IllustrationVehicle was struck by a dump truck traveling approximately 50 mph that ran a red light. Impact was on the front passenger side. Although, the collision was violent and there was substantial frontend damage, no airbags deployed. Driver was only occupant.
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
What owners actually said
586 reportsOnce vehicle is stopped, transmission shifted to Park, and ignition key turned to off, ignition key will not come out of ignition. This has happened 8-19 times. Driver must start car, put in drive then back in park, turn off then key can be removed. I understand TSB 16-112-18R addresses this issue known to Subaru. It has not bee…
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Once vehicle is stopped, transmission shifted to Park, and ignition key turned to off, ignition key will not come out of ignition. This has happened 8-19 times. Driver must start car, put in drive then back in park, turn off then key can be removed. I understand TSB 16-112-18R addresses this issue known to Subaru. It has not been inspected by a mechanic.
THE BATTERY ON MY 2017 FORESTER HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES AFTER BEING FOUND DEAD. ALL THREE TIMES SUBARU HAS SAID IT WAS A BAD BATTERY. THE BATTERY COULDN'T BE JUMPED AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE IF IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. LUCKILY IT WAS AT MY HOUSE ALL THREE TIMES SO ONLY A SIMPLE TOW. …
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THE BATTERY ON MY 2017 FORESTER HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES AFTER BEING FOUND DEAD. ALL THREE TIMES SUBARU HAS SAID IT WAS A BAD BATTERY. THE BATTERY COULDN'T BE JUMPED AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE IF IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. LUCKILY IT WAS AT MY HOUSE ALL THREE TIMES SO ONLY A SIMPLE TOW. IF THIS HAPPENED 300 MILES OFF ROAD, IT WOULD BE A MASSIVE ISSUE.
BATTERY GOES DEAD AND MUST BE REPLACED IF NOT DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE.
IN NOV 2019 WE LEFT THE CAR PARKED FOR A WEEK AT THE CRUISE TERMINAL WHILE STATIONED OVERSEAS IN ITALY. WE WE CAME BACK, THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND HAD JUMPED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS THE CAR HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING AND WE ENDED UP TAKING THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN FROSINONE, ITALY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE BA…
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IN NOV 2019 WE LEFT THE CAR PARKED FOR A WEEK AT THE CRUISE TERMINAL WHILE STATIONED OVERSEAS IN ITALY. WE WE CAME BACK, THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND HAD JUMPED. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS THE CAR HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING AND WE ENDED UP TAKING THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN FROSINONE, ITALY. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT WE WERE NOT THE FIRST FORRESTER OWNERS TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED.
THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY DRAINS QUICKLY WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF, LEFT STATIONARY, AND NOT IN USE, WHICH RENDERS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE.
CAR NEARLY STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM STOP AFTER SITTING AT LIGHT OR INTERSECTION WHEN IN REGULAR (NOT SPORT) MODE. ESPECIALLY OCCURS WHEN HAVING TO TURN FROM A STOP AND ACCELERATE FASTER. HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE OTHER MODES. VERY SCARY! ?FUEL PUMP OR OTHER DEFECT? CITY…
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CAR NEARLY STALLS WHEN STARTING FROM STOP AFTER SITTING AT LIGHT OR INTERSECTION WHEN IN REGULAR (NOT SPORT) MODE. ESPECIALLY OCCURS WHEN HAVING TO TURN FROM A STOP AND ACCELERATE FASTER. HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE OTHER MODES. VERY SCARY! ?FUEL PUMP OR OTHER DEFECT? CITY AND COUNTY ROADS. REPRODUCIBLE.
