Subaru bulletin 19-02-26
What it saysThis bulletin provides information on how to identify which high voltage battery repairs can be performed at the retailer level. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 1, 2026, received Jul 1, 2026, about the electrical system. It names 17 model years (2016–2026). 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 bulletin provides information on how to identify which high voltage battery repairs can be performed at the retailer level.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19-02-26 | Service bulletin | Jun 1, 2026 | 11034238 | PDF, 1,669 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 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 17 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,261 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 265 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 2019 Subaru Crosstrek, the 25 owners who gave an odometer reading for Electrical System reported it at a median of 9,000 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 2026 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the engine sputtered before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with an inoperable fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure returned three weeks later. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer.
2026 Subaru Forester · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 9, 2026 · ODI 11770139
I purchased a new 2026 Subaru Trailseeker on 06/22/2026. On 07/30/2026, the vehicle became completely inoperable because of a discharged 12V battery. The vehicle would not enter READY mode. Pressing the brake pedal and the START button had no effect. The interior lights would not turn on, and the vehicle was completely without power.
2026 Subaru Trailseeker · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Aug 18, 2026 · ODI 11757653
It is an EV, the 12 volt battery went dead after sitting 3 days. Problem is all other EV's charge the 12 volt when the voltage goes below a certain level, while the Subaru only charges the 12 volt while driving and if parked then it is on a timer and only every 20 days. I have attached a copy of the service manual someone posted.
2026 Subaru Uncharted · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jul 14, 2026 · ODI 11750235
In depth: 2019 Subaru Crosstrek electrical 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 electrical system
Source: same model, same component group113 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-244-26 | Service bulletin | Sep 18, 2026 | "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs: DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circ… |
| 15-333-25R | Service bulletin | Sep 14, 2026 | This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure… |
| 15-322-25R | Service bulletin | Sep 14, 2026 | In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen… |
| 15-304-22R | Service bulletin | Sep 14, 2026 | This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concern… |
| 12-269-25R | Service bulletin | Sep 10, 2026 | This bulletin announces the service procedures to be followed when encountering instances of water intrusion from the sunroof area. This is… |
| 15-343-26 | Service bulletin | Sep 1, 2026 | "This bulletin announces a design change to the cord assembly that connects the Center Infotainment Display (CID) to the CCU, addressing rep… |
| 15-342-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 31, 2026 | This bulletin announces an inspection procedure for the Smart Rear View Mirror Assembly. |
| 10-107-26 | Service bulletin | Aug 31, 2026 | This bulletin announces design changes to the front seat bottom heat unit. |
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 19-02-26 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 19-02-26 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 19-02-26 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 17 model years: 2026 Subaru Crosstrek, 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, 2019 Subaru Crosstrek and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.