November 2023
Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

© 2023 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

01

QMR of the Month

(00) STIS New Releases................................17-18
(01) QMR of the Month......................................1-2
(01) QMR of the Month Award
Presentations................................................ 2
Tech Tips Greatest Tips
(15) STARLINK TELEMATICS - COMM CHECK,
TEST CALLS, REMOTE SERVICES REQUESTS,
FAILED CALLS.............................................3-6
(01) Techline Staffing Changes
Where are they now?.................................6-7
(15) Microphone Inoperative, Telematics DCM .
Comm Check Failure and RES inop...........8-9
(15) EyeSight HALT Codes 41, A0 and CC.....10-11
(15) Unit Registration, Codes/DTCs After
Replacing a Module, U1C00, U0146,
B28A2, B28A1, U1P07, U1P08,
U1C07, U1C08C.......................................11-12
(20) Solterra Reverse Buzzer
Setting Change......................................13-16

SUBARU TECHLINE HOLIDAYS
& HOURS OF OPERATION

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

Elijah Aubuchon from
Huffines Subaru Corinth in Corinth, TX
Elijah created a high quality QMR using TechShare reporting on customer’s
concern of the vehicle not being able to come out of park. Elijah’s report
included detailed diagnostic steps and high-quality photos.
Please refer to the following link to review the TechShare QMR in detail.
https://subarutechshare.com/qmrs/TS-252218
In appreciation for going the extra mile and sharing his experience with
us, Elijah will be receiving the following from his District Service Quality
Manager:

Holiday Break: (Closed)
Friday, December 22, 2023
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Monday, December 25, 2023
Monday, January 1, 2024

Mon. - Thurs.

8:30AM - 7:30PM EST

Friday

10:30AM - 5:00PM EST

Saturday

9:00AM - 3:00PM EST

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.

November 2023 TechTIPS

$500.00 Snap-On gift card

Continued on the next page

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 19

01

QMR of the Month (CONTINUED)

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

•

Sherrod Young from Stiver Decatur Subaru

•

Jeremy De Groodt from Capitol Subaru

•

David Rizzo from Northtown Subaru

•

Tyler Miranda from Patrick 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 September 2023 was Elijah Aubuchon, Senior Master Technician at
Huffines Subaru Corinth, Corinth, TX.

Elijah is shown above (second from the left) after being presented with his $500.00 Snap-On Gift Card. To
Elijah’s right is Service Manager Andrea Delossantos. To Elijah’s left is DSQM William Davis and Service
Director Anthony Sdao.
Congratulations and THANK YOU to our August 2023 QMR of the Month Award recipient!

Continued on the next page
November 2023 TechTIPS

Page 2 of 19

This series features TechTIPS articles frequently referred to by Techline. This month’s feature is from
December 2022.

15

STARLINK TELEMATICS - COMM CHECK, TEST CALLS, REMOTE SERVICES
REQUESTS, FAILED CALLS

The purpose of this TechTIP is to share some best practices for Gen 2 and Gen 3 Telematics service
procedures. It is also to stress the importance of contacting Techline when encountering uncertainty or
difficulty with any generation of Starlink Telematics. As a reminder to Technicians the best way to ensure
they get the information needed to diagnose Telematics concerns efficiently is to complete QMRs with a
high level of detail to ensure a steady flow of information to the field.
Critical: The SSM4 should only be connected to the vehicle when reviewing data or using
Work Support. The SSM4 should not be connected to the vehicle during the Comm Check,
Provisioning after a Comm Check, during a VOLTE call and Remote Service testing.
Please perform the procedures below before contacting Techline for one of the concerns listed.
The Comm Check Procedure
Press the “i” button for 2 seconds to perform the Comm Check and then connect the SSM4.
Navigate to the Telematics data monitor and confirm the “Subscription Status” PID changes to
“Unsubscribed” and the Telematics LEDs are off (if the vehicle does not have a subscription), or
changes to “Subscribed” and the GREEN telematics LED is illuminated (if the vehicle has a current
subscription).
Note: The SSM4 should not be connected while trying to perform the Comm Check, test calls, or
Provisioning. Starlink Telematics is very sensitive to the SSM4 connection. The SSM4 may be
probing for data and can cause interference which may cause a race condition and Comm Check
failure.
The Test Call Procedure
A Technician can press the “i” button on any Gen 2 or Gen 3 vehicle and connect to the Starlink
call center. Once connected to an operator, the Technician can request a remote door unlock or
remote engine start (RES) to verify telematics operation further. More information about Remote
Service testing can be found in TSB 15-266-20.
Note: Services available for testing can vary and are based on the customer’s subscription plan.

Continued on the next page
November 2023 TechTIPS

Page 3 of 19

15

STARLINK TELEMATICS - COMM CHECK, TEST CALLS, REMOTE SERVICES
REQUESTS, FAILED CALLS (CONTINUED)

Test Call Procedure after DCM Replacement
After a Technician has replaced the DCM, verifying the operation of the “i” button and Remote
Services is necessary. If the procedure below is not followed, “i” button calls may not connect to
a Starlink operator.
1. DCM has been replaced, and the Comm Check has been completed.
2. Turn the ignition off and wait ten minutes.
3. Turn the ignition on, press the “i” button to connect to the Starlink call center, and complete
Telematics repair verification testing.
CRITICAL: Failure to cycle ignition power and wait ten minutes after DCM replacement
could result in “i” button calls failing. This behavior may lead Technicians to determine that
the DCM replacement did not repair the customer’s concern or introduce a new concern
to the vehicle.
Note: The SSM4 should not be connected to the vehicle when trying to use the “i” button to
connect with a Starlink Operator. Having the SSM4 connected may cause the “i” button call or
Remote Service request to fail.
The Comm Check fails
In almost all cases, the Comm Check will complete on the first attempt. The Comm Check may fail
in rare circumstances, and the “Subscription Status” PID returns to “Factory” mode.
After a Comm Check failure please check for the following conditions that can prevent the Comm
Check from completing.
1. There are current Telematics DTCs.
2. The Telematics antenna may have a fault in the circuit. (When in “Factory mode” the Signal
strength PID will always read 0%)
3. All Telematics fuses have been visually and electrically inspected for faults.
4. The SSM4 (or any aftermarket dongle) was plugged into the OBDII connector while the
Comm Check was performed.
5. Inspect for any aftermarket devices in the vehicle.
If none of the above conditions are found with the car, please perform the workaround below
before contacting Techline for further assistance.

