Subaru bulletin 17-20-24R
What it saysThis bulletin announces a design change made to the second row inner seat belt buckle assembly to address cases of the seat belt indicator warnings not turning off after the buckle is fully latched. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 11, 2025, received Oct 2, 2025, about the seat belts. It names 6 model years (2019–2024). 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 announces a design change made to the second row inner seat belt buckle assembly to address cases of the seat belt indicator warnings not turning off after the buckle is fully latched.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-20-24R | Service bulletin | Sep 11, 2025 | 11023509 | PDF, 1,209 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 6 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,024 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.
More bulletins about the seat belts
Source: same model, same component group2 other manufacturer communications filed against the Subaru Ascent under the same component group (seat belts), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17-21-25 | Service bulletin | Aug 7, 2025 | This Bulletin announces the availability of a new part Extender Belt. This is for customers who find it necessary to increase the length of… |
| 17-20-24 | Service bulletin | Nov 22, 2024 | This bulletin announces a design change made to the second row inner seat belt buckle assembly to address cases of the seat belt indicator w… |
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 17-20-24R 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 17-20-24R 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 17-20-24R cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 6 model years: 2024 Subaru Ascent, 2023 Subaru Ascent, 2022 Subaru Ascent, 2021 Subaru Ascent, 2020 Subaru Ascent, 2019 Subaru Ascent. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.