2013 Subaru Impreza

I PURCHASED MY 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE WITH ~54,000 MILES ON IT IN AUGUST 2016. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I'VE NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES, WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHETHER ON A HIGHWAY OR ON A SIDE STREET, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER WILL COME ON- MEANING THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FLUKE SO I TOOK THE WAIT AND SEE APPROACH. THIS PAST SPRING, THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING MORE, SO I'VE SINCE STARTED DOCUMENTING THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. I NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS MORE WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DAMP, WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE I'M DRIVING IN A HOT AND HUMID LOCATION, OR PASSENGER HAS DAMP CLOTHES DUE TO COMING BACK FROM THE BEACH OR RIVER, EXERCISING, OR JUST BEING PLAIN WARM & SWEATY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER 2012 IMPREZAS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, BUT MY CAR, WHICH I BELIEVE HAS THE SAME SENSORS AS THE RECALLED ONES FOR THE 2012 IMPREZA, IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.

I PURCHASED MY 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE WITH ~54,000 MILES ON IT IN AUGUST 2016. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I'VE NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES, WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHETHER ON A HIGHWAY OR ON A SIDE STREET, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER WILL COME ON- MEANING THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FLUKE SO I TOOK THE WAIT AND SEE APPROACH. THIS PAST SPRING, THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING MORE, SO I'VE SINCE STARTED DOCUMENTING THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. I NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS MORE WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DAMP, WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE I'M DRIVING IN A HOT AND HUMID LOCATION, OR PASSENGER HAS DAMP CLOTHES DUE TO COMING BACK FROM THE BEACH OR RIVER, EXERCISING, OR JUST BEING PLAIN WARM & SWEATY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER 2012 IMPREZAS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, BUT MY CAR, WHICH I BELIEVE HAS THE SAME SENSORS AS THE RECALLED ONES FOR THE 2012 IMPREZA, IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.

I PURCHASED MY 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE WITH ~54,000 MILES ON IT IN AUGUST 2016. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I'VE NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES, WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHETHER ON A HIGHWAY OR ON A SIDE STREET, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER WILL COME ON- MEANING THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FLUKE SO I TOOK THE WAIT AND SEE APPROACH. THIS PAST SPRING, THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING MORE, SO I'VE SINCE STARTED DOCUMENTING THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. I NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS MORE WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DAMP, WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE I'M DRIVING IN A HOT AND HUMID LOCATION, OR PASSENGER HAS DAMP CLOTHES DUE TO COMING BACK FROM THE BEACH OR RIVER, EXERCISING, OR JUST BEING PLAIN WARM & SWEATY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR OTHER 2012 IMPREZAS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, BUT MY CAR, WHICH I BELIEVE HAS THE SAME SENSORS AS THE RECALLED ONES FOR THE 2012 IMPREZA, IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. I DO NOT THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPAIR OF SOMETHING THAT IS A KNOWN, WIDESPREAD ISSUE AMONG SUBARU IMPREZAS. I THINK THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE REPAIRED UNDER THIS RECALL. THIS PROBLEM IS ALARMING, GIVEN THAT THE AIR BAG MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IF THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A PASSENGER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR SWITCHED FROM ON TO OFF. I HAD ALREADY DRIVEN PROBABLY 35 MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEED (65MPH) AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. I WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME, CHANGING LANES AS I PREPARED TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, THE LIGHTS BEHAVED AS EXPECTED BUT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF TO FIX.

THE SRS SENSOR WAS LIGHTING UP AND THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT BEGAN TO SWITCH TO OFF EVEN WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONFIRMED THE SWITCH HAS GONE BACK AND NEEDS REPLACED. LUCKILY THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO I AM ONLY RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THE $100 WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS THE SAME SRS SWITCH USED IN THE 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL.

WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT, WHEN DRIVING OR PARKED, THE AIRBAG SIGN ILLUMINATES OFF. OCCASIONALLY THE AIRBAG INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD. AT TIMES THE SENSOR WILL SENSE THE SMALLEST THINGS, SUCH AS A SMALL BOX OF TISSUES, AND THE AIRBAG WILL TURN ON WITHOUT A PASSENGER. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 3-4 MONTHS.

SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS OFF EVEN WITH PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. CAR WAS IN MOTION. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON FOR THE 2012 MODEL, WHICH HAS THE SAME COMPONENTS AS THE 2013. IS THE NHTSA GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL OR IGNORE A KNOWN AND VERY DANGEROUS FAULT?

WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS DAMP, THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR STOPS WORKING AND DEACTIVATES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN AN ADULT IS OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FRONTAL AIRBAG INDICATOR (LOCATED IN THE CENTER DISPLAY) TURNS "OFF" (EVEN IF AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT). THE RED SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING (LIGHT LOCATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER) TURNS ON WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS. EVENTUALLY THE LIGHT SHUTS OFF BY ITSELF. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS REGARDLESS WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.

THE DASHBOARD 'AIRBAG MALFUNCTION' LIGHT TURNS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT SWITCHES TO 'OFF' WHILE THERE IS AN ADULT PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS UPON STARTING THE CAR AND CONTINUES UNTIL THE CAR ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. I AM AFRAID IF THERE IS A CRASH THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY.