ATTENTION:
GENERAL MANAGER

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PARTS MANAGER

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CLAIMS PERSONNEL

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IMPORTANT - All
Service Personnel
Should Read and
Initial in the boxes
provided, right.

SERVICE MANAGER

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© 2025 Subaru of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN
APPLICABILITY:
SUBJECT:

2025 MY Forester (SHEV)
Safety Recall and Stop Sale- Insufficiently
Tightened Child Seat Anchor Bolts

NUMBER:

WRC-25

DATE:

06/20/25

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated a safety recall for certain 2025 model year Forester
Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicles (SHEV) to tighten the child seat anchor bolts to the proper torque
specification.
Description of the Defect and Safety Risk
The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with insufficiently tightened child seat anchor
bolts. Over time, an affected attachment bolt may become loose, leading to possible separation from
the vehicle frame.
If a child seat is installed using the rear seat lower anchors in a location where an anchor bolt has
separated, the child seat may not be anchored properly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
For all potentially affected vehicles, Subaru retailers will tighten the child seat anchor bolts to the
specified torque at no cost to the customer.
Affected Vehicles
A total of 2,938 U.S. vehicles will be affected by this recall, as listed below. Not all vehicles in the
production range listed are affected by this recall. Coverage must be confirmed by using the Vehicle
Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com prior to repair.
Model Year
2025

Carline
Forester (SHEV)

Production Date Range
November 28, 2024 – March 5, 2025

CAUTION: VEHICLE SERVICING PERFORMED BY UNTRAINED PERSONS COULD
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THOSE PERSONS OR TO OTHERS.
Subaru Service Bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians ONLY. They
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 this
Service Bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition.

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.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 1 of 6

Retailer Responsibility
Please be advised that it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle
covered by a recall under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied. Therefore, any Authorized
Subaru Retailer failing to perform the applicable service procedures to correct all affected vehicles
in their inventory prior to the vehicle being placed in service may be subject to civil penalties of up
to $27,874 per violation (i.e., for each vehicle), as provided in 49 CFR §578.6 and will also be in
breach of the Subaru Dealer Agreement.
Any vehicles listed in any recall/campaign that are in retailer stock must be:
•

Immediately identified

•

Tagged or otherwise marked to prevent their delivery or use prior to repair

•

Repaired in accordance with the repair procedures outlined in the Product Campaign Bulletin

Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures, to correct all affected vehicles in
their inventory (used, demo & SSLP). Whenever a vehicle subject to this recall is taken into retailer
inventory necessary steps should be taken to ensure the recall correction has been made before selling
or releasing the vehicle.
Owner Notification
Subaru will notify affected vehicle owners by first class mail within 60 days. Retailers will be advised
when owner notification is scheduled.
SERVICE PROCEDURE FLOW CHART:

REQUIRED TOOLS & MATERIALS:
Tool Name

Image

Applications

General Tools

Used for re-tightening bolts

Torque wrench

Used for re-tightening bolts

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 2 of 6

COMPONENT CONFIGURATION:

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 3 of 6

SERVICE PROCEDURE:
STEP 1: Carefully remove the rear seat cushion assembly by pulling the knobs at the bottom of the
seat and lifting upward. Once both front hooks are released, tilt the seat upward to unhook the rear
portion of the assembly.

STEP 2: Slide the seat cushion assembly forward to create enough working space. The connectors
between the seat cushion assembly and the vehicle’s body harness do not need to be disconnected.

Continued...
Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 4 of 6

Caution: DO NOT attempt to torque the bolts with the rear seat cushion assembly installed. The
lower bolts cannot be accessed and therefore cannot be torqued properly.

STEP 3: Using a torque wrench, tighten all four bolts securing the plate anchors to 25N·m (18.44ftlbs).

STEP 4: Reinstall the bottom seat cushion assembly according to the applicable Service Manual.
Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 5 of 6

SERVICE PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION LABEL:
Type or print the necessary information on a Campaign Identification Label. The completed label
should be attached to the vehicle’s upper radiator support. Additional labels are available through
normal parts ordering channels. The part number is MSA6P1302, which comes as one sheet of 20
labels.

CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT AND ENTRY PROCEDURES:
Credit to perform this recall will be based on properly completed repair order information. Retailers
may submit claims through Subarunet.com.
Labor Description

Labor Operation #

Labor Time

Fail Code

WRC25 CHILD SEAT ANCHOR BOLT
RETORQUE

A103-531

.2h

WRC-25

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
•

SOA strongly discourages the printing and/or local storage of service information as previously
released information and electronic publications may be updated at any time.

•

Always check for any open recalls or campaigns anytime a vehicle is in for servicing.

•

Always refer to STIS for the latest service information before performing any repairs.

Bulletin Number: WRC-25 ; Date: 06/20/25

Page 6 of 6