WRJ-21 – Left Front B-Pillar / Inspection for Splitting Condition – 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness

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Bulletin Number: WRJ-21R; Revised: 01/19/22 Page 1 of 7 SERVICE PROGRAM BULLETIN In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a service program to check for and, if necessary, repair a split on the panel surface of the left side B-pillar for certain 2022 model year Outback Wilderness vehicles. REASON FOR THIS SERVICE PROGRAM Subaru has determined that a split may be present in the panel surface of the left side B-pillar of certain vehicles covered by this service program. If this condition exists, water entering the panel through the split could possibly corrode the door lock leading to a malfunction of the door lock mechanism. Affected Vehicles The number of U.S. vehicles included in this service program is 270. Model Year Carline Production date range 2022 Outback Wilderness August 17, 2021 – August 19, 2021 Not all vehicles in the production date range listed above may be included in this service program. Coverage for all affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. This information is now available. Affected vehicle information based on the selling retailer will also available tomorrow through the ‘Recall Affected VIN List’ function located on subarunet.com under ‘Recalls & Campaigns.’ Description of the Repair Subaru retailers will inspect the left side B-pillar area as described in the Service Program Bulletin. If a split is identified, the vehicle will be repaired at no cost to the customer. Retailer Responsibility Any vehicles listed in any recall or 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 Bulletin Continued… NUMBER: WRJ-21R DATE: 12/10/21 REVISED: 01/19/22 APPLICABILITY: 2022MY Outback Wilderness SUBJECT: Left Front B-Pillar / Inspection for Splitting Condition ATTENTION: GENERAL MANAGER q PARTS MANAGER q CLAIMS PERSONNEL q SERVICE MANAGER q IMPORTANT – All Service Personnel Should Read and Initial in the boxes provided, right. ©2021 Subaru of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Bulletin Number: WRJ-21R; Revised: 01/19/22 Page 2 of 7 Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures, to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo & SSLP). Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject to this service campaign is taken into inventory or in for service, necessary steps should be taken to ensure the repair has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle. Owner Notification Owners will be notified by first class mail on December 15, 2021. SERVICE PROCEDURE / INFORMATION: REMINDER: Customer satisfaction and retention starts with performing quality repairs. This Service Program announces the inspection procedure for the left B-pillar. In a VERY small number of cases, a splitting condition of the metal/paint surface on the left side B-pillar may be found. This condition is located in front of the upper hinge mount for the left rear door. Follow the inspection procedure outlined below. Note that there may be other surface variations observed in this same area that are not splits. These conditions do not require any repair and no correction should be attempted. They are cosmetic only. Only when an actual split is present is a repair necessary. All vehicles must be inspected per the outlined procedure to determine if an actual split exists or not. In a VERY RARE case where splitting of the B-pillar is confirmed after following the procedures outlined in this bulletin, the condition is to be documented with clear, quality photos and the Techline department contacted for further instruction. Continued… Bulletin Number: WRJ-21R; Revised: 01/19/22 Page 3 of 7 Work Flow Chart: STEP 1) Open the left front door to gain access to the inspection area and the left rear door harness. STEP 2) Using a plastic trim tool, CAREFULLY remove the wiring harness grommet from the B-pillar and disconnect the electrical connection. Continued… Bulletin Number: WRJ-21R; Revised: 01/19/22 Page 4 of 7 STEP 3) Tuck the male connector into the B-pillar to provide room for the inspection flashlight. STEP 4) Shine the inspection light through door wiring harness hole. Be sure to aim the light in front of the upper left rear door hinge mount. A Streamlight® Stylus penlight was used in the example inspection photos below. Reduce the ambient light in the work area if needed. Examine the area closely for light shining through any splitting identified within the inspection area. See the EXAMPLE image of the splitting condition provided below. When practical, inspect the vehicle in a low light area or use your hand or a cloth to cover the area for easier observation of any light penetration. NEVER attempt to buff, grind, cut or polish this area prior to the inspection. Any actual splitting in this area will allow light to pass through with no additional prep required. Continued… Bulletin Number: WRJ-21R; Revised: 01/19/22 Page 5 of 7 CRITICAL: Paint pattern inconsistencies such as surface variations and/or blemishing are considered to be acceptable within this area. The splitting condition can ONLY be confirmed when light is found shining through the inspection area. Has any splitting of the B-pillar metal/paint been confirmed by any light found shining through the inspection area? No further action is required. Restore the door harness to its original condition. Create a detailed Quality Monitoring Report (QMR) including the following: • Clear photos of the split condition showing the inspection light emitting through the B-pillar • The current vehicle mileage • Clear photo of the B-pillar VIN label • Body Repair Facility Estimate for the splitting condition repair outlining a planned welding repair of the condition with the related paint procedure information. Once the QMR is complete, contact Techline to report the inspection results and receive further direction. 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 B-Pillar Inspection A111-418 0.2 WRJ-21 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. No Yes Continued… URGENT IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL This notice applies to the VIN below Subaru of America, Inc PO Box 9103 Camden, NJ 08101-9877 844-373-6614 www.subaru.com Subaru Service Program WRJ-21 December 2021 Dear Subaru Owner: We would like to thank you for your selection of a Subaru vehicle. We take pride in our products and are committed to your continued satisfaction. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a service program for certain 2022 model year Outback Wilderness vehicles. You have received this notice because our records indicate that you currently own one of these vehicles. REASON FOR THIS SERVICE PROGRAM Subaru has determined that a split may be present in the panel surface of the left side B-pillar of certain vehicles covered by this service program. If this condition exists, water entering the panel through the split could possibly corrode the door lock leading to a malfunction of the door lock mechanism. REPAIR Your Subaru retailer (dealer) will inspect the left side B-pillar area of your vehicle. If a split is identified, your vehicle will be repaired at no cost to you. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO You should immediately contact your Subaru retailer for an appointment to have this repair performed. HOW LONG WILL THE REPAIR TAKE? The actual time to inspect your vehicle is less than 15 minutes. If a split in the left side B-pillar area is identified during the inspection, the repair to correct it will be arranged by your Subaru retailer. Your retailer can provide you with a better estimate of the overall time for this service visit, as it may be necessary to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time for scheduling purposes. A subsidiary of SUBARU CORPORATION CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR SOLD YOUR SUBARU? If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please update this information online at www. subaru.com, select ‘Customer Support,’ then select ‘Address Update’ or ‘Ownership Update’ from the ‘Quick Links’ menu. IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE: To locate the nearest Subaru retailer, you can access our website at www.subaru.com and select ‘Find a Retailer.’ If you need additional assistance, please contact us directly: • By e-mail: Go to www.subaru.com, Customer Support and select ‘Contact Us’ • By telephone: 1-844-373-6614 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET • By U.S. Postal mail: Write us at Subaru of America, Inc., Attn: Customer Advocacy Department, P.O. Box 9103, Camden, NJ 08101-9877 Please contact us immediately if the Subaru retailer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge. Your continued satisfaction with your Subaru is important to us. Please understand that we have taken this action in the interest of your vehicle’s proper operation. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this matter may cause and urge you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have this repair performed. Sincerely, Subaru of America, Inc.

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Subarunet Announcement To: All Subaru Retailers From: Subaru of America, Inc. Date: December 10, 2021 New Subaru Service Program: WRJ-21 – Outback Wilderness B-Pillar Split In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a service program to check for and, if necessary, repair a split on the panel surface of the left side B-pillar for certain 2022 model year Outback Wilderness vehicles. REASON FOR THIS SERVICE PROGRAM Subaru has determined that a split may be present in the panel surface of the left side B-pillar of certain vehicles covered by this service program. If this condition exists, water entering the panel through the split could possibly corrode the door lock leading to a malfunction of the door lock mechanism. Affected Vehicles The number of U.S. vehicles included in this service program is 270. Not all vehicles in the production date range listed above may be included in this service program. Coverage for all affected vehicles must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com. This information will be available today. Affected vehicle information based on the selling retailer will also available tomorrow through the ‘Recall Affected VIN List’ function located on subarunet.com under ‘Recalls & Campaigns.’ Description of the Repair Subaru retailers will inspect the left side B-pillar area as described in the Service Program Bulletin. If a split is identified, the vehicle will be repaired at no cost to the customer. Retailer Responsibility Any vehicles listed in any recall or 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 Bulletin Retailers are to promptly perform the applicable service procedures, to correct all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo & SSLP). Additionally, whenever a vehicle subject to this service campaign is taken into inventory or in for service, necessary steps should be taken to ensure the repair has been made before selling or releasing the vehicle. Model Year Carline Production date range 2022 Outback Wilderness August 17, 2021 – August 19, 2021 Owner Notification Owners will be notified by first class mail on December 15, 2021. Service and Claim Information Please refer to the WRJ-21 Service Program Bulletin on STIS for detailed service and claim information.

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