March 2021
Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

© 2021 Subaru of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Articles Contained
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01

QMR of the Month

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CODE ARTICLE...................................................................PAGE

We are pleased to announce this month’s QMR of the Month Winner:

Leo Gilmore from
Ruge’s Subaru in Rhinebeck, NY

(00) STIS New Releases....................................... 9
(01) QMR of the Month......................................1-2
(01) QMR of the Month Award
Presentations................................................ 2
(01) Lost Keys? Contact the Subaru Techline...... 3
(02) Improved Diagnosis of Engine Oil Leakage,
Leak Trace Powder Revisited....................... 4
(05) Front Lower Control Arm Bushing
Repair Procedure.......................................... 6
(15) Blind Spot Detection Disabled,
No DTCs found.............................................. 7
(15) CP1 Panel and Steering Switch, Knob Switch
Checks.......................................................... 8

SUBARU TECHLINE HOLIDAYS
& HOURS OF OPERATION
Memorial Day: (Closed)
Monday, May 31, 2021

Mon. - Thurs.

8:30AM - 7:30PM EST

Friday

10:30AM - 5:00PM EST

Saturday

9:00AM - 3:00PM EST

This month’s winner selected from January 2021’s submissions involved
the diagnosis and root cause identification of a Check Engine light with
intermittent misfire DTCs on a 2020MY STI. Leo began his diagnosis by
contacting Techline to confirm the CID and CVN numbers for the ECM
were SBR original. He then accessed the Roughness Monitors for all 4
cylinders. While recording, he marked the data stream whenever misfire
counts were identified. Even when seeing the misfire counts occur on the
SSM4, they were totally unnoticeable. Leo then moved on to connecting
his scope and proceeded to monitor the waveform data for the crankshaft
position sensor. Closer inspection revealed inconsistencies in the data
when compared to a known-good vehicle’s pattern. Leo then removed
the crankshaft position sensor for inspection and found engine oil on the
internal portion which “reads” the reluctor teeth. After removing the front
covers and the timing belt, the oil leak was identified to be coming from
the front crank seal. He found this highly unusual, especially with only
2300 miles on the vehicle so, Leo proceeded to install a dial indicator to
measure for any excessive radial freeplay of the crankshaft as a possible
cause for the low-mileage seal failure. His suspicion was confirmed
as the measurement showed .010 of radial freeplay when moving the
end of the crankshaft up and down. This resulted in not only the seal
failure / oil leak but the misfires too as the excessive freeplay caused
inconsistencies in the distance between the reluctor teeth and the face
of the crankshaft position sensor. Leo provided a short video showing
his crankshaft measurement procedure, an SSM data file showing the
roughness monitors and a highly detailed Powerpoint® presentation
outlining all his diagnostic steps and test results.
In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience with
us, Leo will be receiving the following from his Field Service Engineer:

$500.00 Snap-On gift card

Continued on the next page
CAUTION: VEHICLE SERVICING PERFORMED BY UNTRAINED PERSONS
COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THOSE PERSONS OR TO OTHERS.

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, Baja, Tribeca, BRZ, XV Crosstrek, Ascent, Crosstrek Hybrid and
“Quality Driven” are Registered Trademarks.

March 2021 TechTIPS

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.

Page 1 of 11

01

QMR of the Month (CONTINUED)

The other Regional winners selected from QMRs submitted during November 2020 were:

•

Tad Griggs from Michael’s Subaru of Bellevue in Bellevue, WA

•

Johnathan Scott from Subaru of Grand Blanc in Grand Blanc, MI

•

Sean Rabbitt from Steve Lewis Subaru North in Hadley, MA

•

Garrett Fuchs from Baierl Subaru in Pittsburgh, PA

Any Subaru Technician can participate in the QMR of the Month program. See the February 2013 and
January 2016 issues of Tech TIPS for full details. You just might see your name and photo in a future issue
of Tech TIPS!

01

QMR of the Month Award Presentations

As part of our “enhanced” QMR of the Month recognition program, we will include a photo (whenever
available) of the recipient’s award presentation in TIPS. The winner selected from QMR of the Month
submissions received during January 2021 was (again) Leo Gilmore, a Technician from Ruge’s Subaru
in Rhinebeck, NY.

Leo is shown above after being presented with his latest $500.00 Snap-On Gift Card. To Leo’s right are
Dealer Principals Lewis Ruge and Kristin Hutchins. To his left are Service Manager Jack Cleary and Subaru
Distributors Corporation Field Service Engineer, Jim Colamarino.
Congratulations and THANK YOU to our January 2021 QMR of the Month Award recipient!

