Subaru bulletin WRE-26
What it saysIn the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Apr 8, 2026, received May 4, 2026. 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 communicationWhat it applies to, as the document itself states it — the build window in the manufacturer’s own words, read by machine from the PDF NHTSA serves. The build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb; the dealer settles a borderline vehicle by its VIN.
In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a service program for certain 2026 model year Outlook vehicles equipped with the 2.4L turbo engine and trailer hitch accessory kit.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRE-26 | Service bulletin | Apr 8, 2026 | 11032029 | PDF, 1,243 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 1 model year this bulletin names have filed 21 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.
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 WRE-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 WRE-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 WRE-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. The document itself sets the build window: 2026 Forester: built 11 Sep 2025 – 17 Oct 2025 — the build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb.