Subaru bulletin 18-242-26R
What it saysThis bulletin announces a change in the seat belt warning buzzer intervals in the inspection procedure found in the Service Manual. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Subaru filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 23, 2026, received Jul 2, 2026, about the electrical system. It names 9 model years (2024–2026). 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 announces a change in the seat belt warning buzzer intervals in the inspection procedure found in the Service Manual. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-242-26R | Service bulletin | Jun 23, 2026 | 11034256 | PDF, 1,271 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 9 model years this bulletin names have filed 203 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 27 of them name Electrical System, Seat Belts — 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.
I was driving normally, having started my car after leaving a store at the time, while backing up, I received an ad (depicted below) for the SiriusXM limited time offer. This advertisement completely blocked the entirety of the infotainment system, disabling the navigation components completely, disabling my ability to use the backup…
2025 Subaru WRX · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jun 4, 2026 · ODI 11742142
Multiple times the vehicle has allowed lane crossing with no warning neither actual assist or beep into oncoming traffic. A vehicle abruptly stopped approximately 75 feet ahead of me the vehicle did not respond and I did have to slam my brakes. I was able to stop with only 3 feet between me and the stopped vehicle.
2026 Subaru Crosstrek · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Oct 24, 2026 · ODI 11773394
New car with only 965 miles. At 580 miles the car when I started it said safety eyesight system not working. I shut off car and restarted it and system connected itself. Today I was on highway doing 62mph and the entire dashboard, information and safety features displays went completely black without any warning.
2026 Subaru Outback · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Sep 9, 2026 · ODI 11763152
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 group132 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… |
| 15-331-25R | 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… |
| 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. |
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 18-242-26R 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 18-242-26R 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 18-242-26R cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 9 model years: 2026 Subaru Crosstrek, 2025 Subaru Crosstrek, 2025 Subaru Forester, 2026 Subaru Impreza, 2025 Subaru Impreza, 2026 Subaru Outback and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.