Continued on the next page
November 2023 TechTIPS

Page 4 of 19

STARLINK TELEMATICS - COMM CHECK, TEST CALLS, REMOTE SERVICES
REQUESTS, FAILED CALLS (CONTINUED)

15

WORKAROUND: The Technician must use the SSM4 to confirm the “Subscription Status” is
“Unsubscribed” or “Subscribed” in the Telematics data monitor before releasing the vehicle. The
Comm Check has failed if the subscription status is “FACTORY” or “COMM”. If the Comm Check
is confirmed to have failed, follow the procedure below.
•

Disconnect the SSM4 from the vehicle.

•

Turn the ignition off and wait 5 minutes.

•

Turn the ignition on and wait 3 minutes, doing nothing to the car during this time.

•

Press the “i” button for 2 seconds to perform the Comm Check.

•

Wait 2 minutes, then connect the SSM4 and verify the “Subscription Status” in live data.

•

If the Comm Check has not been completed after performing this procedure twice, contact
Techline for more assistance.SOS or “i” button calls fail to connect to an operator.

If a customer reports a concern of the “i” button or “SOS” button not connecting to a Starlink
Operator or the Technician experiences this condition during testing, perform the workaround
below before contacting Techline.
WORKAROUND: If a test call exhibits no connection to an operator or an error message when
performing the “SOS” or “i” button push, the technician should first:
•

Disconnect the 12V under-hood battery for 15 minutes.

•

Ensure the SSM4 is not connected to the car.

•

Reconnect the 12V under-hood battery.

•

Turn the ignition on and wait 3 minutes, doing nothing to the vehicle during this time.

•

Perform another test of the “i” button.

•

If this procedure fails to rectify the “no VOLTE” call concern, contact Techline for support.

A test call using the SOS/”i” button fails, Remote Service request fails post enrollment or
after DCM replacement.
Upon customer enrollment or DCM replacement, if remote service requests fail to complete,
perform the workaround below before contacting Techline.
This workaround is a suitable general procedure to clear transient conditions with the DCM or
its connection to the network. Technicians may want to incorporate this workaround into their
Telematics diagnostic method.

November 2023 TechTIPS

Continued on the next page

Page 5 of 19

STARLINK TELEMATICS - COMM CHECK, TEST CALLS, REMOTE SERVICES
REQUESTS, FAILED CALLS (CONTINUED)

15

WORKAROUND: If the technician experiences a provisioning failure, they should:

01

•

Disconnect the 12V under-hood battery for 15 minutes.

•

Ensure the SSM4 is not connected to the car.

•

Reconnect the 12V under-the-hood battery.

•

Turn the ignition on and wait 3 minutes, doing nothing to the vehicle.

•

Connect the SSM4, using live data to verify the “Subscription Status” now shows “Subscribed”
to confirm the provisioning failure is no longer present.

•

Verify operation by placing an “i” button call to connect to an operator.

•

Ask the operator to send a remote door to unlock the vehicle to verify the operation of the
remote services.

•

If this procedure fails to rectify the provisioning failure concern, contact Techline for support.

Techline Staffing Changes Where are they now?

We are proud to announce a few of the most recent staff changes
related to the Techline Team!

Meet Michael Winters, a Master Subaru
Technician, who joined Techline in the winter of
2019.
Michael recently moved into the Quality Data
Specialist position. Congratulations Michael!

Meet Robert Bradley, a Master Subaru
Technician, who joined Techline in the spring of
2021.
Robert recently moved into the Quality Data
Specialist position. Congratulation Robert!

Continued on the next page
November 2023 TechTIPS

Page 6 of 19

01

Techline Staffing Changes Where are they now? (CONTINUED)

Meet John Rowlett, a Master Subaru Technician,
who joined Techline in the spring of 2021.
John recently moved into the Technical
Training Development Specialist position.
Congratulations John!

Meet Sean Brown, a Master Subaru Technician,
who joined Techline in the fall of 2017.
Sean recently moved into the Quality Data
Specialist position. Congratulations Sean!

Meet Gene Hixson. After 34 years with Subaru of
America Inc. Gene retired on September 15th.
We wish him well in his life after Subaru.
Congratulations Gene!

CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!
Continued on the next page
November 2023 TechTIPS

Page 7 of 19

15

Microphone Inoperative, Telematics DCM Comm Check Failure and RES inop

Techline has received an increased number of cases where the Remote Engine Start is inoperable,
Comm Check after a DCM replacement is not possible, as well as inoperable or intermittent microphone
operation. Below is an overview of what has been found and the best process for repair.
Concern: A significant number of DCM (Data Communication Module) replacements have been
performed due to misdiagnosed DCM failures. The actual root cause of the issue is a blown ACC
(Accessory) fuse, often this can be triggered by a faulty USB-connected device.
Symptoms:
•

Microphone inoperable

•

Telematics Comm Check failure

•

RES inoperable

Affected Components: