TSB: SUBARU FORESTER, IMPREZA, WRX, WRX STI, XV CROSSTREK (2008–2014)

Bulletin SB-06-48-15 — May 15, 2015

Bulletin Details

Bulletin IDSB-06-48-15
ManufacturerSUBARU
ModelsFORESTER, IMPREZA, WRX, WRX STI, XV CROSSTREK
Model Years2008–2014
Date IssuedMay 15, 2015
Date Added to NHTSAFebruary 19, 2016
ComponentEXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Vehicles Affected40 combinations

What is a TSB?

A Technical Service Bulletin is a document issued by the vehicle manufacturer to inform dealership technicians about a known issue and the recommended repair procedure. TSBs are not mandatory recalls — they serve as repair guidance for common problems.

If your vehicle has this issue, bring this bulletin ID to your dealer. If under warranty, the repair should be covered at no cost.

Summary

SUBARU: ON SOME VEHICLES, TO REDUCE POSSIBILITY OF IMPROPER ILLUMINATION, A CHANGE IN DESIGN FOR STOP LIGHT SWITCH FOR ABS AND/OR VDC WARNING LAMP. MODELS 2012-14 IMPREZA, XV CROSSTREK (EXCEPT HYBRID), 2008-14 WRX, STI, 2014 FORESTER.

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
SUBARU FORESTER 2014 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU FORESTER 2014 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU IMPREZA 2014 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU IMPREZA 2014 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2014 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2014 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2014 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX STI 2014 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU XV CROSSTREK 2014 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU XV CROSSTREK 2014 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU IMPREZA 2013 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU IMPREZA 2013 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2013 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2013 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX STI 2013 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2013 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU XV CROSSTREK 2013 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU XV CROSSTREK 2013 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU IMPREZA 2012 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU IMPREZA 2012 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2012 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2012 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2012 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX STI 2012 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2011 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2011 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX STI 2011 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2011 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2010 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2010 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2010 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2010 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2009 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX 2009 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX STI 2009 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2009 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2008 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
SUBARU WRX 2008 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2008 125100 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SUBARU WRX STI 2008 353000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

Related SUBARU Recalls

CampaignModelYearComponentSummary
FORESTER HYBRID 2025 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK AS... Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek hybrid, and 2025 ...
CROSSTREK HYBRID 2026 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK AS... Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek hybrid, and 2025 ...
FORESTER 2026 STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HIN... Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Forester vehicles....
SOLTERRA 2025 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2...
SOLTERRA 2023 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2...

What Should You Do?

If your vehicle is affected by this TSB, contact your authorized SUBARU dealer. Bring this bulletin ID (SB-06-48-15) when you visit. If under warranty, the repair should be free. If your warranty has expired, ask about goodwill coverage — manufacturers sometimes cover TSB-related repairs beyond the warranty period.

Frequently Asked Questions

A recall is a mandatory safety fix — the manufacturer must repair every affected vehicle for free. A TSB is an advisory document that describes a known issue and the recommended fix, but repairs are not required. However, some TSBs eventually lead to recalls if the issue poses a safety risk. TSBs are generally issued for quality or performance problems, while recalls address safety defects.

If your vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty, TSB-related repairs are typically covered at no cost. If your warranty has expired, you can ask the dealer about goodwill or customer assistance programs. Many manufacturers will cover or partially cover repairs for well-known issues, especially if the TSB was issued recently or affects a large number of vehicles.

Check the make, model, and model year listed above against your vehicle. If they match, this bulletin likely applies. However, TSBs may only affect vehicles with specific production dates, VIN ranges, or configurations. Your dealer can confirm by entering your VIN into their service system, which will show all applicable TSBs and recalls.

This data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Manufacturers are required to submit copies of all communications (including TSBs) sent to their dealers to NHTSA. The agency makes this data publicly available as part of its vehicle safety monitoring program.