Subaru bulletin 15-251-19R
What it says"This Service Bulletin provides additional diagnostics to follow when addressing a Telematics-related DTC B2A16. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 24, 2025, received Dec 3, 2019, about the electrical system — 9 documents under this number. It names 75 model years (2016–2025). 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.
Get the next Subaru bulletin for your model by email Weekly, only when something new is filed. Nothing else; one-click unsubscribe.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communication"This Service Bulletin provides additional diagnostics to follow when addressing a Telematics-related DTC B2A16. In most cases involving this DTC, the following scenario(s) occur: ⢠When trying to use the remote engine starter (RES) feature through Telematics (STARLINK / My Subaru app) the request is unsuccessful and the red Telematics indicator lamp illuminates. ⢠The customer takes their vehicle to the Retailer and the Technician finds the only code stored to be B2A16 in the DCM. ⢠The Technician diagnoses the DTC per the applicable Service Manual trouble tree and replaced the DCM."
Trouble codes it names: B2A16
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Jun 24, 2025 | 11019932 | PDF, 2,279 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Apr 30, 2025 | 11017466 | PDF, 2,273 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Feb 10, 2025 | 11014852 | PDF, 1,235 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Aug 5, 2024 | 11006931 | PDF, 904 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Jan 11, 2024 | 10249606 | PDF, 904 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Oct 18, 2022 | 10225766 | not found |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Dec 29, 2021 | 10205930 | not found |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Oct 28, 2021 | 10202841 | PDF, 1,394 KB |
| 15-251-19R | Service bulletin | Nov 18, 2019 | 10168637 | not found |
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 themand 34 more on this site: 2020 Subaru Impreza, 2019 Subaru Impreza, 2018 Subaru Impreza, 2017 Subaru Impreza, 2016 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport, 2025 Subaru Legacy, 2024 Subaru Legacy, 2023 Subaru Legacy, 2022 Subaru Legacy, 2021 Subaru Legacy, 2020 Subaru Legacy, 2019 Subaru Legacy, 2018 Subaru Legacy, 2017 Subaru Legacy/Outback, 2016 Subaru Legacy/Outback, 2025 Subaru Outback, 2024 Subaru Outback, 2023 Subaru Outback, 2022 Subaru Outback, 2021 Subaru Outback, 2020 Subaru Outback, 2019 Subaru Outback, 2018 Subaru Outback, 2024 Subaru Solterra, 2023 Subaru Solterra, 2024 Subaru WRX, 2023 Subaru WRX, 2022 Subaru WRX, 2021 Subaru WRX, 2020 Subaru WRX, 2019 Subaru WRX, 2018 Subaru WRX, 2017 Subaru WRX, 2016 Subaru WRX.
Also filed against model years this site has no page for: 2021 Subaru BRZ.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Email me new Subaru bulletins for one of these models
A weekly email, sent only in a week when Subaru files something new with NHTSA for the model you pick — service bulletins, campaigns, warranty extensions, over-the-air notices, every model year. Nothing else is sent; one-click unsubscribe in every message. Separate from recall alerts.
What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 74 model years this bulletin names have filed 12,665 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 3,148 of them name Electrical System — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
On the 2017 Subaru Legacy/Outback, the 179 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 32,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
Warning light on infotainment screen for Eyesight and Transmission Oil issues. Warning from MySubaru System via website. Warning on Infotainment screen while using CarPlay "There was a problem loading this content." Contacted Subaru of America Britt Senior Customer Service Advocate telling them dealer is not making appointment to fix car…
2024 Subaru Legacy · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Forester. While turning the vehicle, the entire electrical system shut off, including the power steering and emergency braking system. The contact was almost involved in a crash due to the failure. The contact pulled over, shut off the engine, and restarted the vehicle, but the electrical failures remained.
2019 Subaru Forester · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Mar 25, 2019
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V907000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
2022 Subaru Ascent · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Feb 9, 2023
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 electrical system
Source: same model, same component group176 other manufacturer communications filed against these Subaru models under the same component group (electrical system), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Subaru list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15-342-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 31, 2026 | This bulletin announces an inspection procedure for the Smart Rear View Mirror Assembly. |
| 15-261-20R | Service bulletin | Aug 31, 2026 | This bulletin announces reprogramming file availability and provides a software update installation procedure to optimize the new Gen 4 Dens… |
| WRG-26R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated a safety recall for certain 2026 model year Solterra vehicles to update the software of the b… |
| 15-341-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This Bulletin provides best practices for troubleshooting and resolving Subaru Connect telematics concerns on 2026MY Solterra, Trailseeker… |
| 15-308-23R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experienc… |
| 15-305-22R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This bulletin announces a reprogramming file availability and provides a software update installation procedure to optimize the new Gen 4.5… |
| 19-04-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 14, 2026 | This Bulletin provided diagnostic procedure information to be followed when addressing Dark Current / Parasitic Draw concerns on Subaru EV v… |
| 15-331-25R | Service bulletin | Aug 14, 2026 | This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concern… |
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 15-251-19R 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 15-251-19R 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.
Which vehicles does 15-251-19R cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 75 model years: 2025 Subaru Ascent, 2024 Subaru Ascent, 2023 Subaru Ascent, 2022 Subaru Ascent, 2021 Subaru Ascent, 2020 Subaru Ascent and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.