2019-2023 Subaru Head Unit Warranty Extension

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has announced a significant warranty extension for the CP1 and Gen 3.1 Head Units found in many of its 2019-2023 models. This extension, detailed in Service Bulletin 15-322-25R, aims to address customer satisfaction regarding common infotainment system issues by extending coverage to 8 years or 150,000 miles.

This Subaru Head Unit Warranty Extension applies to qualifying repairs of the infotainment audio system. The bulletin specifies that repairs for certain conditions will be covered, but it explicitly excludes issues caused by physical damage.

Why this matters

This warranty extension is crucial for owners of affected Subaru vehicles, as it provides extended coverage for potentially costly repairs to the infotainment system. The New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 and Gen 3.1 Head Unit is now 8 years or 150,000 miles, significantly longer than the standard warranty period. This ensures that owners will not have to bear the expense of repairs for qualifying issues within this extended timeframe.

Symptoms

Owners may experience various issues with their CP1 or Gen 3.1 Head Unit that are covered under this Subaru Head Unit Warranty Extension. These include a "bubbled screen," a "black or blank screen," a "loss of audio," or "repeated rebooting" of the system. Additionally, owners might encounter an "inability to use CarPlay/Android Auto, Navigation, Bluetooth, or touch screen operation."

Diagnosis / trigger conditions

To qualify for the Subaru Head Unit Warranty Extension, the customer's concern must be confirmed to originate from the head unit. The service procedure involves confirming the customer's reported symptom, such as a "black or blank screen" or issues with specific features like CarPlay/Android Auto. It's important to note that the extension does NOT cover issues caused by physical damage, including water damage or screen impact.

Repair procedure summary

The repair process for the affected head units involves a multi-step approach. Initially, reprogramming the head unit with the latest available software is the first course of action, if new software is confirmed to be available. If the head unit already has the most current software and the fault persists, or if reprogramming does not resolve the issue, then the head unit will require replacement.

Should a qualifying condition reappear even after a head unit replacement, the vehicle is eligible for an additional one-time software reprogramming if new software becomes available within the warranty extension period. This ensures comprehensive coverage for persistent issues related to the Subaru Head Unit Warranty Extension.

Required tools or parts

For repairs under Service Bulletin 15-322-25R, technicians must ensure they have the latest software available for reprogramming. For Denso CP1 units, refer to TSBs 15-261-20, 15-297-22, and 15-301-22 for reprogramming details. For Harman Gen3.1 units, TSB 15-236-18 provides the necessary information. Specific labor operations and fail codes are used for warranty claims, such as A832-286 (DENSO CP1 SOFTWARE UPDATE) with Fail Code ZWB-48, and A031-168 (HARMAN AUDIO / NAVI UNIT REPROGRAMMING) with Fail Code ZVG-48.

Important warnings

Subaru emphasizes that this warranty extension covers parts and labor costs for qualifying repairs only one time. The repairs must be preceded by a thorough diagnosis confirming the head unit as the fault source. Other audio components, including amplifiers, speakers, and wiring, are NOT covered by this extension. It is crucial to note that issues caused by physical damage, such as water damage or screen impact, are also not covered.

For Denso Cockpit Control Unit (CCU) replacement claims, the current software version must be recorded on the Repair Order (RO) before any diagnostic steps. If the software version cannot be retrieved due to an inoperable infotainment system,