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April 2022

Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

© 2022 Subaru of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

Articles Contained
in this Issue
Click on a title below to jump to the article.
Click the date located in the footer to return to page 1.

CODE ARTICLE...................................................................PAGE
(00) STIS New Releases................................10-11

01

TechShare QMR of the Month

(01) QMR of the Month......................................1-2
(01) QMR of the Month Award
Presentations................................................ 2
Tech Tips Greatest Tips
(01) Calling the Techline Revisited.................. 3-4
(01) When Diagnostics Don’t Diagnose, Checking
ALL Power Supplies...................................... 4
(01) 22MY Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Fuse .
Location Reminder........................................ 5
(07) Headlight appearance “Dark spot in head.....
light patterns”............................................... 5
(10) 2022 WRX AC Condenser, Oil Residue.......... 6

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

Garrett Coe from
Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City, CA
Garrett created a high quality QMR using TechShare reporting on P0600
found in memory. His report included diagnostic steps, high-quality
photos, and SSM Data.

(14) Midtronics DSS-5000 Helpful Hints.......... 6-7
(15) The Telematics LED: When green does
not mean GO..............................................7-8

SUBARU TECHLINE HOLIDAYS
& HOURS OF OPERATION

Please refer to the following link to review the TechShare QMR in detail.
https://subarutechshare.com/qmrs/TS-192260
In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience with
us, Garrett will be receiving the following from his Field Service Engineer:

Memorial Day: (Closed)
Monday, May 30, 2022

Mon. - Thurs.

8:30AM - 7:30PM EST

Friday

10:30AM - 5:00PM EST

Saturday

9:00AM - 3:00PM EST

$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.

April 2022 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 10

01

QMR of the Month (CONTINUED)

The other Regional winners selected from QMRs submitted during February 2022 were:

•

Gregory Beach from Ramsey Subaru in Ramsey, NJ

•

Jason Figueroa from Johnson Subaru of Cary in Cary, NC

•

Jonathan Rodriguez from Napleton’s Palatine Subaru in Palatine, IL

•

Cory Scothon from Patriot Subaru of N. Attleboro in North Attleboro, MA

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 February 2022 was Technician Garrett Coe from Carlsen Subaru in
Redwood , CA.

Garret is shown above (right/center) after being presented with his $500.00 Snap-On Gift Card. Also pictured
(left to right) SOA District Parts Service Manager Michael Anderson and Carlsen Subaru Service Director Maher
Nijem. To Garrett’s left is SOA Field Service Engineer Alan Wolfe.
Congratulations and THANK YOU to our February 2022 QMR of the Month Award recipient!

Continued on the next page
April 2022 TechTIPS

Page 2 of 10

This series features TechTIPS articles frequently referred to by Techline. This month’s feature is from
December 2019.

01

Calling the Techline Revisited

In the interest of streamlining the process of contacting Techline, Technicians should follow proper
phone etiquette. The Technician should always start by introducing themselves and express the
reason for the call. The Technician is either opening a new case for diagnostic assistance or working
on an existing case. It is important that the Technician understand the information provided is being
documented by the Representative. Once the reason for the call has been established, allow the
Techline Representative to ask relative questions in order to gather important information. The Techline
Representative will require the following information at the beginning of the call:
•

Case number (if applicable)

•

Last 8 of the vin

•

The dealership code number

•

Your first and last name

•

The Repair Order number

•

The date the Repair Order was created

•

The milage of the vehicle

•

The customers concern as stated on the Repair Order

In order for Subaru Techline to best serve our retailers, it is necessary that the Technician meet the
additional criteria before dialing in for assistance. Following the above and below guidelines will help
reduce call wait times, decrease comebacks, and increase customer satisfaction.
•

The vehicle should be available to the Technician for testing while on the phone with the Techline
representative, if appropriate.

•

All associated pre-call work sheets should be completed. These are located on Subarunet
under Service Operations & Technical.

•

If there are DTCs, the Technician should have a documented diagnostic path with exact answers.
Stating “good” or “within specification” is not acceptable when a numerical value is requested.

•

Always save Freeze Frame Data (FFD) electronically before clearing any DTCs. Printing is not
recommended as it can omit important information. SSM4 use is recommended.

•

Always try to capture a data stream (SSM4 File) every time you are attempting to duplicate a
condition. This is especially important when diagnosing intermittent issues.

•

Do not send data without opening a Techline case first. All unsolicited data will be deleted. Any
data submitted should have the case number referenced in the subject line of the email, along
with any other identifying characteristics requested by the Techline representative. Data files
should include all PIDs and must be marked at time when the concern occurs. Technicians
should review the data before submitting and have specific questions. When following up with
Techline, techs should have a copy of the data file available to review when they call.

April 2022 TechTIPS

Continued on the next page

Page 3 of 10

01

Calling the Techline Revisited (CONTINUED)

•

Always search STIS for diagnostic and repair information via TechTips, Service Bulletins,
and Campaign Bulletins. Techshare should not be used as a publication for diagnosis, as the
postings only reflect the repair that has been made and not whether the repair was a confirmed
fix of the concern.

•

When a case number is given to a Technician, it serves only to document vehicle concerns and
repairs. It does NOT give authorization to replace anything. A case number is not necessary
for warranty purposes. If your diagnosis leads you to replacement of a component and your
testing results have been reviewed with the Techline Representative, it is still recommended
you discuss this with your Service Manager. When in doubt about the need for an authorization,
consult the Policy and Procedures manual.

•

Oil consumption issues that fall within the guidelines of Technical Service Bulletin 02-157-14R,
do not need to be called into the Techline unless you require assistance as stated at the bottom
of the Consolidated Oil Consumption Form found on Subarunet.

•

A Techline case number is not needed for CVT unit replacement. Technicians should perform
any related bulletin or the appropriate test plan in STIS for all CVT concerns.

•

When you encounter a customer concern of a normal condition that you can verify on a
comparable model, there is no need to call in for a case number to document this. If you
have completed a repair successfully, there is no need to call and get a case number. It is
recommended you complete and submit a TechShare QMR in these cases.

The Technical Support Line (Techline) is here to assist our retailers ONLY.
The Techline phone number should never be given to the Customer! We can assist Authorized
Subaru Retailer personnel ONLY. Customers must be directed to Customer Retailer Services (CRS) by
contacting them online or by phone at: http://www.subaru.com/customer-support.html or by calling
1-800-782-2783.

01

When Diagnostics Don’t Diagnose, Checking ALL Power Supplies

When diagnosing a vehicle with a DTC or electrical concern, it is important to follow any diagnostics
provided in STIS in addition to performing any basic checks that may not be mentioned. This includes
verifying power and ground for the entire circuit in question, as well as fuses. This will likely require going
to the wiring schematic for the system being diagnosed, and not just referencing the diagram included
with the DTC. Don’t forget, there are also separate diagrams for the vehicle Power Supply Circuit that
show the electrical system from the battery to the fuse, and Ground Circuit diagrams. If you have followed
all steps and the vehicle’s problem is still unresolved, we recommend checking the most recent model
year service manual for updates that may have been made to the diagnostics.
Case Example: We recently encountered a vehicle with B1016 SHIFT LOCK CIRCUIT, and trouble tree
diagnostics led to BIU replacement. It was later found that one of the fuses providing power to the BIU was
missing. The trouble tree for this specific model year did not call out checking any fuses for the BIU. For
this example, it is recommended to reference the Shift Lock Control System diagram to identify all fuses
that effect the Shift Lock Circuit. It may also be necessary to reference the Power Supply Circuit diagram.
(NOTE: diagnostics for B1016 were updated to include inspecting the power supply with 2020MY)
Continued on the next page
April 2022 TechTIPS

Page 4 of 10

01

22MY Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Fuse Location Reminder

During the Pre-Delivery Inspection process for any model year, it is important to keep in mind the PDI
fuse movement. It has been brough to Techlines attention that if the incorrect fuses are moved it may
result in features not operating properly. Recently, a 22MY WRX had a concern that the windshield wipers
would not turn off unless the vehicle was completely powered off. The Technician diagnosing the concern
found DTC B1A01 stored as current. The Technician followed the Diagnostic Trouble Tree and found three
fuses installed in the wrong place. These fuses dealt directly with the front relay control module. Taking
power away from MB fuse No. 40, resulted in the wipers defaulting to ‘on’. This was traced back to the
possibility of incorrect fuses being moved during the PDI process.

Technicians should refer to the appropriate manual on STIS for the proper PDI process.