Subaru bulletin 12-245-23
What it saysThis bulletin announces the repair procedure for a rubbing-type sound that can be heard from the side of the console box when it comes in contact with a passengerâs knee or when the gear selector is moved. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 21, 2023, received Sep 5, 2023, about the structure. It names 4 model years (2019–2022). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationThis bulletin announces the repair procedure for a rubbing-type sound that can be heard from the side of the console box when it comes in contact with a passengerâs knee or when the gear selector is moved.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-245-23 | Service bulletin | Aug 21, 2023 | 10241841 | PDF, 297 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 4 model years this bulletin names have filed 928 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the structure
Source: same model, same component group5 other manufacturer communications filed against the Subaru Ascent under the same component group (structure), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13-108-25 | Service bulletin | Aug 11, 2025 | This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up. |
| 12-267-25 | Service bulletin | Apr 28, 2025 | This bulletin announces a design change to the hood lock switch portion of the hood lock assembly. |
| 12-300-20R | Service bulletin | Apr 22, 2025 | This bulletin announces design changes made to the trim cover for the rear gate PRG control switches located on the bottom of the rear gate… |
| 12-262-25 | Service bulletin | Mar 6, 2025 | This Bulletin announces diagnostic procedures to be followed when working with a Power Rear Gate (PRG). |
| 13-106-23 | Service bulletin | Aug 9, 2023 | This bulletin announces SOA paint codes to help eliminate possible confusion. |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Subaru, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Subaru 12-245-23 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the 12-245-23 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Subaru warranty extension on file lists the ones Subaru has filed.
Which vehicles does 12-245-23 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 4 model years: 2022 Subaru Ascent, 2021 Subaru Ascent, 2020 Subaru Ascent, 2019 Subaru Ascent. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.