March 2023
Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

Articles Contained
in this Issue

01

© 2023 Subaru of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

TechShare QMR of the Month

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................................14-15
(01) QMR of the Month......................................1-2

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

(01) QMR of the Month Award
Presentations................................................ 2

Humprey Esguerra from
Sheehy Subaru in Springfield, VA

Tech Tips Greatest Tips
(01) UNDERSTANDING READINESS CODES........... 3
(07) Parasitic Draw (Dark Current)
Diagnostics................................................3-8
(10) HVAC Temperature Sync..........................8-10
(11) EGR, Evap & AVCS Readiness
Monitors 21MY+....................................10-11
(20) Solterra Wheel Hanger................................ 12

Humprey created a high quality QMR using TechShare reporting on
customer’s concern of a clicking noise coming from the left rear cargo
area. Humprey’s report included detailed diagnostic steps and highquality photos/ videos.
Please refer to the following link to review the TechShare QMR in detail:

(20) Solterra AC refrigerant check,
use the scan tool!..................................12-13

https://subarutechshare.com/qmrs/TS-226665
SUBARU TECHLINE HOLIDAYS
& HOURS OF OPERATION
Mon. - Thurs.

8:30AM - 7:30PM EST

Friday

10:30AM - 5:00PM EST

Saturday

9:00AM - 3:00PM EST

In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience with
us, Humprey will be receiving the following from his District Service
Quality Manager:

$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, Solterra and “Quality Driven” are Registered Trademarks.

March 2023 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 16

01

QMR of the Month (CONTINUED)

The other Regional winners selected from TechShare QMRs submitted during January 2023 were:

•

Brandon Moller from Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru

•

Dave Jodat from Subaru City of Milwaukee

•

David Callender from Kendall Subaru of Marysville

•

Rodney Albert from Reynolds Subaru

Any Subaru Technician can participate in the TechShare QMR of the Month program. See the November
2022 issues of TechTIPS for full details. You just might see your name and photo in a future issue of
TechTIPS!

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 2023 was Humprey Esguerra, Shop Foreman at Sheehy Subaru,
Springfield, VA.

Pictured from left to right is Sheehy Subaru Service Director Ben Ong, Sheehy Subaru Managing Partner Russ
Zakeri, Sheehy Subaru Shop Foreman & QMR of the Month winner Humprey Esguerra after being presented
with his $500.00 Snap-On Gift Card, Subaru of America inc District Parts and Service Manager Cory Hiken,
Subaru of America inc District Sales Manager Andrew Raszewski, and Subaru of America inc
District Service Quality Manager Dan Rockholt.
Congratulations and THANK YOU to our January 2023 QMR of the Month Award recipient!

Continued on the next page
March 2023 TechTIPS

Page 2 of 16

This series features TechTIPS articles frequently referred to by Techline. This month’s feature is from
June 2018.

01

UNDERSTANDING READINESS CODES

The Techline continues to receive
calls about readiness codes and
their purpose. Readiness codes
represent the selfdiagnostic
condition on each DTC. If the DTC
is displayed, this means the selfdiagnostic has not completed. After
the selfdiagnostic is completed, the
DTC goes away, regardless of the
result.
Example: DTCs P000A and P0011
are stored

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics

Techline continues to receive calls with questions regarding Parasitic draw testing and the best practices
needed to diagnose these concerns correctly. Refer to the previous TSB’s and TechTIPs covering this
topic:
TSB 07-199-21 - Measurement of Dark Current (Standby Current Draw)
TSB 07-85-14 - Measurement of “Dark Current” (Parasitic Battery Draw)
May 2020 TechTIP - Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Testing and Telematics DCM
October 2021 TechTIP - Parasitic Draw Testing, A Different Approach
It is always recommended to search Flashwrite for possible ECM updates, there are multiple years and
models that have ECM charging logic updates available.

Continued on the next page
March 2023 TechTIPS

Page 3 of 16

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics (CONTINUED)

Tips & Tricks
Interview the customer
It is important to have a clear understanding of how the vehilce is being operated. For example, when
does the battery die? How often is the vehicle driven? How is it driven, lots of short trips? Are the
hatch/trunk/doors being left open for a long period of time? Where are the keys when the vehicle is
not in use? Being able to reproduce the customers concern can be helped by understanding how they
use the vehicle. Perform testing in the same condtions as the custromer describes. Having a clear
understanding of the customers concern can also help when no excessive draw is found.
1. How does the customer use the vehicle daily?
a. The customer’s routine can uncover usage that the retailer was not aware of. For example,
the customer opens the power rear gate every night to get their gym bag out of the car.
b. Are the door switches working correctly, do they show open/closed on the combination
meter?
c. Do all the doors lock and stay locked?
d. Look at BIU live data, do the door switches show open/closed correctly?
e. Based on the customer interview, how often do the doors or PRG get used?
2. Where does the customer park at night?
a. Does the customer park in the garage?
b. Does the customer leave the key?
c. Where is the key kept, inside the house, near the vehicle?
3. How far does the customer drive the vehicle on a regular basis?
a. How many miles is the vehicle driven per week?
b. How frequently is the vehicle being driven?
4. Is there anything being brought into the vehicle?
a. Third party electrical devices can affect the BIU and Central Gateway sleep cycle, make sure
all electrical devices are removed and not plugged in. Review the November 2021 Techtip
covering aftermarket devices - 2021 November TechTIPS-JUSTIFIED.pdf (subarunet.com)
b. Was anything removed by the customer at the time of drop off?

Continued on the next page
March 2023 TechTIPS

Page 4 of 16

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics (CONTINUED)

Inspect the vehicle
It is recommended to perform a thorough visual inspection of the vehicle. Are there any interior lights
that have been left on? Is there anything plugged into the OBD, USB or 12V ports? Is there any
aftermarket wiring or devices wired into the vehicle? Look under the dash for aftermarket remote starts,
alarm systems or buy here/pay here devices. Is there anything hard wired into the vehicle, such as a
dash cam or radar detector? Inspect the battery terminals for added wiring to power aftermarket stereo
equipment or trailer hitch wiring.
Test the battery
The first step of parasitic draw testing should begin with a battery charge/test using the Midtronics DCA8000, refer to TSB 07-178-21 - Battery Testing and Charging for the correct battery testing procedures.
Understanding the Meter
Are the fuses in the DVOM okay? If the meter leads are in the wrong ports when performing testing it
could pop the meter fuses. If those fuses are open, parasitic draw testing will not work. You can check
the meter fuses with a simple continuity check. Always test your DVOM fuses before testing!!
When performing parasitic draw testing make sure to pay close attention to the meter. Does the meter
have auto-ranging, is it turned on? Where is the decimal point, is the meter set to A or mA?

March 2023 TechTIPS

Milliamps (mA)

Amps (A)

20mA

.02 A

30 mA

.03 A

40 mA

.04 A

50 mA

.05 A

100 mA

.1 A

250 mA

.25 A

500 mA

.5 A

750 mA

.75 A

1000 mA

1A

Continued on the next page

Page 5 of 16

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics (CONTINUED)

Amp Clamp vs DVOM Testing

Try using an amp clamp when testing for a parasitic
draw. The system does not need to be disturbed
when using this tool to perform testing. This could
also be used in conjunction with a meter, testing at
the fuse with the meter for specific draw and the
amp clamp providing a total draw. Refer to the
Electrical Theory and Diagnostics TRB for more
information on amp clamps.

Using STIS for diagnostic information
There are multiple TSB’s and TechTIPs to assist technicians with performing parasitic draw testing. An
overlooked resource for information is STIS. It also has the specific procedures for performing this
testing. It can be found by following this click path:

Continued on the next page
March 2023 TechTIPS

Page 6 of 16

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics (CONTINUED)

A critical piece of information that can be found in the STIS testing procedure:

STIS states if the draw is found to be over 70 mA wait for 55 minutes and then continue to monitor the
draw. Performing parasitic draw testing for a short time will often lead to the incorrect diagnosis.
Make sure to perform the testing for hours checking the meter frequently.
Another step in this testing from STIS should also be mentioned:

If the tech chooses to follow this method for diagnosis, make sure NOT to reinstall the fuses after
removal. Reinstalling the fuse may wake up modules or effect other circuits which may change the
results of the testing.
Once a draw is confirmed on a specific fuse, a Technician could go a step further. Unplug the part the
fuse indicates has the draw. Reinstall the fuse, wait 30 minutes to let everything go to sleep again, is
the draw on that fuse now gone?
Example 1 - “I pulled all of the fuses and the draw did not change”
All of the circuits in Subaru vehicles are fused. If there is an above 70 milliamp draw, it must be on
a fused circuit. This is a good opportunity to use the 10/21 TechTIP. Techline recommends following
the instructions in the 10/21 TechTIP for initial inspection of a draw concern. Technicians should follow
STIS to verify the condition after the initial inspection. The service manual states removing fuses one
by one is an acceptable method for diagnosis. Techline would caution to review the Power Supply
diagram to verify the power flow of fuses being removed. Removed fuses should not be reinstalled as
they could cause a module to “wake up” and disturb the system. This could cause a misdiagnosis while
performing draw testing.
Continued on the next page
March 2023 TechTIPS

Page 7 of 16

07

Parasitic Draw (Dark Current) Diagnostics (CONTINUED)

Example 2 - “I removed the back-up fuse, the draw went to 0 milliamps”
Techline does not recommend removing the back-up fuse when performing draw testing. The back-up
fuse powers multiple other fuses/circuits. Using STIS, find the Power Supply wiring diagram. Follow the
circuit for the back-up fuse, find what fuses and circuits it powers, then test those for the draw. Once
all circuits past the Backup fuse have been eliminated as the source of the draw, it may be necessary to
find what the back-up fuse is powering directly and verify that is the cause of the draw. Use the power
supply diagram to determine all circuits that the back-up fuse is powering.

Example 3 – “I tested for a draw, it is below 70 milliamps, but the
customer’s battery has died multiple times”
If the parasitic draw seems to be intermittent, set up the vehicle for testing. “Trick” the hood latch and
driver door to think they are closed so there is acces to both the M/B and F/B fuse boxes. This way
the testing can continue undisturbed but there is still access to all the fuses in the vehicle. Try to find a
spot in the shop that the vehicle can be left in this state for as long as possible. Ask everyone to keep
an eye on the meter when they walk by. If the draw goes above 70 mA, determine where that draw is
coming from. Remember the ELCM could be performing an Evap test. If there is still no draw found, try
unlocking/locking the vehicle, then let it go back to sleep. Unlock the vehicle, turn the ignition on (do not
start the engine), let it sit for a few minutes, turn the igntion off and lock the vehicle again. Continue to
monitor the draw trying to “catch” the intermittent draw. The DSTi interface can also be used to record
this testing. The DSTi oscilloscope feature could be used with an amp clamp connected to record the
draw test. The DSTi can record around 40 hours of testing. Below is a screen shot of the settings
needed to get around 40 hours of recording time from the DSTi.

10

HVAC Temperature Sync

Techline has received calls for concerns of passenger temperature setting automatically syncing with
the drivers side. This is a feature that started with the 19MY Forester. When the Occupant Detection
System (ODS) identifies the seat as empty, it will automatically sync the HVAC settings to improve