August 2013
Subaru Service and
Technical Support Line Newsletter

HELPING TO ACHIEVE THE PREMIUM SERVICE EXPERIENCE
ARTICLES CONTAINED
IN THIS ISSUE

01

2013 NATIONAL TECHNICIAN COMPETITION

CODE ARTICLE..................................PAGE
(01) 2013 National Technician
Competition........................01
(01) QMR of the Month................ 04
(01) Quality Monitoring Reports ... 04
(07) 2014 Forester, L/F Door Power
Window Auto-Up & Auto Down
Operation Information...........05
(08) 2014 Forester Multi-Function
Display Maintenance
Messages...........................10
(09) New Fuel with up to 15% Ethanol
a Reminder ....................... 04
(11) Repeat P0420 Diagnostic Trouble
Code on Higher Mileage Vehicles..08
(14)
Subaru Select Monitor III Unit of
Measurement......................09
(15) Fujitsu-Ten (F-10) Audio/
Navigation Units - No Power or
Display..............................06

The 2013 Subaru National Technician Competition was conducted in the
Subaru Service Engineering Center on July 26th and 27th in Cherry Hill,
New Jersey.
13 Subaru Zone Champions put their skills to the test as they competed
for bragging rights of “Top Gun” and the “2013 Subaru National
Technician Champion”.

The competition was fast paced and the final results
were very close, however, only one can be “Top Gun”.
Here are your top 3 finishers:

THE

1st Place

1st Runner Up/Alternative

Jason Sherrill

Mark Jurkovski

Wyoming Valley Subaru,
Kingston, PA
Philadelphia Zone

Morrie’s Subaru,
Minnetonka, MN
Minneapolis Zone

2nd Runner Up Ace

CAUTION: VEHICLE SERVICING PERFORMED BY UNTRAINED PERSONS
COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THOSE PERSONS OR TO OTHERS.

SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. IS
“ISO 14001 COMPLIANT”

The Subaru TechTIPS newsletter is intended for use by professional technicians ONLY. Articles
are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur in some vehicles, or to
provide information that could assist in the proper servicing of the vehicle. Properly trained
technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do the job correctly
and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that your vehicle has or will have that
condition. Impreza, Legacy, Justy, Loyale, Outback, Forester, Subaru SVX, WRX, WRX STI,
L.L. Bean, Baja, Tribeca, BRZ, XV Crosstrek and “Quality Driven” are Registered Trademarks.

The international standard for excellence
in Environmental Management Systems.
Please recycle or dispose of automotive
products in a manner that is friendly to our
environment and in accordance with all
local, state and federal laws and regulations.

August 2013 TechTIPS

Bret Carter

AutoNation Subaru West,
Golden, CO
Denver Zone

Page 1

01

2013 NATIONAL TECHNICIAN COMPETITION (CONTINUED)

The competition consisted of 5 events:
Written exam
The written exam consisted of 60 questions testing each contestant on their Subaru knowledge.
First engine start
Three problems were placed into each vehicle. The first condition prevented the starter from operating;
an open circuit in the starter relay coil was the issue. The second problem was a missing wire from the
fuel pump relay connector. The third issue was a malfunctioning air flow meter.
Body Mechanical and Electrical
Three problems were also placed into this portion of the event. A customer concern of “My trunk will
not open” represented two problems. A BIU programmed to Station Wagon mode prevented the trunk
open switch from operating, and a disconnected mechanical cable from the key cylinder to the trunk
actuator was the second problem. A loose floor mat was the third issue.
Precision measurement
This event tested each contestant’s skill at measuring for the correct shift fork for 3rd and 4th gear in
a 6 speed manual transmission. Final calculations must be within 0.3 millimeters of the pre-measured
clearance checked by the judging team.
Electrical circuit design and measurement
An explanation of a circuit was given to each contestant asking them to draw out the wiring schematic
that provided the High Speed CAN one state. A series of voltage dividing circuits must be included.
The circuit had to constructed, from supplied parts given to each contestant before the beginning of
the event.

Front Row- left to right: Jeffrey Sparrow of Mastro Subaru; Mark Jurkovski of Morrie’s Subaru; Matthew Bahr of Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru;
Daniel Overfield of Yark Subaru; John Michael Hollingsworth Jr. of Subaru of Kennesaw; and Jason Sherrill of Wyoming Valley
Subaru.
Back row- left to right: Jeremy DeGroodt of Capitol Subaru; Greg Sampley of Maple Hill Subaru; Jason Ewing of North Park Subaru;
Gregory Knothe of Rancho Grande Subaru; Bret Carter of AutoNation Subaru West; Danny Squires of Carr Subaru and William Wright
of Pence Subaru.

August 2013 TechTIPS

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01

2013 NATIONAL TECHNICIAN COMPETITION (CONTINUED)

Thirteen 2014 Legacy vehicles were prepared with identical conditions, each Technician was given
identical tools, and the entire event was witnessed by a shop full of Subaru employees.
Jason Sherrill will be traveling to Japan to compete against 14 other Technicians from around the world
in the Subaru World Technician Competition this fall. Jason will be accompanied by James Riedel,
Field Service Training Manager of Rockville Maryland.

August 2013 TechTIPS

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01

QMR OF THE MONTH

We are pleased to announce this month’s winner of the QMR of the Month.

Charles Brady

Prestige Subaru in Asheville, NC

Charles submitted a very detailed QMR reviewing his repair of a ticking sound from left side B-pillar trim
as a result of panel to panel contact. In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience
with us, Charles will be receiving the following from his FSE:

A Subaru Confidence In Motion Jacket

&

A $100 Gift Card

Congratulations Charles!
Any Subaru Service Technician can participate in QMR of the Month. See the February 2013 Tech Tips
for full details. You may see your name here in a future Tech Tips.

09

NEW FUEL WITH UP TO 15% ETHANOL A REMINDER
Effective June 2012, EPA approved a limited number of ethanol fuel and
fuel additive manufacturers to sell E15. (E15 is a blend of gasoline and up
to 15% volume ethanol.) It currently has limited distribution by ethanol fuel
provider stations in the mid-west states of South Dakota, Kansas, Iowa,
Illinois, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. In addition the State of Missouri is
considering allowing the use of gasoline with 15% ethanol. Major brand
fuel suppliers do not plan to sell E-15. For other states that restrict the sale
of certain gasoline-ethanol blends, E15 may not be sold without changes
to the law.

Our 2001 model year and newer Subaru owner’s manuals state that the gasoline blends “should contain
no more than 10% ethanol for the proper operation of your SUBARU.” We continue to adhere to this
usage policy. Additionally, as stated in the applicable model year owner manuals, “Fuel system damage
or drivability problems which result from the use of improper fuel are not covered under the SUBARU
Limited Warranty”.
The EPA regulations require all E15 fuel dispensers to have a label, shown above.

01

QUALITY MONITORING REPORTS

QMRs related to campaigns or recalls should only be submitted when there are unique or unusual
circumstances found during the course of the repair. QMR submissions indicating the completion of a
campaign or recall are unnecessary.
August 2013 TechTIPS

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07

2014 FORESTER, L/F DOOR POWER WINDOW AUTO-UP & AUTO DOWN OPERATION INFORMATION

If you receive a customer concern of the driver’s door power window becoming inoperative, be sure
to rule out these scenarios before ordering or replacing any parts. The condition may be operatorinduced and the power window system is operating as designed based on the “AUTO” switch
input. This condition is more likely to occur when ambient temperatures are higher during the warm
weather months.

(Push DOWN)
• If the operator pushes and continues to hold down the window switch to use the auto-down feature
(as shown above) after the window is fully open, a circuit breaker function in the window motor
will operate to protect it from overload. After releasing the switch, the breaker will reset in 10-15
seconds and normal operation will be restored.

(Pull UP)
• If the operator pulls and continues to pull up the window switch to use the auto-up feature (as
shown above) after the window is fully closed, the circuit breaker will also operate but the following
reset procedure will need to be done before normal window operation can be restored:
1. After the breaker resets in about 10-15 seconds, push the switch down to open the window
about halfway.
2. Pull the switch up to close the window fully in steps (it will only close about 2” each time the
switch is operated).
3. Once the window is fully closed, pull up and hold the switch again for 1 second to complete
the procedure.
If normal operation is not restored, the switch was most likely held up during the last step for more
than the specified 1 second. Repeat the 3-step procedure above.

August 2013 TechTIPS

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15

FUJITSU-TEN (F-10) AUDIO / NAVIGATION UNITS – NO POWER OR DISPLAY

If you receive a customer concern of no power or a blank display screen after turning on the audio /
navigation unit, verify the proper SD card is installed in the unit as your first step in diagnosis. The
SD cards used in these units are highly specialized for each specific model vehicle and are NOT
interchangeable.
REMINDER: Always follow the proper procedure for removing the SD card from the audio /
navigation unit. Failure to follow the proper procedure can damage both the SD card memory and
the unit’s internal memory. This type of damage is not a matter for warranty.
The charts below will provide the most updated SD card part number information available for each
model, 2012MY to current.

Continued...
August 2013 TechTIPS

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15

FUJITSU-TEN (F-10) AUDIO / NAVIGATION UNITS – NO POWER OR DISPLAY (CONTINUED)

August 2013 TechTIPS

Page 7

11

REPEAT P0420 DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE ON HIGHER MILEAGE VEHICLES

If you encounter a higher mileage vehicle with DTC P0420 which has had repeated catalytic
converter replacements in a short period of time, while a faulty converter may be the cause of the
P0420 and testing show that converter is faulty, odds are the failed converter is the “effect” and not
the root “cause” of the problem.
A catalytic converter life span can be directly correlated to a properly running engine. Misfires and
other drivability conditions can reduce a catalytic converter life span dramatically depending on the
type of issue.
Don’t overlook the basics on high mileage vehicles. Compression, leak down and especially valve
clearance measurements on all cylinders should be done to check the health of the base engine
before replacing parts.
If you run into this condition, you may find valve clearances out of specification due to “dropped”
exhaust valve guides. This may not cause a noticeable running condition, but can create
intermittent misfire issues and in some cases, valves to stick. What is most detrimental to the
converter’s life span when valve guides drop is oil leaking past the valve seals into the valve guides,
onto the back of the valves and eventually ending up inside the catalyst.
For more information or a refresher on catalytic converter function and testing, please refer to the
Technician Reference Booklet for Module 405, Basic Fuel and Emissions.

Normal

August 2013 TechTIPS

Dropped

Page 8

14

SUBARU SELECT MONITOR III UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

In order to change the readings on the Subaru Select Monitor III for units of measure such as psi, inHG,
kPa, mmHG, you must check the F10 soft key to see if you are in SI mode or Non-SI mode. When
the F10 soft key displays SI mode, that is when the Select Monitor III is in Non-SI mode and that is
when you can change the units of measurement. When you press the F10 key, SI mode is enabled and
changes the soft key label to display Non-SI mode and also locks the units of measurement to SI.

Non-SI mode, pressure manually changed to inHg

Non-SI mode, pressure manually changed to psi

SI mode, pressure fixed in kPa
August 2013 TechTIPS

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08

2014 FORESTER MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY MAINTENANCE MESSAGES

On 2014 Model Year Foresters equipped with a multi-function display; there is a maintenance
schedule setting that is set at the factory to alert the driver when it is time to have various items
checked. This default setting is set at 7,000 miles. When this interval is reached, the driver will begin
to see messages appear which read as follows:
• Check washer fluid level (only when level is low)
• Time to change the engine oil
• Time to change the oil filter
• Time to check the tires
• Maintenance is required immediately
After the vehicle is serviced, either the Technician or the owner has to reset the schedule for these
message reminders otherwise, the owner will see the reminder again soon after the service was
performed. To reset the reminder, pull and hold the “I set” switch on the steering wheel toward you
until the selection screen appears. Then you can use the arrow up/down switch to scroll to the
maintenance menu and select the desired item(s) using the “I set” switch.
First, select “Maintenance” then from the next layer of the menu, choose “Clear All Settings”. You
will be prompted to verify your input in the next screen so, you must select “Yes”. A message of
“Maintenance all items settings is eliminated” will then be displayed and the reset is accomplished.
This will reset all maintenance intervals in Oil, Oil Filter, Tires and Maintenance to 7,000 miles. The
mileage interval can be manually changed by increments of 1,000 miles and the dates of the next
inspection can also be set in each item individually if desired. (Default for the date is set to blank).
Please note, any dates entered will be erased when “Clear all settings” has been executed. If the
owner does not want any of the warning messages to be displayed, you can turn off the default setting
using the same switches and menus. For reference, all of this information can be found in the owner’s
manual, section 3 beginning on page 66.

August 2013 TechTIPS

Page 10

00

2013 Calendar of
Subaru Holidays

STIS RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 07/08/2013 TO 07/31/2013

07-76-13R; Technical Service
Bulletin, Initialization Procedure for
Power Rear Gate (PRG) System
H701SFJ000; Accessory
Installation Guide, Impreza,
XV Crosstrek, Forester Interior
Illumination Kit (Blue)
SUTTIPSLOC; Other /
Miscellaneous, TechTIPS Article
Locator Index (Updated 07-2013)

06-43-12R; Technical Service
Bulletin, ETC (Electronic Toll
Collection) Device Mounting
Guidelines
H001SFJ800; Accessory
Installation Guide, Remote Engine
Starter (push-start ignition models)
MSA5M1413A ; Owner’s Manual,
2014 Impreza Owner’s Manual

Labor Day
Monday, September 2, 2013
Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Black Friday
Friday, November 29, 2013
Christmas Eve
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas Day
Wednesday, December 25, 2013

*** NOW YOU CAN E-MAIL YOUR TECHTIPS INPUT AND SUGGESTIONS TO: TECH@SUBARU.COM ***

This is your chance to offer suggestions for use in future issues of TechTIPS! Make sure that if you
e-mail us, you place in the subject line of your e-mail “For TechTIPS Newsletter”. Thank you!
MODEL:
YEAR:
VIN:
Description of situation encountered:

Your suggestion for repair procedure, product improvements, etc.:

Please attach separate sheets, if necessary. You may also want to include Service Manual diagrams or references, or
your own drawings to assist in describing your suggestion. All information submitted becomes the property of Subaru of
America, Inc. Permission is granted to Subaru of America, Inc. to print your name and suggestions in TechTIPS and other
Subaru of America, Inc. publications. Mail items to: PO Box 6000, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000.

Your Name: Signature:
Dealer’s Name: City:
Date: Dealer Code:

SUBARU TECHLINE
Hours of Operation

August 2013 TechTIPS

Monday – Thursday 8:30am to 6:30pm
Friday 10:30am to 5pm
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