IllustrationON OCTOBER 4, 2019 MY CAR WAS PARKED AND THE PASSENGER REAR BUMPER WAS HIT AND DAMAGED BY A SCHOOL BUS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES TO GET FIXED AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE BSD/RCTA SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS "FIXED" THIS ISSUE 4 TIMES NOW AND I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 5TH TIME.
2017 Subaru Forester
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Forester years
Owner complaints for the 2017 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
1270–25K
12125–50K
4450–75K
1875–100K
8100–150K
3150K+
321 reports with mileage · 265 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 164 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
40 crash reports1 fire reports25 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
106 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK AND FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE IN PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MASTRIA SUBARU (1255 NEW STATE HWY, RAYNHAM, MA 02767) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY SHIFT PL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK AND FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE IN PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MASTRIA SUBARU (1255 NEW STATE HWY, RAYNHAM, MA 02767) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY SHIFT PLATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,900.*DT CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED.*JB
THERE IS INTERMITTENT SURGING UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE BACK INTERIOR LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON WHILE ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT SIGN COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THERE'S NOTHING IN THE SEAT. THE BATTERY WILL DIE IF THE HAZARD LIGHTS ARE ON FOR 5 MINU…
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THERE IS INTERMITTENT SURGING UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION AND WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE BACK INTERIOR LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON WHILE ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT SIGN COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THERE'S NOTHING IN THE SEAT. THE BATTERY WILL DIE IF THE HAZARD LIGHTS ARE ON FOR 5 MINUTES OR 15 AND OTHERS WILL BE JUST FINE. THE CAMERA IN THE BACK OF THE CAR IS A BIT OBSTRUCTED BY THE REAR BUMPER.
I WAS DRIVING MY FORRESTER 2019, NOTICE THAT IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE ONCE I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. BUT THEN IT WOULD JERK INTO A FASTER PACE. YESTERDAY AS I WAS DRIVING, I STOP AT A BANK ATM. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE VEHICLE I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND NOTHING HAPPENED. NOT A SOUND. SO TRIED IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME…
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I WAS DRIVING MY FORRESTER 2019, NOTICE THAT IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE ONCE I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. BUT THEN IT WOULD JERK INTO A FASTER PACE. YESTERDAY AS I WAS DRIVING, I STOP AT A BANK ATM. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE VEHICLE I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND NOTHING HAPPENED. NOT A SOUND. SO TRIED IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I HAD TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE SERVICE. THEY CAME AND GAVE ME A JUMP. THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. I DID AS THE SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME TO LET THE VEHICLE RUN FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES SO THE CELLS CAN BUILD UP IN THE BATTERY, SO I DID AS I WAS TOLD. AS I WOULD TURN THE CORNERS ON THE STREETS-THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT, (IN BOTH DIRECTIONS). ESPECIALLY AFTER TURNING AT A STOP SIGN, SO AS I WERE DRIVING I NOTICE THE DASH BOARD WOULD KEEP BLINKING. I TOOK A PHOTO OF THE GAGES ON THE DASHBOARD. THE EYESIGHT LIGHT STAYED, BUT THE OTHERS KEPT BLINKING OFF AND ON. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND TRIED TO PARALLEL PARK IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DO SO. SO I PARKED THE CAR ACROSS THE STREET WHERE THEIR WERE A LOT MORE SPACE AND I PARKED THERE. I SET THERE FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTE BEFORE TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN IT FELL TO TURN OVER. NO SOUND OR ANYTHING JUST LIKE EARLIER. IN 2018 THEY REPLACE MY BATTERY, BECAUSE I WAS HAVING TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE SERVICE UP TO 3-4 TIMES A WEEK BECAUSE THE BATTERY WOULD DIE OUT ON ME. ALL THIS TOOK PLACE IN A PERIOD OF 3-4 MONTHS. NOW THIS BATTERY IS APPROXIMATELY 10-12 MONTHS OLD. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR THE NEW BATTERY, I WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS TO SMALL FOR THE CAR. SO NOW I AM STUCK AT HOME WITHOUT A VEHICLE UNTIL THE SUBARU SHOP OPENS ON MONDAY AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN FIX THE PROBLEM. I'VE NEVER HAD A 2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT'S GIVEN ME THIS MANY PROBLEMS.
USUALLY WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR WILL TURN OFF AND PUT AN ERROR CODE OUT THAT SAYS NOT ON EVEN WITH AN ADULT IN THE SEAT. RESETTING THE CODE CAN GET IT TO GO OFF BUT IT RETURNS. HAS TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN BEFORE AND COME BACK. TURNING CAR OFF AND ON DOES NOT RESET IT. *DT *DT *AS
THE VEHICLE'S EYESIGHT SYSTEM EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE MALFUNCTIONS. THIS HAPPENED OFTEN DURING FOGGY AND RAINING DAYS.
PASSENGER AIR BAG SWITCHES TO "OFF" DESPITE PASSENGER SITTING IN SEAT. SUBARU DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED FAULTY SENSOR, SUSPECTED CAUSE BEING SEAT COVERS. REMOVED SEAT COVER, SENSOR IS STILL FAULTY. AIR BAG LIGHT SWITCHES TO "OFF" AT RANDOM TIMES EVEN WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED IN SEAT. DEALERSHIP AGREED TO REPLACING SENSOR BUT THE PART…
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PASSENGER AIR BAG SWITCHES TO "OFF" DESPITE PASSENGER SITTING IN SEAT. SUBARU DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED FAULTY SENSOR, SUSPECTED CAUSE BEING SEAT COVERS. REMOVED SEAT COVER, SENSOR IS STILL FAULTY. AIR BAG LIGHT SWITCHES TO "OFF" AT RANDOM TIMES EVEN WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED IN SEAT. DEALERSHIP AGREED TO REPLACING SENSOR BUT THE PART HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE SINCE SEPT. 2018 (6 MONTHS NOW). WE KEEP BEING TOLD "IT'S ON ORDER, CAN'T SAY WHEN IT WILL ARRIVE." VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS A RESULT.
DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY AROUND 20-30MPH, SOME TRAFFIC. ON THE WAY TO DROPPING DAUGHTERS OFF TO SCHOOL. ON THE FREEWAY SWITCHED LANES THEN CAR LOST POWER AND DECELERATED ON ITS OWN QUICKLY FROM 20MPH TO ABOUT 1MPH, PRESSING THE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. ALMOST GOT HIT BY THE REAR DRIVER BEHIND ME. MANAGED TO MOVE TO RIGHT LANE. PRESSING…
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DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY AROUND 20-30MPH, SOME TRAFFIC. ON THE WAY TO DROPPING DAUGHTERS OFF TO SCHOOL. ON THE FREEWAY SWITCHED LANES THEN CAR LOST POWER AND DECELERATED ON ITS OWN QUICKLY FROM 20MPH TO ABOUT 1MPH, PRESSING THE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. ALMOST GOT HIT BY THE REAR DRIVER BEHIND ME. MANAGED TO MOVE TO RIGHT LANE. PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL DID NOTHING, SEVERAL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD APPEARED WHICH INCLUDED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL, OIL LIGHT. TURNED OFF THE CAR TO FIND THE NUMBER FOR TOWING ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER TURNED ON THE CAR AND THIS TIME PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL MADE THE CAR GO, DASHBOARD LIGHTS STILL ON. TOOK THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS A BAD CELL ON THE BATTERY THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM, AND ALSO REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. BAD CELL ON BATTERY WILL NOT CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. DEALER ALSO FAILED TO WRITE THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. INITIAL PAPERWORK STATED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ADVICE DEALER TO PROPERLY DOCUMENT INCIDENT.
SCREEN BLACKED OUT EVERYTHING WENT OFF, NO LIGHTS, NO RADIO, NO DASH BOARD VISION. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL CABLES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER, JUST THIS WEEK MY VEHICLE, WHILE WAITING AT A LIGHT, TURNED COMPLETELY OFF. IT WAS SO SCARY, GOOD THING THE…
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SCREEN BLACKED OUT EVERYTHING WENT OFF, NO LIGHTS, NO RADIO, NO DASH BOARD VISION. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL CABLES WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER, JUST THIS WEEK MY VEHICLE, WHILE WAITING AT A LIGHT, TURNED COMPLETELY OFF. IT WAS SO SCARY, GOOD THING THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE BEHIND ME. A FEW MINUTES LATER I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR ON AND CONTINUE MY JOURNEY. NOW, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN I USE MY VEHICLE.
ON 9/29/18, 1:35 PM WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE AND INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM IDLE TO FULL THROTTLE UNINTENTIONALLY AND LAUNCHED ITSELF TOWARDS A 12' X 20' WOOD FRAMED OUTBUILDING ON OUR PROPERTY WHICH HAS AN ATTACHED DECK. BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHUT OFF IT HAD JUMPED …
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ON 9/29/18, 1:35 PM WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE AND INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM IDLE TO FULL THROTTLE UNINTENTIONALLY AND LAUNCHED ITSELF TOWARDS A 12' X 20' WOOD FRAMED OUTBUILDING ON OUR PROPERTY WHICH HAS AN ATTACHED DECK. BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHUT OFF IT HAD JUMPED UP ONTO THE DECK AND SMASHED INTO AND PARTIALLY PENETRATED THE FRONT OF THE OUTBUILDING. FORWARD PROGRESS WAS HALTED WHEN THE REAR PORTION OF THE CAR HAD BECOME HIGH CENTERED ON THE EDGE OF THE DECK. PRESENTLY THE CAR IS STILL ON THE DECK AND PARTIALLY IN THE BUILDING. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL IS I" OFF THE GROUND. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL DUG ITSELF 3" DOWN INTO THE GRAVEL. - NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THIS ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS OCCUPIED BY ONLY THE DRIVER. - THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR EXPERIENCED TWO (2) SIGNIFICANT IMPACT EVENTS. 1ST WHEN IT HIT A TEMPORARY WOOD STEP AND THE EDGE OF THE DECK (18" ABOVE GRADE) AND 2ND WHEN IT STRUCK THE BUILDING. MOST OF THE BUMPER WAS TORN OFF THE CAR WHEN IT HIT THE DECK AND IS NOW PINNED UNDER THE CAR. THE IMPACT SHIFTED THE BUILDING APPROX. 3/8" ON IT'S POST & PIER FOUNDATION. - THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN & SUBMITTED ON 10/1/18. - A WRECKER IS SCHEDULED TO EXTRICATE THE CAR FROM THE OUTBUILDING ON 10/2/18. - THE DRIVEWAY AND PARKING AREA WHERE THIS OCCURRED IS CRUSHED ROCK/GRAVEL. - THE DISTANCE FROM WHERE THE CAR INSTANTLY ACCELERATED TO THE EDGE OF THE DECK WAS APPROXIMATELY 22 FEET. THE FACE OF THE OUTBUILDING IS 8 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE DECK. THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE CAR DURING THIS ACCIDENT WAS APPROX. 30 PLUS FEET. - DURING THIS EVENT AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTROL/STOP THE CAR WITH EXTREME APPLICATION OF THE FOOT BRAKE AND HANDBRAKE AND ULTIMATELY THE STOP BUTTON. - IT WAS A DRY, SUNNY, EARLY FALL DAY IN THE WEST SIDE OF THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS IN WASHINGTON STATE.
Official recalls
119V701000 · 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.
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.