IllustrationSUBARU FORESTER 2018 AIR BAG WON'T TURN ON WITH ADULT IN FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTOS TO SHOW THAT IT IS OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT IT.
2018 Subaru Forester
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Forester years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Forester are substantially higher than the model-year median of 131.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1560–25K
6525–50K
1350–75K
575–100K
2100–150K
0150K+
241 reports with mileage · 252 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 135 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 96 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
96 reportsPASSENGER AIRBAG OCCASIONALLY SHOWS AS 'OFF' EVEN THOUGH AN OCCUPANT IS IN THE SEAT. THE INFO CENTER (AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURES) ALSO INDICATES AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG AND TO CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL. A SIMILAR AIRBAG DEFECT WAS REPORTED IN NHTSA BULLETIN - 19V701000 - SUBARU WUM-98, HOWEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON MY VEHICL…
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PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCASIONALLY SHOWS AS 'OFF' EVEN THOUGH AN OCCUPANT IS IN THE SEAT. THE INFO CENTER (AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURES) ALSO INDICATES AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG AND TO CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL. A SIMILAR AIRBAG DEFECT WAS REPORTED IN NHTSA BULLETIN - 19V701000 - SUBARU WUM-98, HOWEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS SIMILAR SYMPTONS.
THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL AFFECTING 2018 SUBARU FORESTER'S (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V701000). I CURRENTLY OWN A 2018 FORESTER THAT THE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE RECALL. HOWEVER MY VEHICLE I DOING THE EXACT THING THAT THE RECALL IS FOR, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TURNS OFF, LIGHT COMES ON AND AN SRS AIRBAG WARNING MESSAGE C…
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THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL AFFECTING 2018 SUBARU FORESTER'S (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V701000). I CURRENTLY OWN A 2018 FORESTER THAT THE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE RECALL. HOWEVER MY VEHICLE I DOING THE EXACT THING THAT THE RECALL IS FOR, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TURNS OFF, LIGHT COMES ON AND AN SRS AIRBAG WARNING MESSAGE COMES ON. TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A TROUBLE CODE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG THAT THEY JUST CLEARED. SIX MONTHS LATER AND NOW NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING, TURNING THE AIRBAG OFF, ERROR MESSAGE COMING ON. I FEEL AS THOUGH SUBARU DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL OF THE CORRECT VIN NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT WERE AFFECTED. IT CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER, BEING THAT THE AIRBAG TURNS OFF AND WILL NOT WORK IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. I ALSO DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR MODEL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM JUST CAUSE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. THEY SHOULD EXTEND THE VIN'S TO ALL 2018 MODELS. *TR
DEALER IS UNABLE TO GET PARTS FOR THE RECALL. SAFETY RECALL: WUM98|NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 19V701000 AUTONATION SUBARU IS SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 2 MONTHS FOR THEM TO GET PARTS. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE OCTOBER 2019. ADDRESS. 9955 E ARAPAHOE RD CENTENNIAL, CO 80112
NHTSA RECALL 19V-701 (SUBARU RECALL WUM-98) INCLUDES ONLY FORESTERS WITH SEAT HEATERS MANUFACTURED FROM 1/20/15 - 8/1/17. MY FORESTER WAS MANUFACTURED ON 6/6/18 AND IS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED. PAGE 3 OF PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN WUM-98R REVISED 11/20/19 (COPY ATTACHED) STATES IF THE DATE CODE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHIO…
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NHTSA RECALL 19V-701 (SUBARU RECALL WUM-98) INCLUDES ONLY FORESTERS WITH SEAT HEATERS MANUFACTURED FROM 1/20/15 - 8/1/17. MY FORESTER WAS MANUFACTURED ON 6/6/18 AND IS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED. PAGE 3 OF PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN WUM-98R REVISED 11/20/19 (COPY ATTACHED) STATES IF THE DATE CODE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION WIRING HARNESS IS 18074 (74TH DAY OF 2018) OR BEFORE AND THE SUPPLIER CODE IS 6578, "THE HARNESS IS NG AND THE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED". AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ATTACHED PHOTO (IMG_1295), THE DATE CODE ON THE HARNESS LABEL IN MY VEHICLE IS 18019 (19TH DAY OF 2018), THE SUPPLIER CODE IS 6578, AND THE SUBARU PART NUMBER (64084SG020) MATCHES THE PART NUMBER ON THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS LABEL ON PAGE 3 OF WUM-98R. ALSO, HOW CAN THE CUT OFF DATE FOR DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES (74TH DAY OF 2018) BE 7 1/2 MONTHS AFTER THE LAST RECALLED VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED ON 8/1/2017? WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES MADE IN THAT 7 1/2 MONTH PERIOD ? AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS TO SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUBARU STILL REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IN MY VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE, STATING ONLY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 1/20/15 AND 8/1/17, EVEN THOUGH ACCORDING TO PAGE 3 OF WUM-98R THE HARNESS IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. NOTE ALSO THAT PAGE 3 OF PART 573 SAFETY RECALL REPORT 19V-701 CLAIMS THE WIRING HARNESS DEFECT WAS CORRECTED ON 2/19/2018, AND LISTS 17 RECALLED PART NUMBERS, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PART NUMBER IN THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DEFECTIVE HARNESS LABEL ON PAGE 3 OF WUM-98R (AND THE HARNESS LABEL IN MY VEHICLE). THIS RECALL CLEARLY WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA.
WHEN MY HUSBAND SHUTS OFF THE CAR, GETS OUT AND REFUELS, I REMAIN SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE STARTS THE CAR AND DRIVES OFF. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT READS THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN THOUGH I AM SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED STARLINK TOLD US TO TAKE THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED,BUT THE DIDN'T FIND …
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WHEN MY HUSBAND SHUTS OFF THE CAR, GETS OUT AND REFUELS, I REMAIN SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE STARTS THE CAR AND DRIVES OFF. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT READS THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN THOUGH I AM SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED STARLINK TOLD US TO TAKE THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED,BUT THE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES THAT I GET OUT WHEN HE GETS GAS, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL OVER ON THE HIGHWAY AND SHUT OFF AND GET OUT TO REACTIVATE THE AIRBAG. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR THIS.
THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAME DISARMED AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN SMARTPHONE WEIGHING 3LBS WAS ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BECOME ARMED WHEN A 40LB PASSENGER SITS IN PASSENGER FRONT SEAT ONLY. READING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT BOTH DRIV…
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THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAME DISARMED AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN SMARTPHONE WEIGHING 3LBS WAS ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BECOME ARMED WHEN A 40LB PASSENGER SITS IN PASSENGER FRONT SEAT ONLY. READING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY WHICH PUTS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT RISK FOR INJURY.
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF, WITH AND WITHOUT A PASSENGER, WITH AND WITHOUT ITEMS ON THE SEAT. THIS IS THE THIRD OR MAYBE FOURTH OCCASION VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER. ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THEY INSPECTED THE CAR, AND THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO RELOCATE THE "MODULE" (WHATEVER THE MODULE IS) FOR THAT SEAT. T…
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FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF, WITH AND WITHOUT A PASSENGER, WITH AND WITHOUT ITEMS ON THE SEAT. THIS IS THE THIRD OR MAYBE FOURTH OCCASION VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER. ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THEY INSPECTED THE CAR, AND THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO RELOCATE THE "MODULE" (WHATEVER THE MODULE IS) FOR THAT SEAT. THEY STATED IT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. A MONTH LATER THE CAR STARTED TO DO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON AND OFF AGAIN. CAR BACK AGAIN TO DEALER BUT THEN LIGHT WAS GONE OFF. YESTERDAY, SEP 23, 2019 CAR WAS DROPPED AGAIN AT DEALER WITH LIGHT ON AND THE CAR STILL ON, IN ORDER NOT TO LOSE THE SITUATION AT RESTART. THEY JUST CALLED ME AND STATE THE SEAT AIRBAG WAS REPLACED $1,100 UNDER WARRANTY, CAR IS 6500 MILES OR SO. THAT WE COULD NOT LOCATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PASSENGER ON THAT SEAT. ANY ITEM, CELLULAR, TABLET, COMPUTER, BATTERY, BAGS, PURSUES, SHOPPING ITEMS, PAPERS, DOCUMENTS ON THAT SEAT WILL POSSIBLY CAUSE THE SITUATION AGAIN AND THEY WONT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO NOTHING IN FRONT OF THAT SEAT BY THE FLOOR..??? NOT POSSIBLE TO RECLINE THE BACK OF THE SEAT.... WHAT? THIS IS MY FIRST CAR DOING THAT. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY TO US, IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND A DEADLY RISK DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE PASSENGER LIGHT ON AND A PASSENGER IN IT AND BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS WITH THE CAR ON, BUT PARKED, STOPPED WAITING FOR A LIGHT TO CHANGE, MOVING, GOING FORWARD, GOING REVERSE, AND IS INTERMITTENT.
EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS SHOWN 'OFF.' THE NHTSA SITE SHOWS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE ADVISED BY SUBARU SERVICE TECHNICIANS THAT THEY MUST HAVE SPILLED SOMETHING ON THE SEAT, AFFECTING THE SENSOR. I WAS TOLD THE SAME WHEN I TOOK MY CA…
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EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS SHOWN 'OFF.' THE NHTSA SITE SHOWS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE ADVISED BY SUBARU SERVICE TECHNICIANS THAT THEY MUST HAVE SPILLED SOMETHING ON THE SEAT, AFFECTING THE SENSOR. I WAS TOLD THE SAME WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN. SUBARU TECHS RAN A DIAGNOSTIC THAT INDICATED NO ERROR CODES. I DISCOVERED ON MY OWN THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I HAVE DOGS AND CUSTOMARILY PLACE A TOWEL ON ALL SEATS TO KEEP THEM CLEAN. WHEN I REMOVED THE TOWEL MY HUMAN PASSENGER WAS SEATED ON, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR SHOWED 'ON.' IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2018 SUBARU MANUAL, THIS IS MENTIONED IN SECTION 1-56. IN ADDITION TO NOT USING SEAT COVERS, CUSHIONS, ETC., THE PASSENGER IS ADVISED TO TAKE OFF 'UNNECESSARY ITEMS' OR SIT IN THE BACK SEAT TO ENSURE THE AIR BAG WILL ACTIVATE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW, ONE WHICH SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO SUBARU SERVICE TECHS AND CUSTOMERS' ATTENTION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANNAPOLIS SUBARU (149 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401, 888-409-1189) BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANNAPOLIS SUBARU (149 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401, 888-409-1189) BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. DURING THIS INCIDENT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT BOTH THE SIDE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL HIM BACK. THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECENT FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,300.
Official recalls
321V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Jul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
19V701000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Oct 3, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
18V455000 · Equipment:other:labels; Tires
Jul 10, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Equipment:other:labels
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.
Tires
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE19009 · Occupant Detection System (ods) Failure
Opened Aug 6, 2019 · Closed Jan 22, 2020
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
Air Bags:frontal
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
Air Bags
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.