2012 Subaru Impreza

The Airbag warning light has been lit within the dashboard. The front passenger seat airbag is faulty and is not able to correctly sense when a passenger is within the seat or not, which disables the airbags. This can be deadly to the passenger if in an accident. The issue seems to be in the ODS passenger seat mat that determines when the airbag is active or not. If moisture is able to get within the mat, then it can short the circuit and cause airbags to not deploy. My car was "supposed" to already been fixed with the issue in 2015 on the recall #WQT55, NHTSA Campaign 15V419000, but I don't believe the underlying issue was fixed correctly or the same part has failed again. Looking further into recalls, the exact same issue is happening again with Subarus with #WRA-24 and NHTSA campaign 24V227. The dealer has asked me to pay over $1700 on to replace this part. Subaru America should fully cover the cost of any Passenger ODS issue especially when there have already been two recalls with the exact same issue.

The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics and the contact was informed that there was a defective gasket on the transfer case and the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced. The contact stated that while a relative was seated in the front passenger’s seat, the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where a code reader determined that there was a defect with the front passenger’s side air bag sensor. A dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was made to have the vehicle serviced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

Over the past three months, the front driver and passenger airbag lights have been on in my 2012 Subaru Impreza while driving. Documented videos attached were on 01/11/23, 01/20/23, and 04/04/23. It has happened at least 6 times and possibly more. I contacted Subaru after it happened and took it to the local Subaru dealer, who advised me to bring the car in when the airbag light was on, as at my 1/17/23 visit, they could not figure out the cause of the airbag light. On 4/4/23, while driving on the expressway, the airbag light came on, and as advised, I drove it straight to the local dealership. Code B1650 was pulled off the airbag system, which I am told could be 3 different reasons. On 4/10/23, I contacted Subaru Customer Advocacy and said the local dealer's solutions were unacceptable and to wait and see. Again on 4/12/23, while my daughter was driving on the expressway with my son in the passenger seat, the airbag lights on again for both the passenger and driver. As I told Subaru on 4/10/23, this Subaru Impreza is unsafe to drive, and the airbags would not deploy in the case of an accident with both airbag lights on. This is a very dangerous situation that could end up with some very dire consequences. The ODS system was previously replaced under NHTSA #15V419000, but it appears that the recall part may also be defective. The passenger seat has not been altered or wet to cause malfunctions. It is a defect in the Subaru airbag system.

PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY REMAINS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS SEATED IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES IT APPEARS TO OPERATE NORMALLY, BUT ABOUT HALF THE TIME THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATES OFF WHEN IT SHOULD BE ON. VEHICLE MOTION DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, WET CONDITIONS DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER EITHER. UNKNOWN WHETHER THIS IS A PASSENGER DETECTION MALFUNCTION OR A PASSENGER AIRBAG MALFUNCTION.

THE AIRBAG SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT TURNS OF AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY A FULL-SIZED ADULT. IT TYPICALLY OCCURS ON A LONG DRIVE, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED DURING CITY DRIVING. IT ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE PROBLEM CLOSELY MATCHES THE DESCRIPTION OF THE 2015 RECALL ON THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM, EVEN THOUGH THE SUBARU RECORDS SHOW THAT THE REQUIRED REPAIR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECALL WAS MADE ON MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THE CURRENT PROBLEMS MAY BE CAUSED BY A WATER SPILL, BUT I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THIS OCCURRING, AND A SAFETY SYSTEM IN A CAR THAN COULD NOT WITHSTAND A SMALL SPILL IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE AND POORLY DESIGNED.

FRONT PASSENGER ODS MALFUNCTIONS EXACTLY PER THE DESCRIPTION LISTED IN RECALL #WQT-55 UNDER SAFETY CAMPAIGN 15V419000 AND HAD MADE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO HAVE IT ADDRESSED FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS NOW THROUGH SUBARU. HOWEVER MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED JUST OUTSIDE OF THE MANUFACTURING DATE RANGE OF THE RECALL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS OTHER OUTSTANDING RECALL ITEMS AND ASKED TO HAVE ISSUE DIAGNOSED FOR THE ODS. TECHNICIANS FOUND CODE B1650, WHICH MATCHES ONE OF THE DTCS OF THE RECALL. CALLED SUBARU CORPORATE AGAIN TO REQUEST THE MALFUNCTION BE ADDRESSED AND THEY COULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR OF THE ODS AS THE VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE MANUFACTURING DATE RANGE. A COPY OF THE SUBARU RECALL HAS BEEN ATTACHED WITH THIS MESSAGE FOR REFERENCE. *TR