Subaru bulletin 16-158-26
What it saysThis bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 20, 2026, received Sep 3, 2026, about the power train. It names 44 model years (2017–2026). 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 communicationWhat it applies to, as NHTSA’s summary states it — build dates and equipment as the manufacturer filed them. The dealer checks the VIN and the build date on the door jamb; a vehicle outside the window is not covered by this bulletin.
This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-158-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | 11036814 | PDF, 6,460 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 themand 4 more on this site: 2021 Subaru Outback, 2020 Subaru Outback, 2019 Subaru Outback, 2018 Subaru Outback.
A 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 44 model years this bulletin names have filed 7,810 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 234 of them name 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.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Crosstrek. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start and was jumpstarted several times by a dealer’s mobile technician. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was determined that the battery was in good condition, and the failure could be related to the manual transmission.
2022 Subaru Crosstrek · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jul 22, 2025 · ODI 11675423
When shifting quickly into 4th gear on the manual transmission at higher rpm's (above 3000), the gear grinds. If you shift slowly, it doesn't. It seems to be only the 4th gear doing this. My car has 1300 miles on it. I AM wondering if it because the rpm's hang way too long. I have been driving a manual daily for 28 years.
2019 Subaru Impreza · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Nov 22, 2019 · ODI 11281776
My new 2022 Forester Wildness is equipped with an automate "Start and Stop" function which (while driving) shuts the engine off if the sits still too long in traffic or a stop light. While the car has a button to disable this function. You must press the button every time you start the car to disable the auto SS.
2022 Subaru Forester · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Sep 6, 2022 · ODI 11483112
In depth: 2020 Subaru Outback transmission and drivetrain problems →
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 group20 other manufacturer communications filed against these Subaru models 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-156-25R | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2026 | This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which enhancement was implemented to prevent abnormal operations.… |
| 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… |
| 16-132-20R | 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… |
| 16-157-26 | Service bulletin | May 12, 2026 | This bulletin announces a design change to the TR690 CVT control valve body which features an enhanced line pressure sensor O-ring, designed… |
| 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… |
| 03-97-26 | Service bulletin | Apr 24, 2026 | This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures. |
| 16-156-25 | Service bulletin | Sep 30, 2025 | This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body. The updated valve body incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to… |
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 16-158-26 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 16-158-26 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 16-158-26 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 44 model years: 2026 Subaru Crosstrek, 2025 Subaru Crosstrek, 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.