Windshield Cracking Concerns – 2015-2016 Subaru Legacy & Outback

NHTSA ID Number: 10188151

Manufacturer Communication Number: 12-192-15R

Summary

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) Quality Assurance has identified an increase in the number of cracked windshields on some 2015 and 2016MY Legacy and Outback models. SOA has now further extended the warranty to 8 years / unlimited miles.

 

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NUMBER: 12-192-15R
DATE: 10/26/15
REVISED: 02/01/21

APPLICABILITY:	2015-16MY Legacy and Outback Models
SUBJECT:	Windshield Cracking Concerns

 

INTRODUCTION

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) Quality Assurance has identified an increase in the number of cracked windshields on some 2015 and 2016MY Legacy and Outback models.  Further investigation has determined the root cause for many of these failures to be the ceramic materials used for the black-colored printed perimeter combined with the silver-colored material used for the wiper deicer portion of the windshield glass.  In response to this increase, SOA previously extended the original warranty on applicable factory-installed windshields to 5 years / unlimited miles.  SOA has now further extended the warranty to 8 years / unlimited miles.  Qualifying customers are entitled to a maximum of ONE replacement of the original factory-installed windshield on a vehicle with a VIN prior to those listed in the Production Change Information on page 2 and meets the guidelines outlined in this bulletin.

 

NOTE:  ALWAYS perform a Vehicle Coverage Inquiry on Subarunet to determine eligibility for this warranty extension before proceeding.  See sample inquiry result below.  The VIN should also be checked for any open campaigns or recalls at this time.

 

IMPORTANT: The information in this bulletin is only applicable to certain windshield glass manufactured by CARLEX and equipped with the windshield wiper deicer feature (part of the All-Weather Package) on vehicles within the specified VIN ranges. The affected windshields can
develop cracks when impacted in the printed black area of the highlighted wiper deicer area shown in the illustration below.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The illustration to the right shows the windshield as viewed from OUTSIDE the vehicle.

 

PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION:

Windshields manufactured with new black perimeter border and wiper deicer materials were incorporated into production per the table below.

 

NOTE:  This bulletin applies only to vehicles produced prior to the starting VINs listed below.

 

MODEL	EYESIGHT	STARTING VIN	PRODUCTION DATE:
Legacy & Outback	With EyeSight	G3222455 – Outback	September 3, 2015
		G3011247 – Legacy
	Without EyeSight	G3210476 – Outback	August 12, 2015
		G3006359 – Legacy

 

PART INFORMATION

PART NUMBER	APPLICATION
65009AL17C or 57A	W/ Wiper Deicer
65009AL18B or 58A	W/ Wiper Deicer and EyeSight

 

The original windshields (before production change) can be easily identified by the identification markings found in the lower left, driver’s side corner shown in Figure 1 below.

 

 

The enhanced production parts and replacement part windshields are identified by the additional identification markings (CN, CV, DOT44) as shown in Figure 2 below.  Windshields with these markings are NOT eligible for replacement under the warranty extension.

 

COVERAGE GUIDELINES

Confirm the windshield is actually cracked and the crack does not originate from a bulls eye, star, or combination impact that appears outside of the deicer region of the windshield (refer to the images in Figure 3 below).  Windshields with such impact evidence appearing outside of the deicer region do not qualify for repair under warranty.  Bulls eye, star, or combination impacts that appear inside the deicer region of the windshield qualify for the one-time repair under warranty.  If there is no evidence of impact, then the crack must pass through the deicer section of the windshield to qualify for the one-time repair under warranty.  DO NOT submit an Authorization Request for a windshield replacement which will be covered by the warranty extension outlined in this Service Bulletin.

 

IMPORTANT:  Evidence of impact damage must be visible to the naked eye and should be assessed by visual inspection only.  No ballpoint pen, fingernail, or other object should be used to assess whether the damage originated from an impact.

 

STOP:  If evidence of impact appears in an area OUTSIDE the wiper deicer area, this warranty extension DOES NOT apply.  Follow the standard Authorization Request procedure using:  Subarunet > Service > Authorization Request Entry if warranty coverage outside this warranty extension is applicable.  For these authorizations, please be sure to always include the manufacturer’s indentification marking as one of the submitted photos.

 

WINDSHIELD INSPECTION

STOP:  After confirming the presence of a crack, inspect the manufacturer identification marking in the lower left driver’s side corner of the windshield.  If the marking is the same as shown in the enhanced production part and replacement part illustrations in Figure 2, this warranty extension DOES NOT apply.  These indentification markings indicate an enhanced replacement windshield has already been installed.

 

STOP:  If the identification markings do not include the words SUBARU and Carlex, the glass is an aftermarket windshield and the warranty extension DOES NOT apply.  Aftermarket windshields are not eligible for any Subaru warranty coverage.

If the marking contains SUBARU and Carlex and matches one of the illustrations shown in Figure 1 above,  proceed with the inspection as the windshield was manufactured prior to the production change.  Visually inspect the crack to determine if it passes through the affected deicer area.  Visually examine the entire length of the crack for evidence of impact.

• If an impact point is found within the affected deicer area (as shown by “A” in the illustration below), proceed with windshield replacement under the terms of this warranty extension.
• If the impact point is found outside of the affected deicer area (as shown by “B” in the illustration below), this bulletin and warranty coverage do not apply.
• If an impact point cannot be identified, and the crack passes through the affected deicer area, the windshield replacement would fall under this warranty extension.

 

As noted above, use visual inspection only to identify evidence of impact (i.e., no fingernail or pen test).

 

SERVICE PROCEDURE / INFORMATION

The vast majority of windshield replacements are performed as sublet repairs.  For this reason, it is important that ALL the Service Manual procedures are followed closely to insure a proper repair.  Following ALL the Service Manual procedures is even more important when replacing the windshield on a vehicle equipped with EyeSight otherwise proper operation of the system may be impacted.

 

IMPORTANT:  The Service Manual specifies the EyeSight stereo camera assembly MUST be removed from the vehicle BEFORE removing the windshield.  After windshield replacement is complete, the EyeSight stereo camera assembly MUST be reinstalled and calibrated by performing the complete Camera Inspection and Adjustment procedure along with the Automatic Adjustment procedure as outlined in the applicable Service Manual.  It is IMPERATIVE Technicians thoroughly review and understand each step of the stereo camera calibration procedures as found in the EyeSight (ES) section of the applicable Service Manual before proceeding.

 

NOTE:  In the event the Automatic Adjustment procedure fails to complete after driving for 30 minutes, the Camera Adjustment and Inspection procedure will need to be repeated and the Automatic Adjustment attempted a second time.

 

VERY IMPORTANT:  NEVER return a vehicle to a customer which has not had the complete EyeSight Camera Adjustment and Inspection AND the Automatic Adjustment procedures performed successfully following any windshield replacement.

 

WARRANTY / CLAIM INFORMATION

The Basic New Car Limited Warranty for these vehicles is three (5) years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.  SOA is extending this original warranty for windshield cracking originating in the deicer area for an additional two (2) years / unlimited miles for a ONE-TIME replacement where applicable.

SOA has informed vehicle owners this condition may exist via a customer letter.  A copy of the owner notification letter is included at the end of this bulletin. Customers can schedule an appointment with any authorized Subaru retailer for a free visual inspection of the windshield should any cracking occur.  SOA will also inform insurers about this condition.

Please submit for reimbursement as you would any other covered repair using the claim coding provided below.  REMINDER: Any windshield condition found outside of the affected wiper deicer area is not covered by this warranty extension.

 

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OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER

 

October 23, 2015

Important Notice:
Warranty Extension for Windshield Cracking at Deicer
On 2015 and early production 2016 Legacy and Outback

 

Dear Subaru Owner:

This letter is to notify you that under the conditions described below, the original limited warranty of three (3) years/36,000 miles has been extended to five (5) years/ unlimited miles (an additional twenty-four (24) months regardless of mileage) for your vehicle’s original or some early replacement deicer equipped windshields.  If you paid to have the deicer windshield replaced for cracks or breakage around the deicer within the original limited warranty period or newly extended warranty period, you may be eligible for reimbursement.  Refer to the instructions below for inspection & repair procedures and the reimbursement eligibility requirements & procedure.

Inspection & Repair Details

During the windshield glass manufacturing process certain compounds used to adhere the deicer to the lower portion of the windshield created a condition where the glass became more susceptible to cracking following a minor wound to the glass due to some outside force such as a stone impact.  When this occurs the damage to the glass generally appears very minor or may even be invisible but the glass may crack as a result.  If the crack originates or passes through the deicer (lower) area of the windshield then this condition may be the cause. (Please refer to the diagram below.) If the impact is severe enough to cause glass penetration, starring, or other severe damage, it is not caused by this condition since such an impact would also result in damage to the windshield even at its normally expected strength.  Damage to other areas of the windshield, regardless of the cause, do not result from a manufacturing defect and consequently are not eligible for coverage either under your vehicle’s original limited warranty or under the extended warranty described in this letter.  In addition, only genuine Subaru original or replacement windshields are eligible for warranty coverage.

 

NOTE:  The illustration shows the windshield as viewed from the OUTSIDE of the vehicle.

 

If you currently have damage in the lower de-icer area of your windshield or a crack in the glass that passes through that area, you may have your vehicle inspected for this condition.  Please schedule an appointment with an authorized Subaru retailer (dealer) for a free visual inspection.  The inspection will take approximately 15-20 minutes. If repair is required, it may be necessary to leave your vehicle for a longer period of time on the day of your scheduled appointment or to reschedule at a later date to allow your retailer flexibility in scheduling, ordering needed parts, or coordinating with a sub-contracted glass installation company.

Reimbursement Eligibility

• You may be eligible for reimbursement if you already paid to have your vehicle’s deicer equipped windshield replaced for cracks or breakage in the deicer area during the original limited warranty period of three (3) years or 36,000 miles, or newly extended warranty period of up to five (5) total years regardless of mileage. Requests for reimbursement must be filed prior to February 1, 2016.
• You must have paid an out-of-pocket expense to an authorized Subaru retailer, an authorized Subaru repair facility, or a third-party aftermarket repair provider to replace the windshield as a result of a crack in the windshield.
• Chip repairs are not eligible for reimbursement under the terms of this warranty extension. Damage resulting in a chip (only) does not result from a manufacturing defect and consequently these are not eligible for coverage either under your vehicle’s original limited warranty or under the extended warranty described in this letter.
• If you have been previously reimbursed by SOA, a Subaru Retailer, or your insurance provider for partial coverage of this repair, only the portion that you have paid is eligible for reimbursement.
• You are not eligible to recover any repair costs previously reimbursed by any third party, including Subaru Added Security, other extended warranty providers, an authorized Subaru retailer, or your insurance provider.  Insurance providers will have an opportunity to seek reimbursement separately from this offer to you, the Subaru owner.
• To Apply for Reimbursement Complete the attached Claim Form at the end of this document.
• Attach a copy of the receipt or invoice for the repair. A copy of the repair invoice or work order showing windshield replacement for cracking will meet this requirement. The invoice must show your vehicle model, vehicle identification number (VIN), the name and address of the facility that completed the repair, the cost of the repair (parts and labor), and the date the work was completed.
• Attach proof of payment, such as a copy of the canceled check, bank statement, cash receipt, or credit card receipt showing that you paid for the repair.
• Mail the completed Request for Reimbursement form and copies of the receipt(s) and invoice(s) to this address:

Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Retailer Services Department
Attention: Windshield Warranty Extension P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000

Please allow 6-8 weeks for the reimbursement to be processed.

 

Your request for reimbursement must be postmarked by no later than February 1, 2016.  Ensure your request includes all necessary documents to avoid any delays in processing and reimbursement.

If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly:

• By e-mail: Go to subaru.com/customer-support.html and select “Email Us”
• By telephone: 1-855-384-8926

Monday through Thursday – 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST

Friday – 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST

Sincerely,

Subaru of America, Inc.

 

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4 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
SUBARU	LEGACY	2015-2016
SUBARU	OUTBACK	2015-2016

 

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1 Associated Document

Manufacturer Communications

NUMBER: 12-192-15R
DATE: 10/26/15
REVISED: 02/01/21

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10188151

MC-10188151-0001.pdf 666.591KB

 

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NHTSA ID Number: 10093903

Manufacturer Communication Number: 12-192-15R

Summary

SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. (SOA) QUALITY ASSURANCE HAS IDENTIFIED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CRACKED WINDSHIELDS ON SOME 2015 AND 2016MY LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION HAS DETERMINED THE ROOT CAUSE FOR MANY OF THESE FAILURES TO BE THE CERAMIC MATERIALS USED FOR THE BLACK-COLORED PRINTED PERIMETER COMBINED WITH THE SILVER-COLORED MATERIAL USED FOR THE WIPER DEICER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD GLASS. IN RESPONSE TO THIS INCREASE, SOA IS EXTENDING THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY ON APPLICABLE FACTORY-INSTALLED WINDSHIELDS TO 5 YEARS / UNLIMITED MILES. THIS WARRANTY EXTENSION WILL COVER WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT A MAXIMUM OF ONE TIME WHERE APPLICABLE ON A VEHICLE WITH A VIN PRIOR TO THOSE LISTED IN THE PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION ON PAGE 2 AND MEETING THE GUIDELINES OUTLINED IN THIS BULLETIN.

 

1 Associated Document

Manufacturer Communications

NUMBER: 12-192-15R
DATE: 10/26/15
REVISED: 11/19/15

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10093903

MC-10093903-2280.pdf 1176.111KB

 

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NHTSA ID Number: 10186430

Manufacturer Communication Number: Subarunet Announ

Summary

Windshield Extension parameter changes

 

1 Associated Document

Manufacturer Communications

Date: January 27, 2021
Re: Windshield Extension parameter changes- certain 2015-2016MY Legacy and Outback models

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10186430

MC-10186430-0001.pdf 97.306KB

 

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Last update on 2026-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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