2012 Subaru Impreza

VEHICLE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN A CELLULAR DEVICE IS PLACED IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE. ALSO A CELLULAR DEVICE PLACED ON THE SEAT WITH NO OCCUPANT ENGAGES THE OCS TO REGISTER THAT SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. SPOKE WITH SUBARU DEALER REGARDING THE ISSUE, AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING IS OK, AND THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE COMPLAINT.

THIS VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECALL FOR A DEFECTIVE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM ARE, "ON BACK ORDER". I EXPLAINED THAT I AM UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM, SINCE THE RECALL CLEARLY STATES THAT THE AIRBAG MAY NOT INFLATE UPON COLLISION. I ASKED FOR A LOANER CAR UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND WAS TOLD, "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, YOU CAN CONTACT SUBARU OF AMERICA". I HAVE BEEN GIVEN NO TIME ESTIMATE AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.

TODAY (OCTOBER 9, 2015), I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM [XXX], WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR, TEAM MAZDA SUBARU, IN CALDWELL, IDAHO 208-455-0322 [XXX], TELLING ME THAT THE PART TO FIX SUBARU RECALL CAMPAIGN WQT-55, NHTSA RECALL NO. 15V-419, AUGUST 2015 FOR MY 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA, [XXX] WAS GOING TO BE RETURNED IF I DID NOT BRING MY VEHICLE IN SHORTLY. SOON AFTER I RECEIVED THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL, I CALLED TEAM MAZDA SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, TELLING THEM EXACTLY WHAT THE APPOINTMENT WAS FOR. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE FOR 2 PM ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2015. I ARRIVED AT THE SERVICE CENTER AND GAVE THE ADVISER A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE AT 1:50 PM ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2015. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE AN HOUR OR MORE WAIT. I SHOWED HIM IN THE LETTER THAT IT SHOULD TAKE NO MORE THAN 25 MINUTES. THE ADVISER SEEMED TO BE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OR INFORMED OF THE RECALL, BUT SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE IT DONE SOONER THAN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. AT 2:50 PM I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE RECALL DEFECT NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART NEEDED WAS NOT AVAILABLE. HE ASKED IF I WANTED HIM TO CALL ME WHEN THE PART ARRIVED AND I SAID, ?PLEASE!? TODAY, MORE THAN ONE MONTH LATER, I GET THE EMAIL DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE RECALL NOTICE STATES THAT I SHOULD CONTACT YOU IMMEDIATELY IF I BELIEVE THE SUBARU RETAILER HAS FAILED OR IS UNABLE TO REMEDY MY VEHICLE WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. I DO NOT CONSIDER MORE THAN ONE MONTH A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE RECALL NOTICE ALSO SAYS THAT I SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, WHICH IMPLIES THAT THE PART IS AVAILABLE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY AN APPOINTMENT WOULD BE MADE TO REPAIR MY CAR IF THE PART WAS NOT IN STOCK. FURTHERMORE, WHY DID I HAVE TO WAIT AN HOUR TO FIND OUT THE REPAIR COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED? SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I RECEIVED RECALL INFORMATION AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LOCAL DEALER FOR CORRECTION OF THE DEFECTIVE AUTOMOTIVE PART. WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE DEALER THAT THEY HAD RUN OUT OF PARTS AND WOULD RESCHEDULE BY CALLING ME WHEN THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS BACK IN STOCK. I THEN RECEIVED AN EMAIL, DATED 9/9/2015, FROM THE DEALER BILL RAPP SUBARU, SYRACUSE, NY, THAT THE APPOINTMENT HAD BEEN CANCELLED BUT NO INDICATION REGARDING THE RECALL OR IN WRITING THE THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN THE PART WAS BACK IN STOCK. PLEASE ADVISE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND PERFORMED AN UNKNOWN REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECENTLY RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V419000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

FINALLY, AFTER 3 YEARS OF SUBARU STONEWALLING TO ADMITTING TO A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, NHTSA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN RECALL WQT55. I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE EARLIER THIS WEEK. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE SUBARU DEALERS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA THAT I CONTACTED HAD THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT PART AND SAID IT BACK ORDERED WITH NO ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATE AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE SUBARU HAS CONSISTENTLY ACTED IN BAD FAITH SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION AND IS CONTINUING TO DO SO. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO FINE SUBARU THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR DELAYING AND NOW MISLEADING VEHICLE OWNERS ON A RECALL THAT MISREPRESENTS THEIR ABILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THE REPLACEMENT PART IS UNAVAILABLE. SUBARU IS KNOWINGLY ACTING IN BAD FAITH. I HAVE BEEN ENDURING THIS SAFETY ISSUE FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS BY AVOIDING USING THE PASSENGER SEAT WHENEVER FEASIBLE. IT'S NOT RIGHT THAT SUBARU CONTINUES TO GET AWAY WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. THANK YOU. *TR

WARNING LAMPS FOR STABILITY CONTROL AIR BAG RANDOMLY LIGHT UP ON MY DASH BOARD PANEL. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL ALSO SWITCH TO OFF EVEN WHEN A PASSER IS SITTING IN THE SEAT OR THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WARNING SOUND WILL GO OFF IF A SMALL OBJECT IS PLACED ON THE SEAT. MY MECHANIC CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE AS I CANNOT RECREATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CAUSE THE LAMPS TO SWITCH ON OR THE WARNING SIREN TO CHIME. COMPUTER READINGS DO NOT RETURN ANY "CODES" IF THE LAMPS AREN'T ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A METAL POWER BOX AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.