Subaru bulletin 16-141-23R
What it saysThis bulletin announces availability of reprogramming files to optimize the Transmission Control Module (TCM). NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 11, 2023, received Aug 2, 2023, about the power train. It names 5 model years (2019–2023). 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 availability of reprogramming files to optimize the Transmission Control Module (TCM). The new files were designed to address cases of DTC P0711 (Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor “A” Circuit Range/Performance) being detected by the TCM during low ambient temperatures (32° F(0° C)).
Trouble codes it names: P0711 U0115 U0155 U0423 3 of 4 read from the document itself
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-141-23R | Service bulletin | Jul 11, 2023 | 10240116 | PDF, 1,019 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.
Find the control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) for the 2023 Ascent →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
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 5 model years this bulletin names have filed 965 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 462 of them name Electrical System, Power Train — 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 2019 Subaru Ascent, the 84 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 11,000 miles. That figure is one model year’s, not the whole range this bulletin covers — medians from different model years are not averaged.
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
I attempted to start my Subaru Ascent and it would not start. I contacted subaru's towing and they came and jumpstarted the car. The towing company informed me that subaru's Ascent batteries are defective and that they have been forced to jump a number of them. I drove to work. The next morning, I woke to the same problem.
2019 Subaru Ascent · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jun 4, 2019
The transmission jerks and slips after accelerating from stops. It causes the car to jitter and not accelerate when necessary while in traffic. After taking it to the service center multiple times, the problem was reproduced with a service technician in the car. The tech had a computer connected to the diagnostic box.
2022 Subaru Ascent · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Oct 31, 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 power train
Source: same model, same component group16 other manufacturer communications filed against the Subaru Ascent under the same component group (power train), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Subaru list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-154-25R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This Service Information Bulletin announces the release of a new diagnostic assistance application for TR690 and TR580 CVT-equipped vehicles… |
| 16-150-24R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | "This bulletin announces availability of new reprogramming files developed to address the two symptoms described below: SYMPTOM 1: A jerk or… |
| 16-132-20R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This Bulletin provides updated diagnostic procedures to follow and a brief questionnaire to complete when diagnosing an alleged Chain Slip c… |
| 16-151-24R | Service bulletin | Jun 5, 2026 | This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR690 model CVT transmissions us… |
| 16-155-25R | Service bulletin | Apr 24, 2026 | In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Powertrain Warranty coverage for th… |
| WRK-21/22R | Service bulletin | Sep 4, 2025 | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated this safety and emissions Recall for certain 2019 - 2020 model year Ascent vehicles, 2020-202… |
| 16-154-25 | Service bulletin | Sep 2, 2025 | This Bulletin announces the release of a new diagnostic assistance application for TR690 CVT-equipped vehicles. |
| 03-96-25 | Service bulletin | Apr 22, 2025 | This bulletin announces design changes made to the rear axle hubs. These changes have been implemented to reduce cases water intrusion furth… |
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 16-141-23R 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 16-141-23R 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 16-141-23R cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 5 model years: 2023 Subaru Ascent, 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.