I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2017 SUBARU FORESTER ON JUNE 19 2020. I HAVE HAD AN INTERMITTENT SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE SINCE. WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO ACCELERATE WITH MY RPMS RISING NORMALLY. THEN MY RPMS WILL START TO DROP WHEN THEY WOULD NORMALLY …
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I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2017 SUBARU FORESTER ON JUNE 19 2020. I HAVE HAD AN INTERMITTENT SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE SINCE. WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO ACCELERATE WITH MY RPMS RISING NORMALLY. THEN MY RPMS WILL START TO DROP WHEN THEY WOULD NORMALLY RISE AND MY CAR STOPS OR MAINTAINS THE ACCELERATION PRIOR. ONCE THEY HAVE DROPPED THEY WILL STAY THERE FOR A LITTLE AND THEN WILL SHOOT UP SUDDENLY AND RED LINE. I HAVE TRIED A VARIETY OF THINGS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING; I HAVE TAKEN MY FOOT OFF THE GAS, KEPT THE SAME OR MORE PRESSURE ON THE GAS, AND BREAKING. REGARDLESS OF WHAT I DO THE VEHICLE RED LINES AND MY SPEED WILL EITHER DROP OR STAY THE SAME. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SUBARU DEALERSHIPS ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND IT WAS RETURNED TO ME WITHOUT DIAGNOSING OR REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. THE LAST TIME I DROVE MY VEHICLE IT DID THIS AGAIN AND THE RPMS RED LINING CAUSING MY ENGINE TO FAIL. I WAS ACCELERATED FROM A STOP AT A STREET LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THE RPMS REDLINED AND MY ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE THAT WE LATER DISCOVERED WAS FROM UNREPAIRABLE ENGINE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOW BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR OVER A MONTH TO REPLACE MY ENGINE AND TRY TO FIX THIS ISSUE. EVERY WEEK THEY TELL ME I WILL GET IT BACK THE NEXT WEEK AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE FAILS OR CAUSES A SET BACK. I BOUGHT A SUBARU FORESTER BECAUSE OF ADVERTISEMENTS ABOUT HOW "SAFE" AND 'RELIABLE' THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. INSTEAD I HAVE HAD NEAR MISSES WHEN MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE OR TURNING ACROSS TRAFFIC IN A BUSY DENVER INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DOESN'T RESPOND AS EXPECTED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS IGNORED MY CONCERNS BY EITHER SAYING "THAT JUST HAPPENS WITH FORESTERS SOMETIMES" OR "WE CAN'T FIX IT UNLESS WE CAN REPLICATE IT.'
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHICH IS ROLLED UP COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THERE ARE NO CRACKS NO INDENTATION THAT THE GLASS WOULD HAVE BROKEN AT TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE ONLY ISSUE LEADING UP TO THIS THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP ALL THE WAY AT TIMES. WHICH IS WHY I PERSONALLY NEVER ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN ONCE I…
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DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHICH IS ROLLED UP COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THERE ARE NO CRACKS NO INDENTATION THAT THE GLASS WOULD HAVE BROKEN AT TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE ONLY ISSUE LEADING UP TO THIS THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP ALL THE WAY AT TIMES. WHICH IS WHY I PERSONALLY NEVER ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN ONCE I KNEW THAT WAS AN ISSUE
2017 SUBARU FORESTER BATTERY DRAINS POWER AND LEAVES CAR TOTALLY DEAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE (1/2017). BATTERY DIED IN 2018 TWICE: ONCE DURING SUMMER AND ONCE IN NOVEMBER. (ONE TIME SUBARU SERVICE ROADSIDE ASSIST WAS USED, 11/18, AND ONE TIME A FRIEND CHARGED BATTERY). THIRD TIME BATTERY DIED WAS 3/19. BROUGHT CARE …
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2017 SUBARU FORESTER BATTERY DRAINS POWER AND LEAVES CAR TOTALLY DEAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE (1/2017). BATTERY DIED IN 2018 TWICE: ONCE DURING SUMMER AND ONCE IN NOVEMBER. (ONE TIME SUBARU SERVICE ROADSIDE ASSIST WAS USED, 11/18, AND ONE TIME A FRIEND CHARGED BATTERY). THIRD TIME BATTERY DIED WAS 3/19. BROUGHT CARE TO DEALER ON 4/29/19 WITH COMPLAINT OF BATTERY DRAIN. SUBARU TESTED BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS ALL GOOD AND WOULD NOT REPLACE BATTERY. IN 1/20 BATTERY AGAIN DIED AND ON 1/29/20 TOOK CAR AGAIN TO SUBARU DEALER WITH COMPLAINT OF BATTERY DRAIN. SUBARU CHECKED THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND UPDATES. BATTERY FAILED TESTING AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ON 4/22/21 BATTERY AGAIN DIED. I CALLED SUBARU SERVICE MANAGER AND ASKED TO HAVE THE MY CAR TESTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE CAR THAT WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE MANAGER REPEATEDLY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING LEFT ON BY ME WHILE THE CARE WAS TURNED OFF.
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.