The IIHS Says Subaru Crosstrek Seat Belt Warning Is Better, You Don’t Like It

According to the IIHS, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek improved in one safety area: its seat belt warning. But not all customers like it. See if you think the new safety seat belt reminder is better or worse than before. 

The IIHS says it's better, but will customers feel the same way?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has concluded a new round of testing of new model seat belt reminders. The IIHS says the new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is one of eighteen vehicles with seat belt reminders that previously fell short and have now earned the best "Good" rating from IIHS for their latest models. 

The IIHS says, "Automakers have moved quickly to install louder, more persistent seat belt reminders since we began rating the features in 2022."

The 2022-2023 Subaru Crosstrek was rated "Marginal" before. The IIHS says Crosstrek's seat belt reminders needed to be longer and louder. Now they are. I'll first show the new model list with improved seat belt warnings and then see what it means for customers now. 

I've listed the eighteen vehicles (in alphabetical order) that were rated marginal or poor before by the IIHS and now have received a "Good" rating for seat belt reminders.

• Acura MDX 
• Ford Escape 
• Ford Expedition 
• Ford Maverick 
• Honda CR-V 
• Honda HR-V 
• Honda Odyssey 
• Honda Pilot 
• Hyundai Tucson 
• Mazda CX-5 
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class 
• Nissan Altima 
• Subaru Crosstrek 
• Toyota Corolla Hatchback 
• Toyota Corolla sedan 
• Toyota RAV4 
• Toyota Tacoma 
• Volvo XC40

Do you like the louder and longer seat belt warning?

A look at recent posts on Reddit reveals you don't like the new longer and louder 2024 Crosstrek seat belt warning reminder. 

"Hi all, I get that the warning chime is necessary, and I don't want to turn it off… but wow, it's loud! Has anyone found a way to turn it down?"

Another reader writes,

"Yeah, the first time I heard it while checking my parking placement, I almost hit the gas."

It's so annoying that many on Reddit are asking how to turn off the seat belt warning chime. One customer had the front passenger seatbelt warning go off, and no one was sitting in the seat.

"I don't know how it happened, but the passenger seatbelt chime started to go off when I drove. There's no person in the passenger seat. It's driving me nuts. How do I disable it in a 2024 Crosstrek?"

Louder and longer seat belt warnings are here to stay.

Many Crosstrek owners didn't like the sound before the improvement was made to the next-generation 2024 Crosstrek because it's annoying. The IIHS says it needed to be louder and longer so drivers and passengers remember to buckle up. The IIHS says it works. 

"Automakers can boost a vehicle's performance in this test with just some small software changes," IIHS President David Harkey said. "These easy tweaks can have a big impact on safety."

Buckling up saves lives. 

The IIHS report says that failure to buckle up continues to play a large role in crash deaths. In 2022, about 92% of front-seat occupants and 82% of rear-seat occupants were belted in the government's on-road observational survey of seat belt use. 

But a much smaller percentage of the vehicle occupants killed in crashes — half of those in the front seat and a quarter of those in the back — were belted during the crashes that killed them.

An IIHS study found that a persistent reminder was much more effective at getting part-time users to buckle up than a minimal reminder and just as effective as a speed-limiting interlock that kept the vehicle speed under 15 mph unless the driver was buckled in.

For the Subaru Crosstrek to receive the highest "Good" rating from the IIHS, the small SUV had to have an audible reminder that lasts at least 90 seconds if any of the occupied front seats remain unbuckled, as well as meet volume standards and other conditions. 

A visual and persistent audible reminder lasting at least 30 seconds that alerts the driver when a belted rear occupant unbuckles is also required.

Some automakers, like Subaru, have gone even further, equipping vehicles with audible alerts that don't stop until all the occupants are buckled in, no matter how long it takes. 

If you've driven a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, you know how it works. The sound gets louder if you don't buckle up, and it will only stop once you do. 

"This rapid progress represents a big win," Harkey said. "Ensuring everybody uses their seat belt on every trip is a simple way to save lives."

If the next-gen 2024 Subaru Crosstrek has the new and improved longer and louder seat beast warning, you can be sure that the Outback, Forester, and other models will also have the new chime. 

Unfortunately, louder and longer seat belt warnings are here to stay because automakers want to get better safety ratings from the IIHS. Many people still aren't buckling up, so the new seat belt warnings work.

It's Your Turn

What's your take on the new seat belt warning chime on the new Crosstrek and other models? Are they too intrusive? Join the conversation and share your thoughts. Click the red 'Add new comment' link below and let us know what you think. 

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Subaru USA