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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
66,052 miles · Sep 30, 2020
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. EPICENTER OF THE CRACK DOES NOT SHOW SIGNS OF IMPACT. APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN STRESS INDUCED. CRACK EXTENDS FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD TO BELOW THE MIRROR.

NHTSA ODI #11361950

31,000 miles · Sep 27, 2020
Visibility/wiper

TWO SMALL CRACKS FORMED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD (CAUSE UNKNOWN). ONE OF THOSE CRACKS HAS NOW SPREAD TO HALFWAY UP THE WINDSHIELD IN ONE DAY.

NHTSA ODI #11361383

4,500 miles · Sep 27, 2020
Visibility/wiper

BOUGHT THE 2017 SUBARU FORESTER EYESIGH BRAND NEW IN 2017. 2 WEEKS LATER FRONT WINDSHIELD CHIPPED AND CRACKED. GOT IT REPLACED. AND NOW ANOTHER CHIPPED. THIS IS CHEAP THIN POORLY MADE WINDSHIELD EVEN THE DEALER PARTS PERSON SAID SO. 1ST TIME......THIS IS ALL HAPPENED FREEWAY DRIVING. OUT OF NOWHERE. ALL I HEARD A DEBRIS…

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BOUGHT THE 2017 SUBARU FORESTER EYESIGH BRAND NEW IN 2017. 2 WEEKS LATER FRONT WINDSHIELD CHIPPED AND CRACKED. GOT IT REPLACED. AND NOW ANOTHER CHIPPED. THIS IS CHEAP THIN POORLY MADE WINDSHIELD EVEN THE DEALER PARTS PERSON SAID SO. 1ST TIME......THIS IS ALL HAPPENED FREEWAY DRIVING. OUT OF NOWHERE. ALL I HEARD A DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD GOT TO WORK PARKED. BY THE TIME I GET OFF WORK..... THERES A BIG LONG CRACKED ACROSS THE BOTTOM WINDSHIELD. AND 2ND TIME SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE GOING TO WORK. SAME THING HAPPENED. BUT THIS TIME I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, AND I GOT THE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT WARRANTY. NO LUCK, TOLD ME THEY ONLY CAN DO REPAIR SMALLER THEN A QUARTER. SO I CALLED, THEY SAID ONLY CAN REPAIR NO REPLACEMENT. FILL IN THE CRACKED. SO. SO FAR. THIS GONNA BE MY 1ST AND LAST SUBARU. NOTHING BUT HEADACHE DEALING WITH THE DEALERS. WINDSHIELD REPLACNEMT IS NOT CHEAP. ITS ABOUT $$1200

NHTSA ODI #11361328

18,000 miles · Sep 24, 2020
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ALL OF SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THE CAR PANEL WENT BLACK, NO LIGHTS OR INFO SHOWED. I COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, IGNITION ON. THE EMERGENCY LIGHT WOULDN'T GO ON. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND INTO PARK AND WAIT…

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FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ALL OF SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THE CAR PANEL WENT BLACK, NO LIGHTS OR INFO SHOWED. I COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, IGNITION ON. THE EMERGENCY LIGHT WOULDN'T GO ON. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND INTO PARK AND WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITHOUT A PROBLEM. SECOND TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ALL OF SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND, THE CAR PANEL WENT BLACK, NO LIGHTS OR INFO SHOWED. I COASTED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, IGNITION ON. THE EMERGENCY LIGHT WOULDN'T GO ON. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND INTO PARK AND WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES BUT CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I ROCKED THE CAR SIDE TO SIDE AND THE CAR STARTED. I TOOK TO THE DEALER, THEY PRESSURE TESTED FUEL PUMP AND FOUND A SLIGHT PRESSURE DROP ONCE DURING THE TEST. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AT 18,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11361001

40,000 miles · Sep 24, 2020
Electrical System

HAVE A 2017 FORESTER. AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK, THE KEY GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. YOU CAN TURN THE CAR OFF, BUT YOU CAN'T REMOVE THE KEY. IF I START THE CAR BACK UP, AND SHIFT IT INTO DRIVE, AND THEM SLAM IT BACK INTO PARK, THEN I CAN TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY

NHTSA ODI #11360997

35,000 miles · Sep 23, 2020
Unknown Or Other

I HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AFTER ONLY HAVING THE CAR FOR LESS THAN A MONTH. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD COVER THIS AT THE TIME. THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED AGAIN FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND I BELIEVE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AS IT START OUT AS A SMALL CRACK AND HAS GROWN TO ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD..

NHTSA ODI #11360741

31,117 miles · Sep 15, 2020
Electrical System

AFTER SHUTTING ENGINE ON 2017 SUBARU FORESTER, AND PUTTING GEAR SELECTOR IN PARK, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND IT WAS LOCKED IN ACCESSORY POSITION..AFTER MANY TRIES AND BY CALLING DEALER, PUTTING THE SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL THEN PARK ENABLED ME TO REMOVE IT. THIS OCCURRED ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE SHIFTER PLATE…

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AFTER SHUTTING ENGINE ON 2017 SUBARU FORESTER, AND PUTTING GEAR SELECTOR IN PARK, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND IT WAS LOCKED IN ACCESSORY POSITION..AFTER MANY TRIES AND BY CALLING DEALER, PUTTING THE SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL THEN PARK ENABLED ME TO REMOVE IT. THIS OCCURRED ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE SHIFTER PLATE GUIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED. COST WAS $662. MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS 31,000.

NHTSA ODI #11355206

35,000 miles · Sep 9, 2020
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

HAVE A 2017 FORESTER. AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK, THE KEY GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. YOU CAN TURN THE CAR OFF, BUT YOU CAN'T REMOVE THE KEY. IF I START THE CAR BACK UP, AND SHIFT IT INTO DRIVE, AND THEM SLAM IT BACK INTO PARK, THEN I CAN TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY.

NHTSA ODI #11353972

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2020
Electrical System

IGNITION KEY STICKING. UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY AFTER PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION.

NHTSA ODI #11353136

42,000 miles · Sep 4, 2020
Visibility/wiper

FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED HORIZONTAL CRACKS WHILE PARKED ON STREET AT OWNERS LOCATION. CRACK INCREASED IN LENGTH OVER A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS. FAILURE BEGAN ON PASSENGER SIDE. FAILURE NOW EXTENDS NEARLY 50% INTO DRIVER SIDE. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY IMPACT FROM EITHER THE OUTSIDE OF WINDOW OR INSIDE OF W…

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FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED HORIZONTAL CRACKS WHILE PARKED ON STREET AT OWNERS LOCATION. CRACK INCREASED IN LENGTH OVER A PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS. FAILURE BEGAN ON PASSENGER SIDE. FAILURE NOW EXTENDS NEARLY 50% INTO DRIVER SIDE. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY IMPACT FROM EITHER THE OUTSIDE OF WINDOW OR INSIDE OF WINDOW.

NHTSA ODI #11353133

Official recalls

1

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.

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

1

PE19009 · 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.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems