April 2014
Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

ARTICLES CONTAINED
IN THIS ISSUE
CODE ARTICLE..................................PAGE
(01) QMR of the Month.................01

01

QMR OF THE MONTH

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

(01) N
ew Techline Pre-Call
Worksheets.........................02

Shaun Witmer

(01) Techline Case Follow Up Revisited...........................03
(01) Authorization Request
Pictures.............................06
(02) Discoloration of Cylinder
Walls................................06
(12) 2014 Forester Power Rear
Tailgate.............................05
(16) Cold Weather CVT Operation,
Engine RPM, and Cabin Heat...02

Be a part of the solution
on April 22, 2014 and

Help Out This
Earth Day!
Find Local Events
in your Community at
www.earthday.org

Apple Subaru in York, PA

Shaun submitted a very detailed QMR reviewing his diagnosis of a
2013 Outback with an unusual parasitic draw. Shaun successfully
split-halfed the system and was able to determine the source of
the draw was from the driver’s power seat memory control module
staying awake, but he didn’t stop there. Further testing led to
him finding a short to ground on the seat frame that simulated
the signals from the setting buttons which prevented the module
from entering its sleep mode. This resulted in a wiring repair
for the seat harness. This kind of detailed insight to the thought
processes applied during the diagnosis was very helpful to us
from several perspectives. In this case, it resulted in reviews of
the service information supplied, technical training, and of course
quality improvements based upon finding the root cause of the
condition. This demonstrates once again that individual reports
can have significant impact so, keep them coming!
In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience
with us, Shaun will be receiving the following from his FSE:
A Subaru Confidence In Motion Jacket
and a $100 Gift Card

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.
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.

April 2014 TechTIPS

Page 1

01

NEW TECHLINE PRE-CALL WORKSHEETS

New Techline Pre-Call Worksheets have been created and posted on Subarunet.com/Service/PreCall Worksheets. These worksheets have been structured to provide technicians with an organized
format to record results of basic system diagnostic checks and other relevant information during an
investigation to help identify a root cause for concern. Use of these new forms is strongly encouraged
and may ultimately expose specific areas of investigation that might otherwise be overlooked.
In the event additional technical assistance is needed, complete a “Dealer Request for Technical
Assistance” form and submit it along with the specific system worksheet. Contact Techline and have
a case created. Inform the representative that you have completed the worksheets and would like to
send them in for review. Once received, they can be used to analyze your complete and accurate
results to better provide you with the best possible next step recommendation. This information can
also be accessed by field staff through an existing Techline case for further assistance when needed.
**In order to effectively manage incoming correspondence, worksheets should not be
forwarded to the Techline without an accompanying case number**

16

COLD WEATHER CVT OPERATION, ENGINE RPM, AND CABIN HEAT

Starting with 2010 Legacy and Outback CVT and continuing with each subsequent new model
release (2012 Impreza 2.0, 2014 Forester, etc…), FHI incorporated logic into the TCM for it to consider
the driver’s request for heat as a factor in determining where to set the CVT turbine speed. The
HVAC head unit supplies information through the CAN on the driver’s request for heat based upon
a combination of blower fan operation and temperature (blend door) settings. The TCM logic then
translates these into a High heat request, a Low heat request, or No heat request. Depending upon
the level of the request, the TCM then instructs the CVT to change the drive ratio to create a net
increase in turbine speed (engine rpm) so that additional heat is supplied to the passenger cabin. As
a result you may hear comments or concerns from customers during periods of cold weather. This is
particularly true during extreme or long lasting cold weather events. These may include comments
ranging from customers noting that the engine rpms seems to be staying higher, to the CVT not
entering its regular final drive ratio, to a concern that the CVT is hesitating (again not advancing to
its regular final drive ratio). In each of these cases a detailed interview and review of the customer
concern found that the symptom the customer observed was that the engine rpms were higher than
the customer had seen previously (during warmer weather). The reason in each case was simply
cold weather prompting an increased demand for cabin heat by the driver which resulted in the engine
rpms being kept high to provide that heat. This was easily verified during similar cold conditions by
turning the blower fan to the OFF position for several seconds while cruising at a steady speed in a
fully warmed car and watching the resultant drop in rpms. If a customer reports a concern with higher
rpm operation as a result of this logic and wants to reverse that effect, recommend that they reduce
the temperature setting (or turn the blower fan to OFF) until it has the desired effect on engine rpm.
Either of these actions will reduce or eliminate the input to the TCM that results the rpm increase.
Otherwise simply explain that this is characteristic operation of the engine and transmission during
cold weather resulting from the vehicle trying to meeting the driver’s request for more heat based upon
the HVAC temperature and blower settings.

April 2014 TechTIPS

Page 2

01

TECHLINE CASE FOLLOW UP- REVISTED

We would like to remind you of the importance of following up with us to update and close open
Techline cases. To those of you who work hard to keep your number of open cases minimized, we
thank you and truly appreciate your efforts. The information provided back to us has been invaluable
and in some cases, your results have helped Techline assist others with similar conditions. We
understand that everyone is busy and time spent on the phone cuts into your productivity. However,
keeping the lines of communication open and information flowing is essential and beneficial to all
parties involved. In an effort for us to assist you, please keep these points in mind when you contact
the Techline:
•

Always get the name of the Techline Representative that you speak with.

•

Get a Case Number.

•

Follow-Up with the Techline Representative about your findings.

To close a case when the issue is resolved, we ask that you contact the Techline or use option #8 “To
Close a case” on the phone system during our business hours to advise us of the repair that fixed the
condition. Our normal hours of operation are: Monday thru Thursday 8:30 AM- 7:30PM, Friday from
10:30 AM to 5:00 PM and on Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time.
Not sure if you have any open or pending cases?
There is a report you can run to check if your Dealership has any open or pending cases. Simply
log onto Subaru-net, then on the left side of the webpage is a navigation bar. Click on
the “Reports” link.

April 2014 TechTIPS

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
Page 3

01

TECHLINE CASE FOLLOW UP- REVISTED (CONTINUED)

Then click on “Service - Techline”.

Enter your dealer code then click “Submit”.

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
April 2014 TechTIPS

Page 4

01

TECHLINE CASE FOLLOW UP- REVISTED (CONTINUED)

A list of dates will be displayed. Click on the most recent date to view your “Pending Dealer
Update” cases.

12

2014 FORESTER POWER REAR TAILGATE

Should you receive a customer complaint
of the power rear tailgate not working
properly and you have checked the system
for Diagnostic Trouble Codes and found
a DTC B250F (Rotation Sensor Failure),
make sure the rear gate stays are not
bent at the attachment bracket as shown
in this photo to the right. If this condition
is confirmed, the gate stay will need to be
replaced. Do not attempt to repair the bent
bracket.

April 2014 TechTIPS

Page 5

02

DISCOLORATION OF CYLINDER WALLS

The SOA Techline and Quality Assurance
sections of the Service Department have
recently had inquiries regarding cylinder wall
discoloration noticed during installation of the
updated piston rings.
In some cases, the Technician also reports
measurements are out of specification
when measuring the cylinder bore. It is
required per the Service Manual that the
cylinder bore must be checked at 68 degrees
Fahrenheit, otherwise some variations are
normal. The photo to the right is an example
of this discoloration. It is in no way harmful to
install the updated piston rings and use the
existing block.
All of the Oil Control Ring TSBs have been
recently updated on STIS with additional
helpful information based upon field feedback, please make sure to review all of the enhancements.
We frequently encourage all technicians to download the very latest Service Bulletin from STIS before
performing it to ensure they have the latest information available.

01

AUTHORIZATION REQUEST PICTURES

As mentioned in the February TIPS, the importance of taking quality pictures is essential when
submitting an Authorization Request (AR) for consideration. Subarunet allows for each picture to be up
to 5MB which is possible only when using a quality camera. Certain cell phones have the capability of
providing quality pictures however, they must be saved in the proper format, Actual Size.
Prior to the customer leaving your dealership, take a minute to review the pictures you are about to
submit to ensure their quality.
A camera is the best tool to use when taking pictures to attach to an AR. However, if you are sending
pictures taken by a cell phone, it is recommended to choose the Actual Size when prompted. This
will provide the best quality photo possible. The quality of the Small (KB), Medium (KB) or Large (KB)
size pictures in most cases have poor resolution. This makes it necessary for us to request additional
pictures.
Always review your pictures prior to attaching them to your AR request.

April 2014 TechTIPS

Page 6

00

2014 Calendar of
Subaru Holidays

STIS RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 03/01/2014 TO 03/31/2014

02-150-14R; Technical Service
Bulletin, Revised Valve Train Parts
to Reduce a Warm Engine Tapping
Sound from the Left Cylinder Head
12-166-14; Technical Service
Bulletin, Revised L/Front Dash
Speaker Grille

MSA5M1424A; Owner Manual,
2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid Owner’s
Manual
11-136-14; Technical Service
Bulletin, Reprogramming File
Availability for Idle Stability and
Extended Engine Cranking

07-84-14; Technical Service
12-168-14; Technical Service
Bulletin, Revised B1650 Diagnostics Bulletin, Appearance Imperfection
and ODS Rezeroing Procedure
of Inside Rear View Mirror

Memorial Day
Monday, May 26, 2014
Independence Day
Friday, July 4, 2014
Labor Day
Monday, September 1, 2014
Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014
Happy Holidays
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Friday, December 26, 2014

*** 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

April 2014 TechTIPS

Monday – Thursday 8:30 am to 7:30 pm
Friday 10:30 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 3 pm
Page 7