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 2 of 11

01

Lost Keys? Contact the Subaru Techline

If you receive a vehicle from the customer where all their originally registered keys have been lost,
contact the Subaru Techline for the necessary steps to program new keys. Depending on the
immobilizer type, you will be unable to just program one key without an original key. All immobilizer
types (except for A type) require an original key to make any changes to the immobilizer system.
Without an original key, a new one cannot be added. Unsure of which immobilizer type you have?
Refer to the reference chart below. Once the vehicles immobilizer type has been confirmed, perform
the following:
• Verify the vehicle is onsite.
• Open a Repair Order with all necessary information.
VIN, RO number, RO date, Mileage (if it can be obtained), etc.
• Verify key type (push button, turn-key)
• Contact the Subaru Techline.
When calling the Subaru Techline, please ensure all necessary information is available at the time
of the call.
SOA will no longer clear immobilizer modules for POLK branded title vehicles (except
for lemon law buy-back). All other POLK branding will require immobilizer component
replacement. Refer to the Title Alert when checking the Vehicle Inquiry on Subarunet.
Please refer to the Service Manual/Registration Manual for Immobilizer for repair of these
vehicles.
Anytime a retailer has a vehicle with lost keys, a NEW Techline case must be opened for EACH
vehicle. The retailer will not be allowed to reuse the document sent for other vehicles.
When Techline has components to clear, it is vital a completed form is sent. Without this information,
the entire process will be delayed. Specific components have different procedures for clearing and
without this information, the components may not be cleared at all or, additional down time may
occur to determine their origin.
See latest Immobilizer chart below:

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 3 of 11

02

Improved Diagnosis of Engine Oil Leakage, Leak Trace Powder Revisited

When diagnosing a customer concern for an oil leak, it
is always good practice to check for applicable TSBs
for known concerns. If none are found, the next step
would be to look at the vehicles repair history. Does
the customer perform their own oil changes? Was oil
spilled? Was the engine resealed recently? These details
will aid in a quick and accurate diagnosis. Be thorough
in the visual inspection process and inspect closely at
the highest point of the leak. Oil will settle and pool at the
lowest point.
Here is an example: a Technician finds oil seepage and
drips forming at the back of the oil pan and thought it was
coming from the oil level switch gasket. So, the Technician
removed the switch, cleaned the surrounding area, and
replaced it.
The customer returned a short time later with an oil leak in
the exact same place. This time the Technician cleaned the
oil/residue and used leak trace powder to determine the
source and identified the leak was from the oil pan seal,
NOT the level switch. After resealing the oil pan the vehicle
was fixed and no more leaks were found.

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 4 of 11

02

Improved Diagnosis of Engine Oil Leakage, Leak Trace Powder Revisited
(CONTINUED)

Here is another example. At first glance before cleaning, it appears the front timing cover is leaking.
After cleaning and with the help of leak trace powder, it is properly identified that the head gaskets are
leaking. This could have easily resulted in a costly shop comeback and a decline in customer satisfaction
if misdiagnosed.

If Technicians are able to identify any leaks, SOA is requesting a QMR be submitted with photos
of the leaking point, and where leak trace powder has been applied for clear origin confirmation
as shown above. Be sure to take several pictures both up close and far away so location and
orientation are clearly understood.
Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 5 of 11

02

Improved Diagnosis of Engine Oil Leakage, Leak Trace Powder Revisited
(CONTINUED)

Reminder: Leak tracing powder is considered a shop supply and subject to Subaru – Policies &
Procedures 8.4.36 Shop Supplies. Dye is NOT an approved method of leak detection, unless explicitly
directed. There are many kinds of powder spray available. Magnaflux SKD-S2 Developer is shown here.
If these specific products are not readily available, in a pinch commonly available foot powder spray
or any powder spray can be substituted for similar results. Refer to Tech Tips 4/11, 11/18 for additional
information on Fluid Leak Detection.

05

Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Repair Procedure

The Subaru Claims Department has identified a trend involving improper repair procedure. There are
instances of retailers identifying bushings within the front lower control arm as the source of customer
concern related to NVH or drivability, then replacing the entire control arm assembly. The proper repair
involves replacing the failed bushing(s) by following the service manual procedures. There are few reasons
that a claim should be made to Subaru to replace the entire arm instead of bushing replacement. Subaru
Claims Policy does not allow for damages resulting from an impact, accident, environmental factors, and
other reasons listed in our Policies and Procedures Manual found on Subarunet.

Failed bushing

Bushing removal and installation procedure

Note: Review STIS for the proper removal and installation tool applicable to the model being repaired.
Suspension -> Front Suspension -> Disassembly/Reassembly, #2
Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 6 of 11

15

Blind Spot Detection Disabled, No DTCs found

When diagnosing a blind spot detection concern that does not display a DTC, the Technician should
consult the data monitor as the first step. SRVD System Fail & Halt flag PIDS are indicators of why the
system has been disabled. Refer to Tech Tip 1/2018: Blind Spot Detection Off for additional information.
If a fail flag or halt flag is present the Technician should inspect the vehicle for body damage in the rear
corners. Evidence of an impact or signs of body shop work require a more in-depth inspection of the
vehicle. If body shop work cannot be determined, the vehicle can be driven without the bumper cover to
verify if the cover may be the cause. If the issue does not happen when the bumper is removed, there
is a possibility that the bumper cover is at fault. If the halt or failure is still present without the bumper
installed the tech should suspect the control module, harness, bracket, or body work behind the bracket.
The SRVD modules can also be swapped from left to right and recalibrated. After another test drive the
Technician should take note of whether the halt or failure follows the module or stays in the same location.
If the fault follows the module, the module should be replaced.

