Subaru bulletin 12-281-26
What it saysThis Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide a diagnostic and repair procedure for customers who report that rear washer pressure or flow is insufficient. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 13, 2026, received Aug 4, 2026, about the visibility/wiper. It names 1 model year (2026). 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 Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide a diagnostic and repair procedure for customers who report that rear washer pressure or flow is insufficient.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-281-26 | Service bulletin | Jul 13, 2026 | 11035636 | PDF, 3,773 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 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 20 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 visibility/wiper
Source: same model, same component group4 other manufacturer communications filed against the Subaru Outback under the same component group (visibility/wiper), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-268-25R | Service bulletin | Sep 15, 2026 | This bulletin announces a repair procedure developed to address cases of the driver side mirror glass vibrating at highway speeds. This is a… |
| 12-266-25 | Service bulletin | May 14, 2025 | This bulletin announces the design change made to the Washer Tank. |
| 07-189-21R | Service bulletin | Apr 29, 2025 | This bulletin announces availability of new door window regulator assemblies and door glass run channel seals in response to limited concern… |
| 12-257-25R | Service bulletin | Mar 24, 2025 | In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the Front Win… |
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 12-281-26 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 12-281-26 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 12-281-26 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2026 Subaru Outback. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.