Subaru bulletin 12-270-25
What it saysThis bulletin announces design changes to both the right and left rear gate inner side trim panels. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 30, 2025, received Oct 2, 2025, about the structure. It names 2 model years (2024–2025). 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 design changes to both the right and left rear gate inner side trim panels. The new design enhances the durability of the trim panels and helps prevent potential damage during removal or reinstallation.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-270-25 | Service bulletin | Sep 30, 2025 | 11023521 | PDF, 1,335 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.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
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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 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 167 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 group4 other manufacturer communications filed against the Subaru Crosstrek under the same component group (structure), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-264-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 29, 2026 | This bulletin announces the availability of new front fender garnishes fitted with new clips to provide a more secure and streamlined fit. |
| 19-01-26 | Service bulletin | Mar 26, 2026 | This bulletin announces the repair procedure for the 12v terminal on the inverter to address concerns regarding corrosion buildup. |
| 13-108-25 | Service bulletin | Aug 11, 2025 | This bulletin provides information on paint codes for vehicles in the 2026 line up. |
| 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 12-270-25 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 12-270-25 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 12-270-25 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years: 2025 Subaru Crosstrek, 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.