This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The airbag sensor is not functioning properly. The airbag will turn off even when a passenger is sitting in the seat. I am worried about the safety of the vehicle. I am tried to contact my service department multiple times in the past few days with no call back.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that a red warning indicator icon flashed intermittently inside the vehicle. The contact drove to Subaru of rochester (4840 Maine ave SE, rochester, Minnesota 55904, (507) 285-4777) and was informed that the occupant detection system sensor failed. The contact was provided a cost estimate for repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000.
My vehicle all of a sudden began giving me a passenger side airbag censor error. No accidents occurred it just out of the blue appeared. I had to take my Forester to the Subaru dealership to be serviced where they confirmed that there was a problem with the passenger air bag.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the air bar warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to brunswick Subaru (2992 center rd, brunswick, oh 44212, (330) 273-3300) where it was diagnosed that the bottom seat sensor needed to be replaced. The repair would cost $1,200. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Takata recall- when driving the passenger seatbelt light switches off even when the seat is occupied. I cannot let anyone occupy the seat because I feel it is not safe.
- Harpers Ferry, WV, USA
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Ods / air bag light goes on and off. Doesn't matter if someone is sitting in the passenger seat or not. Service department says we damaged the sensor for the passenger seat. Part is in for repair and we're trying to schedule a time to get back into the dealer to have the do the repair at our cost.
Front passenger air bag sensors erratically report a malfunction and suggest an inspection. This has happened both when vehicle is in motion as well as stationary. It has happened both with and without a front seat occupant. I called Subaru America and brought the car into napleton Subaru arlington heights, il on July 24, 2019. On that date I could not recreate the error messages. Napleton inspected and told me system needed a reset which they did free of charge. Since there was no error message either immediately before or after the visit, I had no way of knowing whether reset was effective. The next day the error message was back. Pictures attached as well as receipt from napleton describing work performed. Consumer stated vehicle was taken into the dealer twice and is currently working properly, but cannot determine whether the air bag error message has been falsely activated. Or if there is a real malfunction.
The passenger side airbag does not function. The sensor cannot tell when a passenger is present. This began happening intermittently, shortly after I purchased the vehicle new. In the past month, the airbags have not been on at all.
When in motion, the occupancy detector sensor light intermittently illuminates even when there is no passenger in the seat. This is currently happening in my 2016 Forester and also happened in my 2014 Forester.
In early May 2019, the vehicle started giving airbag warnings and disabling the front passenger airbag when the front passenger seat was occupied. I reported the problem to my Subaru dealer's service department when I took it in for routine service a couple weeks later. It took a month to get an appointment to have the warning diagnosed. Finally they did the analysis and told me the passenger seat sensor had failed, and claimed it was because the seat got wet (it didn't). After I complained to management they comp'd the repair and replaced the front passenger seat cushion at the end of June. The problem hasn't recurred.
There were 5 major issues with my vehicle that I want investigated. I was driving straight nb on us-101 in the #1 lane of traffic, going approximately 75 mph, when for no explainable reason, the rear tires of my 2016 Subaru Forester began to skid me across the #2 lane of traffic. I will note that it had just stopped sprinkling and the road was damp. Issue 1: during my skid, the skid control feature never engaged (which is a marketed feature and a reason I purchased this vehicle). I had to fight the skid on my own. Issue 2: the roll over feature never engaged (which is a marketed feature and another reason I purchased this vehicle). After fighting to prevent my vehicle from rolling over and skidding out of control, I ultimately crash on the shoulder of the freeway, hitting a light post. Issue 3: upon hitting the light post, my seat belt flew off. (both my hands were on the wheel at the time and there were no loose objects in the area. Unless this is some "feature" it is extremely dangerous for the seat belt to disengage automatically.) issue 4: the crash notification feature, that I paid extra for, did not do it's job. Even with my cell phone linked to the vehicle, the crash notification never called 9-1-1 on my behalf. I immediately called 9-1-1 to notify chp of my accident because I was fearful of another vehicle also spinning out of control and hitting me. Chp took a report. ** issue 5 **: the air bags never deployed. None of the air bags deployed. My car was deemed totaled by the insurance company and auto body shop. The auto body shop stated vehicle hit the pole so hard all bolts were bent into a 45 degree angle. How does a crash that severe not engage the air bags? I had a scar on my collar bone for a month after the crash. None of the marketed or required safety features worked to prevent the crash nor assist after the crash.
Sensor in the passenger seat went bad under normal use and Subaru does not want to cover expense to replace, and this sensor lets driver know if airbag is engaged (on) or not.
The car has had intermittent SRS errors starting shortly after buying the car in summer of 2016. We have had it checked out and nothing was ever found. There does not appear to be any consistancy as to when the "SRS airbag system needs to be checked" message appears. Sometimes weeks go by with no errors. Sometimes it will go on and not appear the next time the car is started. My concern is the SRS airbag system is not function when needed. I am listing the most recent date this has happened below but as stated it has been intermittent for years.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator was flashing and remained illuminated. Hassett Subaru (3520 sunrise hwy, wantagh, NY 11793, (516) 785-7800) was notified of the failure and diagnosed that the bottom of the front passenger seat needed replacement. The vehicle was not included in any air bag recall; however, the manufacturer issued four technical service bulletins for the air bags. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.
The airbag sensor in the front passenger seat randomly goes off when there's a passenger in the car or not. The seat belt alarm for the passenger side goes off without a passenger in the car. Airbag sensor says "off" with a passenger in the car. This is very unsafe, as I do not know if that airbag is truly functional, and also an annoyance, as the seatbelt alarm dings while I'm driving.
Keep getting message "SRS airbag system needs to be checked" while driving. Dealer wants to replace the set sensor at my cost. The vehicle only has 41,000 miles. This is a known problem with this vehicle and Subaru is not fixing the issue leaving driver in danger. This needs to be a recall!
The contact owned a 2016 Subaru Forester. While driving approximately 50-55 mph, the vehicle hydroplaned, struck a wall, and was struck by three other vehicles. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a bruised face and minor contusions, which did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage facility. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified. The cause of the failure was not determined. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000.
SRS message and warning light coming on. Message SRS system needs to be checked. Made an appointment with my local Subaru dealer I explained the issues showed them three pictures of the warning and indicators when the issue occurs. Was told that their was nothing wrong. No active codes found. Unable to have someone in the passengers seat in case the air bag does not deploy. Contacted Subaru have not responded. The waring and indicator light comes on when someone is setting in the passengers seat, with no one in the seat and with no one in the car in park with engine idling. The vehicle could be moving or parked idling and the warning and indicator light will come on.
The occupant detection sensor for the front passenger seat does not work properly. It will occasionally set a warning while the vehicle is in motion, saying that the air bag system needs to be checked out, but then you can turn the vehicle off and back on and the warning disappears. The 'cure' is to replace the entire front passenger seat assembly! the following text from another complaint perfectly describes my situation: "Subaru is knowingly building its cars with faulty passenger side air bag sensors which will randomly turn off the air bag while the passenger seat is occupied under normal life driving conditions. It is in the 2016 and 2017 owners manual that if there is a cell phone or electrical device in the front area of the car then the air bag sensors could malfunction. It also states that if your passenger is wearing a jacket or sweater this could cause the sensors to turn the life saving air bag off."
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- West Monroe, LA, USA