Evidence of body work includes poor paint coverage in corners, overspray, and tape lines.

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 7 of 11

15

CP1 Panel and Steering Switch, Knob Switch Checks

Reminder: for infotainment related concerns, please always remember to review as applicable: Technical
Support Guide, TSB 15-177-14R “Gen 2 and Gen 2.1 Operating Tips”, TSB 15-221-18R “Harman Audio/
Infotainment: Harman Generation 3.0 and 3.1 Operating Tips”, TSB 15-259-20R “ Denso Gen 4 Cockpit
One (CP1) Infotainment System Operating TIPS Technical Support Guide”.
Technicians have reported when performing Panel and Steering Switch function check, using “VOLUME”
and “TUNE” knobs/switches located on the CID, the count appearing in “Turned” seems to be out of sync
with the knob rotation.

Be advised, this is normal operation. This behavior applies to both CID options 11.6” & 7”. The
function’s purpose is to measure how many clicks are dialed in over a certain amount of time (1 sec),
NOT accumulative dial counts. The number readout is directly linked to the speed of knob rotation.
This function is set with the intention to confirm knob’s operability without malfunction. This test allows
the Technician to know the direction of clicks (clockwise or counterclockwise) and its rotation speed
(volume).

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

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00

STIS New Releases

ITEM CODE

12-318-21
F551SAN400
J1310AN000
B321SFL000
J3110AN020
F551SAN000
H461SFL110
E551SXC000
E551SXC000
F551SFL100
07-193-21
12-300-20R
WRI-20R
12-316-21
10-98-20R
WRC-21
J101SAN300
J101SAN400
15-280-21R
J101SAN150
15-279-21R
H671SAN200
J201SAN000
H461SAN000
H630SAN000
05-63-18R
J501SAN222
J131SAN000
B321SFL020
H621SAN000
J101SAN800xx
J131SCC000
SOA801P061xx
J501SAN260
15-282-21
12-317-21
65550XC00AXX

ITEM TYPE

Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin
Subaru Product/Campaign Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin
Subaru Product/Campaign Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide

All revised publications are highlighted in yellow.
March 2021 TechTIPS

CREATED
DATE

TITLE

Rear Bumper Reflex Reflector- ...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
Ascent Front Bumper Under Guar...
Ascent Front Bumper Under Guar...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2017-2022MY...
OBDII Diagnostic Connector and...
Power Rear Gate (PRG) Switch T...
Reprogramming of Denso CP1 Inf...
Rear Door Weatherstrip- Design...
New Air Conditioning (A/C) Com...
Continental Tire Safety Recall
2022MY Outback Mud Flap
2022MY Outback Wilderness Mud ...
Gen1 Telematics Reprogramming ...
2022MY Outback Wilderness Spla...
Gen1 Telematics DCM Replacemen...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
Steering Rattle Sound / Steeri...
2022 Outback Seat Back Protect...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020-2022MY...
2022MY BRZ Door Scuff Protecto...
Outback Wilderness Door Edge G...
OUTBACK CARGO SIDEWALL PROTECT...
STARLINK Remote Engine Start (...
Console Lid Inner Tray Mat- De...
PORT INSTALLATION:2020MY Outba...

8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
8-Apr-21
7-Apr-21
7-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
5-Apr-21
1-Apr-21
1-Apr-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
31-Mar-21
29-Mar-21
29-Mar-21
25-Mar-21

Continued on the next page
Page 9 of 11

ITEM CODE

15-281-21
H501SSG203
H001SAN100
H001SAN000
15-259-20R
H501SVA100
E751SCC000
06-82-21
07-151-19R
WQZ-61R
07-192-21

ITEM TYPE

Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Accessory Installation Guide
Accessory Installation Guide
Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin
Subaru Product/Campaign Bulletin
Technical Service Bulletin

CREATED
DATE

TITLE

Customer Takeover after STARLI...
PORT INSTALLATION: 2020MY Lega...
2020 Legacy / Outback Remote E...
2020 Legacy / Outback Remote E...
Denso Gen 4 Cockpit One (CP1) ...
2017-21MY WRX/STI Auto Dimming...
2022MY BRZ Vortex Generator
Squeaking -Type Sound from Rea...
DTC B112C or B112E -Driver Mon...
Telematics System Data Communi...
DTCs B112C and / or B112E in D...

25-Mar-21
25-Mar-21
25-Mar-21
25-Mar-21
24-Mar-21
19-Mar-21
19-Mar-21
16-Mar-21
15-Mar-21
15-Mar-21
15-Mar-21

All revised publications are highlighted in yellow.

Continued on the next page
March 2021 TechTIPS

Page 10 of 11

*** 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 9103; Camden, NJ 08101-9877.
Your Name:
Signature:
Dealer’s Name:
City:
Date:
Dealer Code:

SUBARU
TECHLINE
Hours of Operation
March 2021 TechTIPS

Monday – Thursday 8:30 am to 7:30 pm
Friday 10:30 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 3 pm
Continued on the next page
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