TSB 18-230-26 — Subaru Service bulletin
18-230-26 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 7 Subaru models, 2016–2026 model years. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
What the bulletin says. This bulletin announces the diagnostic procedures to be used when DTCs B1571(REFERENCE CODE INCOMPATIBILITY IMMOBILIZER CM TO ECM) and B1572(IMM CIRCUIT EXCEPT ANTENNA CIRCUIT) are detected by Keyless Access with Push Button Start(KACM).
NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.
Vehicles and model years 18-230-26 names
| Vehicle | Model years |
|---|---|
| Subaru Ascent | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, 2026 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Subaru Forester | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Subaru Impreza | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Subaru Legacy | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Subaru Outback | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 |
| Subaru WRX | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 |
Every document filed under 18-230-26
| Document ID | Filed | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 18-230-26 | May 1, 2026 | Service bulletin |
What 18-230-26 covers
Engine — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.
Questions buyers ask
What is TSB 18-230-26?
18-230-26 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Subaru, covering 7 Subaru models across the 2016–2026 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: This bulletin announces the diagnostic procedures to be used when DTCs B1571(REFERENCE CODE INCOMPATIBILITY IMMOBILIZER CM TO ECM) and B1572(IMM CIRCUIT EXCEPT ANTENNA CIRCUIT) are detected by Keyless Access with Push Button Start(KACM).
Which vehicles does 18-230-26 cover?
NHTSA's file names Subaru Ascent (2019–2022, 2025–2026); Subaru Crosstrek (2016–2026); Subaru Forester (2016–2024); Subaru Impreza (2016–2026); Subaru Legacy (2016–2025); Subaru Outback (2016–2021, 2023, 2025); Subaru WRX (2017–2023, 2025). A bulletin number can be re-issued against more vehicles later, so check the model-year list on this page against your own.
Is TSB 18-230-26 a recall, and is the repair free?
No. 18-230-26 is repair guidance the manufacturer sent its dealers, not a safety defect finding. You pay for the work unless the vehicle is still under warranty. Recall repairs, by contrast, are always free.
How do I get the full text of 18-230-26?
Take the document ID to a dealer's service desk, or search NHTSA's manufacturer-communications records. This page carries every document ID filed under 18-230-26, its date, and NHTSA's own summary from the public file.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. This page lists only what NHTSA's manufacturer-communications file records under 18-230-26. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.