TSB: SUBARU ASCENT, CROSSTREK, FORESTER, IMPREZA, LEGACY, OUTBACK, WRX (2010–2021)

Bulletin 16-131-20 — November 9, 2020

Bulletin Details

Bulletin ID16-131-20
ManufacturerSUBARU
ModelsASCENT, CROSSTREK, FORESTER, IMPREZA, LEGACY, OUTBACK, WRX
Model Years2010–2021
Date IssuedNovember 9, 2020
Date Added to NHTSADecember 5, 2020
ComponentPOWER TRAIN
Vehicles Affected59 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

This Service Information Bulletin provides corrected diagnostics containing a revised flow for certain CVT solenoid related DTCs.

Affected Vehicles

MakeModelYearComponent
SUBARU ASCENT 2021 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2021 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2021 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU ASCENT 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2020 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU ASCENT 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2019 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2018 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2017 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2016 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU WRX 2015 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2014 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2014 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2014 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2014 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2014 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2013 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU FORESTER 2013 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2013 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2013 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2013 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU CROSSTREK 2012 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU IMPREZA 2012 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2012 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2012 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2011 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2011 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU LEGACY 2010 100000 POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK 2010 100000 POWER TRAIN

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 (16-131-20) 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.