2015 Subaru Forester

WHEN A PASSENGER IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIRBAG WILL FREQUENTLY FAIL TO TURN ON. AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WILL INSTEAD APPEAR ON THE DASH. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INSISTED (BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT THE CAR) THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE BEEN SPILLED ON THE SEAT AND THAT THE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED (FOR $895). NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN SPILLED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, NOR HAS IT GOTTEN WET. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SEAT SHOWS THAT IT'S IN PRISTINE SHAPE. SOMETIMES THE AIRBAG ALERT WILL APPEAR WHEN THE CAR IS STILL STATIONARY. OTHER TIMES, IT HAS ONLY APPEARED ONCE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION.

IN MAY 2019 THE AIRBAG SENSOR WARNING WENT ON UNEXPECTEDLY AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVER AND A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WERE IN IT AND THE CAR WAS IN MOTION GOING APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH ON A TOWN ROAD. ADDING EXTREME DANGER TO THIS SITUATION IS THE FACT THAT THE SENSOR TURNING ON MADE THE PASSENGER 'AIRBAG OFF' WARNING IMMEDIATELY LIGHT UP EVEN THOUGH A PERSON WAS IN THE SEAT WHEN IT HAPPENED, THE AIRBAG HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ON WITH THEM IN THE SEAT, AND THE CAR WAS MOVING. IT WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALER WHO SIMPLY CLEARED A CODE AND SUGGESTED A CELL PHONE COULD, PERHAPS, HAVE INTERFERED AND CAUSED THE SENSOR LIGHT TO GO ON. DEALER ALSO ALTERNATIVELY SUGGESTED THAT IF SOMEONE SPILLED SOMETHING THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. (NOBODY SPILLED ANYTHING AND DEALER VERIFIED IN WRITING THAT NO STAIN WAS FOUND ON THE SEAT TO SUGGEST OTHERWISE.) OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT MONTH THE AIRBAG SENSOR RANDOMLY WENT ON (DANGEROUSLY CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO TURN OFF AGAIN, OFTEN DESPITE SOMEONE BEING IN THE SEAT!) IN THIS SAME MANNER SEVERAL TIMES. SOMETIMES THE CAR IS IN MOTION WHEN IT HAPPENS, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS AND HAS CAUSED US TO STOP ALLOWING A HUMAN TO BE IN THE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELY ON THE AIRBAG AT THIS POINT. OTHER TIMES, THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AND WHEN I TURN IT ON THE AIRBAG SENSOR TURNS ON. TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER 7/11/19 HERE IS WHAT THEY STATED UNDER 'CAUSE' AND 'CORRECTION' ON OUR INVOICE: "...CODE B1760 STORED IN SYSTEM INSPECTED SEAT FOUND NO STAINS ON SEAT INSPECTED WIRING FOUND WIRING TO BE GOOD REC REPLACEMENT OF SEAT BOTTOM" AND "CUSTOMER HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT DUE TO NO ELECTRONICS BEING ON THE SEAT WHEN THE LIGHT AND FAULTS KEEP RETURNING REPLACEMENT OF SEAT BOTTOM (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR) IS THE NEXT STEP..." THEY ESTIMATE $1032.45. THE CAR IS JUST UNDER 90K MILES AND THUS, ACCORDING TO SUBARU, OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM.

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SHUTS OFF AND A RED INDICATOR LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING WITH SOMEONE IN THE SEAT. IF YOU STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF THE SYSTEM WILL RESET. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER 10XS. IT'S BEEN CHECKED OUT AT THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THEY SAID AIRBAG RELATED EQUIPMENT IS ONLY COVERED FOR 3 YEARS. I WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED. I THOUGHT THE AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT SYSTEMS WERE COVERED FOR 5 YEARS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRAFFIC STOPPED ABRUPTLY AND HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A FORD EXPLORER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S BODY LUNGED FORWARD AND STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND RIBS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GRAYSON SUBARU (8729 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923, 865-693-4550), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,460.

