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IMPORTANT - All
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SERVICE MANAGER

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SERVICE PROGRAM BULLETIN
APPLICABILITY:

SUBJECT:

NUMBER: WUJ-95

2015-2016MY Legacy 2.5L
2015-2016MY Outback 2.5L

DATE: 02/11/20

Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking

INTRODUCTION:
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a service campaign for certain 2015-2016MY Legacy
and Outback 2.5L models which may experience an exhaust noise and/or odor coming from cracks at
the bellows section of the front exhaust pipe which includes the catalytic converter. A leak occurring
at the front exhaust pipe may result in deterioration of emission performance. As a result, the vehicle
may fail to meet emission levels certified by the EPA and/or California ARB.
AFFECTED VEHICLES:
Vehicles included in this service campaign are 2015-2016 Legacy and Outback 2.5L. This recall will
affect approximately 243,750 vehicles. Coverage for all affected vehicles must be confirmed by using
the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. The affected VINs will be made available
in phases, as the owner notification letters are scheduled for release. Please refer to the ‘Owner
Notification’ section of this bulletin for more information.
Model Year

Carline

Affected Production Dates

2015-2016

Legacy

12/16/2013 - 9/30/2015

2015-2016

Outback

12/09/2013 – 9/30/2015

DESCRIPTION OF THE REPAIR:
Subaru retailers will replace the front exhaust pipe.
RETAILER RESPONSIBILITY:
Retailers are to promptly perform this repair on all affected vehicles in their inventory. Additionally,
whenever a vehicle subject to this service program is taken into inventory or in for service, necessary
steps should be taken to ensure the repairs have been made before selling or releasing the vehicle.

CAUTION: VEHICLE SERVICING PERFORMED BY UNTRAINED PERSONS COULD
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THOSE PERSONS OR TO OTHERS.
Subaru Service Bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians ONLY. They
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 this
Service Bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition.

Subaru of America, Inc. is
ISO 14001 Compliant
ISO 14001 is 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.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUJ-95; Date: 02/11/20

Page 1 of 9

OWNER NOTIFICATION:
Affected vehicle owners will be notified in phases based on their physical location, the emissions
specification of their vehicle (Cal-spec or Fed-spec), and parts production schedules. Listed in the
table below is the current phased mailing plan:
Date

Emissions
specification (spec)

Mailing
Phase

Assigned Retailers’
Facing RDC(s)

Applicable WUJ-95
Kit Part Number

Approximate
Quantity

February 2020

California-spec (PZEV)

PZEV 1

Coppell RDC
Ontario RDC
Portland Lombard RDC

SOA635156

50,000

February 2020

Federal-spec

FED 1

Aurora RDC

SOA635157

16,000

SOA635157

18,000

March 2020

Federal-spec

FED 2

SNE, SDC
Coppell RDC
Ontario RDC
Portland Lombard RDC

April 2020

California-spec (PZEV)

PZEV 2

SNE

SOA635156

27,000

May 2020

California-spec (PZEV)

PZEV 3

SDC

SOA635156

19,000

June 2020

California-spec (PZEV)

PZEV 4

Florence RDC

SOA635156

30,000

July 2020

California-spec (PZEV)

PZEV 5

Aurora RDC
Douglasville RDC
Lebanon RDC

SOA635156

19,000

August 2020

Federal-spec

FED 3

Douglasville RDC
Florence RDC

SOA635157

25,000

September 2020

Federal-spec

FED 4

Lebanon RDC

SOA635157

40,000

This schedule is subject to change based on parts availability.
RETAILER AFFECTED VIN LISTS:
Each Subaru retailer will receive an affected VIN list for each phased mailing from their Zone office
as the owner notification letters are released. Vehicles will be assigned to retailers in the affected VIN
list as follows. Please note that this logic has recently changed:
1. If there is a preferred retailer on file, the VIN will be assigned to the preferred retailer.
2. If there is no preferred retailer on file:
a. Original vehicle owners are assigned to the original selling retailer if their current DMV
registration address is within a 50-mile radius of that retailer.
b. If the original selling retailer is inactive, the VIN is assigned to the nearest active retailer.
c. If the owner is not the original owner, the VIN is assigned to the nearest active retailer.
PART INFORMATION:
During transportation from the supplier, the spacing between the exhaust flanges may change due
to vibration. Although the amount of this change is small, it is enough to require more force than
normal to install the EPF onto the engine during vehicle assembly. The amount of force may have
caused cracking to develop in the bellows section of the EPF resulting in exhaust leakage. Since the
area of the leak is upstream of the catalyst, emission system performance may be compromised. In
some cases, customers may notice an unusual noise and / or exhaust odor.
Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUJ-95; Date: 02/11/20

Page 2 of 9

Description

Part Number

Application

Cal Spec. (PZEV) Kit

SOA635156

PZEV (Cal Spec) Vehicles

Fed Spec. Kit

SOA635157

Fed. Spec. Vehicles

Insulation Pad Adhesive SOA868V9690

Both Fed and PZEV Vehicles

SERVICE PROCEDURE / INFORMATION:
REMINDER: Customer satisfaction and retention starts with performing quality repairs.
The service procedures for removal and reinstallation of the EPF assembly remain unchanged.
NOTE: The new EPF is supplied without heat shields. The heat shields used on the original EPF
will need to be CAREFULLY removed along with their fiberglass insulators and transferred to the
new part.
EPF heat shield -related repair guidelines are provided below. Always refer to the applicable
Service Manual and review the full requirements of the repair being performed. The Service Manual
procedures contain information critical to performing an effective repair the first time and every
time. This includes but is not limited to: important SAFETY precautions, proper inspection criteria,
necessary special tools, required processes and related one-time-use parts needed for a complete and
lasting repair.
(3) PREPARATION:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Record the customer’s radio station presets (and Navigation favorites where applicable) then
disconnect the ground cable from the battery sensor.
Remove the engine under cover.
CAREFULLY disconnect the Air Fuel Ratio and Oxygen Sensor harness connectors.
Disconnect the center exhaust pipe at the spring bolt connection. New nuts and spring bolts are
supplied in the hardware kit but, the springs are to be reused.
Remove the center bolt from the hanger bracket but do not unhook the exhaust pipe from it yet.
Loosen / remove and discard the one-time use EPF flange nuts at the cylinder heads. New nuts
are also supplied in the hardware kit.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WUJ-95; Date: 02/11/20

Page 3 of 9

IMPORTANT REMINDER / CAUTION: The EPF assembly is heavy. Use a helper if necessary
to avoid dropping it during removal.
•

Remove the center exhaust pipe from the EPF.

•

CAREFULLY remove the Air Fuel Ratio and Oxygen Sensors from the EPF assembly.

NOTES:
• Both EPF kits (SOA635156 for CAL-spec and SOA635157 for FED-spec. vehicles) include:
○○
○○
○○
○○
○○

A new EPF WITHOUT heat shields
All new fiberglass heat insulators (use as needed to replace missing / eroded parts)
4 new heat shield clamps