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Service bulletins for the 2016 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.

455 on file from NHTSA, as of 2026-10-19.

By type

By component

By trouble code

Only bulletins with component: Body and frame are shown. Show all

Bulletins, newest first
13-108-252025-09-02. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY. This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up.
12-223-172021-02-18. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE. This bulletin provides a procedure for replacement of the black foam rubber insulating cushions for the roof spoiler.
12-289-20R2020-11-05. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES. 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 Announ2020-11-05. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE; EQUIPMENT; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES. We recently informed retailers and customers of an extension to the New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 2014-2018 Forester Rear Gate Stays.
12-289-202020-09-04. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE. 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).
12-284-202020-04-03. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES; STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR. This bulletin announces availability of new interior door handles which will address isolated concerns of the chrome finish peeling.
05-69-192019-08-06. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE; SUSPENSION. 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.
02-182-192019-07-01. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE; EQUIPMENT. 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.
07-154-192019-07-01. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE; EQUIPMENT. 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.
12-251-182018-12-10. Service bulletin. LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES; STRUCTURE:BODY. This bulletin provides a service procedure to address a gap between the top edge of the door and the instrument panel on the models listed as shown in the photo below. The gap may also make the glove box door difficult to close fully.There is a latch to keep the glove box closed on both sides of the glove box door. If the door is closed without using enough force to engage both latches or by pushing it shut on just one side instead of in the middle, one may close and not the other. Over time, if the door is not fully closed with both latches, high cabin temperatures along with weight of the items inside the glove box may cause the assembly to deform slightly and a gap to develop.
12-251-182018-12-10. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL; STRUCTURE:BODY; STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS. This bulletin provides a service procedure to address a gap between the top edge of the door and the instrument panel on the models listed as shown in the photo below. The gap may also make the glove box door difficult to close fully.There is a latch to keep the glove box closed on both sides of the glove box door. If the door is closed without using enough force to engage both latches or by pushing it shut on just one side instead of in the middle, one may close and not the other. Over time, if the door is not fully closed with both latches, high cabin temperatures along with weight of the items inside the glove box may cause the assembly to deform slightly and a gap to develop.
12-204-16R2018-10-01. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE; SUSPENSION. 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.
12-231-18R2018-06-11. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; STRUCTURE; STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS. This bulletin announces a design change to the air vent grille located in the lower portion of the trunk (or cargo) area. The shutters of the vent grille are designed to open briefly and relieve cabin pressure when the doors are shut with the windows fully closed. The vent grilles have rubber ?shutters? which occasionally, may catch on the frame (case) portion and not close properly allowing outside air / odor to enter the cabin.
12-231-182018-03-13. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY. ( 2017-2018MY Impreza - 5 Dr Only)
07-130-182018-03-13. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT. This bulletin describes a design change to the center bracket component of the window regulator assembly. The change was made to address customer concerns of the front door glass shuddering while opening or closing. Moisture accumulation in the run channels can cause a stick-slip / vibration condition as the glass goes up and down resulting in the shudder.
12-204-16R2017-08-14. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS; STRUCTURE. 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.
12-195-152017-03-08. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR; VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR. SHOULD YOU RECEIVE A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF VIBRATION OR LOOSENESS IN EITHER OF THE DOOR MIRRORS, A DESIGN CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE 3 MIRROR HEAD MOUNTING HOLES IN THE MOUNTING BASE. IN ADDITION, A NEW RETAINING BOLT AND TIGHTENING TORQUE SPECIFICATION ARE NOW USED TO SECURE THE MIRROR HEAD TO THE MOUNTING BASE. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE FOR REPAIRING THE EXISTING MIRROR ASSEMBLY BY REPLACING THE THREE MOUNTING SCREWS WITH UPDATED FASTENERS. NOTE: REFER TO TSB 12-152-13 DATED 6/17/2013 FOR RELATED INFORMATION ON BRZ MODELS.

The summaries are NHTSA's. Each bulletin's page links NHTSA's copy of the manufacturer's document.