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FIRST CAME ON AS SOON AS I STARTED MY CAR ONE MORNING IN MID-OCTOBER 2018, IN WHICH I TOOK MY CAR TO SUBARU OF KENNESAW, GA TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY FIRST ASKED IF I HAD SPILLED ANYTHING ON THE FRONT SEAT (IN WHICH I RESPONDED "NO") AND THEN ADVISED ME THAT THE WHOLE SEAT BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED (ABOUT $989 PARTS AND LABOR) AND THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK-ORDER. I FOLLOWED-UP WITH THEM IN DECEMBER 2018 AND NEVER HEARD BACK. WHEN I RECENTLY WENT THERE FOR AN OIL CHANGE FEBRUARY 18, 2019 THEY BROUGHT THE ISSUE UP TO ME AGAIN, IN WHICH I RESPONDED THAT NOBODY EVER RETURNED MY CALL. THEY CHECKED AGAIN TO SEE IF THEY HAD THE PART BUT STATED IT IS STILL ON A NATIONWIDE BACK-ORDER. WE ARE NOW GOING ON 5+ MONTHS OF MY PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BEING ON (IT SOMETIMES TURNS OFF INTERMITTENTLY, BUT IN THOSE INSTANCES THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND DING REPEATEDLY UNTIL THE SEATBELT IS PLUGGED IN - EVEN IF THERE IS NO PASSENGER). I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH INTO THIS ISSUE AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF OTHER CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES. SUBARU SEEMS TO HAVE DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS AND SEEMS VERY UNWILLING TO FIX THEIR FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT SENSORS. IT IS UPSETTING AND DISCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE AROUND THIS LONG WITH A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG/PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR.

CAR STARTED AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE. WHEN GEAR SHIFT WAS PLACED IN DRIVE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD 50 FEET AND DROVE THRU AN ALUMINUM RAIL AND MESH OVER HEAD ELECTRIC ACTIVATED DOOR. AT 81 MORE FEET THE CAR HIT A 4 X 4 STEEL COLUMN HOLDING UP TWO 27 FOOT STEEL BEAMS OF A CARPORT ROOF STRUCTURE AND COLLAPSED THE COLUMN. THE SOUTHERLY BEAM FELL ON TOP OF THE CAR AND PULLED THE NORTHERLY BEAM WITH IT. THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD 9 FEET STRIKING THE FIRST PARKED CAR IN THE REAR QUARTER. THE CAR CONTINUED ABOUT 4 FEET MORE AND STRUCK A SECOND PARKED CAR IN ITS HIND QUARTER AND PUSHED IT UNTIL IT WAS AGAINST THE NEXT CARPORT SUPPORT COLUMN. THE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR WERE ABLE TO EXIT FROM THE CAR AT EACH OF THE FRONT DOORS WHICH OPENED WITHOUT PROBLEM. EXPERIENCING LIMITED BRUISING ON THEIR LEGS BELOW THE KNEE. A MIRACLE. THE CAR TRAVELED ABOUT 145 FEET NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DRIVER. THE CAR DEALER HAD BEEN QUESTIONED ON WHY THE CAR DID NOT MOVE FREQUENTLY DURING A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN EVERY TIME IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALER WHO SOLD US THE CAR. THE SERVICE REVIEW WAS FIVE TIMES AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. I WAS TOLD 'IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WORKED'. I WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH TEST RESULTS FOR THIS CONDITION. THE CAR HAD THE EYESIGHT DEVICE AND DID NOT STOP THE CAR AT EITHER AT THE DOOR OR THE COLUMN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT IMPLODE ON EITHER IMPACT LOCATION. ONE RECALL WTA-62 FOR SUBARU FORESTER 2015 AND 2016. ENGINE, MARCH 21, 2016. TURBOCHARGER AIR INTAKE DUCT CRACK STALLS ENGINE (16V162000). I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL. I THINK THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING AND A FIX WAS NOT INITIATED TO CORRECT A FAULTY CONDITION. FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY. THIS ACCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE PICTURES THAT I CAN FORWARD FOR YOUR USE ON JPG FORMAT. *BF *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU FORESTER. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FORCEFULLY DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND JUMPED THE CURB. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.