CONDITION CAUSED BY CAMSHAFT POSITIONING AT THE TIME THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-02-16. Service bulletin. ENGINE. "THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLES CONFIRMED AS HAVING THIS CONDITION WHICH ARE WITHIN THE SUPPLIED VIN RANGES WILL NO LONGER BE REPAIRED WITH PISTON RING REPLACEMENT. THE REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE TO ADDRESS VERIFIED UNUSUAL OIL CONSUMPTION CONCERNS ON THESE SPECIFIC VEHICLES WILL CONSIST OF REPLACING THE ENGINE SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY." |
| 02-157-14R | 2017-02-07. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES INFORMATION REGARDING A MAJOR CHANGE TO THE REPAIR PROCEDURES PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 02-143-13R, 02-144-13R AND 02-145-13R. THESE BULLETINS PROVIDED A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PISTON RINGS TO ADDRESS VERIFIED CONCERNS OF UNUSUAL ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PURPOSE OF REVISING THIS BULLETIN IS TO CORRECT THE TRANSMISSION TYPE. |
| 11-153-15R | 2017-02-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF REPROGRAMMING FILES TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF EXTENDED CRANKING TIME BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS. |
| 11-130-13R | 2017-02-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION-RELATED AND/OR ENGINE MISFIRE DTCS FOR THE FA AND FB ENGINE-EQUIPPED MODELS LISTED ABOVE. THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CPS) CLEARANCE MAY BE OUT OF SPECIFICATION CAUSING THESE CONDITION(S) AND ONE OR MORE OF THE DTCS LISTED ABOVE TO SET. IN ADDITION TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF ROUGH IDLE, EXTENDED CRANKING OR NO START. |
| 02-144-13R | 2017-02-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS - THE CHANGE WAS MADE AS A RESULT OF SOME LIMITED FINDINGS OF UNANTICIPATED WEAR OF THESE RINGS. |
| 02-147-13R | 2017-02-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS - THE CHANGE WAS MADE AS A RESULT OF SOME LIMITED FINDINGS OF UNANTICIPATED WEAR OF THESE RINGS. |
| 11-130-13R | 2017-01-31. Service bulletin. ENGINE. "DIFFICULTY STARTING, ROUGH IDLE, CAM POSITION OR MISFIRE DTCS P0340, P0341, P0345, P0346, P0365, P0366, P0390, P0391, P0301, P0302, P0303 OR P0304 - THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION-RELATED AND/OR ENGINE MISFIRE DTCS FOR THE FA AND FB ENGINE-EQUIPPED MODELS LISTED ABOVE." |
| 11-130-13R | 2017-01-03. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL; ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION-RELATED AND/OR ENGINE MISFIRE DTCS FOR THE FA AND FB ENGINE-EQUIPPED MODELS LISTED ABOVE. THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CPS) CLEARANCE MAY BE OUT OF SPECIFICATION CAUSING THESE CONDITION(S) AND ONE OR MORE OF THE DTCS LISTED ABOVE TO SET. IN ADDITION TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF ROUGH IDLE, EXTENDED CRANKING OR NO START. |
| 02-144-13R | 2016-12-29. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS - THE CHANGE WAS MADE AS A RESULT OF SOME LIMITED FINDINGS OF UNANTICIPATED WEAR OF THESE RINGS. |
| 02-147-13R | 2016-12-29. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SURFACE TREATMENT CHANGE TO OIL CONTROL PISTON RINGS - THE CHANGE WAS MADE AS A RESULT OF SOME LIMITED FINDINGS OF UNANTICIPATED WEAR OF THESE RINGS. |
| 11-130-13 | 2016-11-22. Service bulletin. ENGINE. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION-RELATED AND/OR ENGINE MISFIRE DTCS FOR THE FA AND FB ENGINE-EQUIPPED MODELS LISTED ABOVE. THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CPS) CLEARANCE MAY BE OUT OF SPECIFICATION CAUSING THESE CONDITION(S) AND ONE OR MORE OF THE DTCS LISTED ABOVE TO SET. IN ADDITION TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF ROUGH IDLE, EXTENDED CRANKING OR NO START. |
| 02-155-14 | 2016-11-21. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS. THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF A REVISED REPLACEMENT AIR INTAKE DUCT FOR THE TURBOCHARGED VEHICLES SPECIFIED. |
The summaries are NHTSA's. Each bulletin's page links NHTSA's copy of the manufacturer's document.