2013 Subaru Impreza

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE IGNITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO USE MORE FORCE THAN NORMAL. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE KEY TO BEND. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS OFF EVEN WITH PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. CAR WAS IN MOTION. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON FOR THE 2012 MODEL, WHICH HAS THE SAME COMPONENTS AS THE 2013. IS THE NHTSA GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL OR IGNORE A KNOWN AND VERY DANGEROUS FAULT?

WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS DAMP, THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR STOPS WORKING AND DEACTIVATES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN AN ADULT IS OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S FRONTAL AIRBAG INDICATOR (LOCATED IN THE CENTER DISPLAY) TURNS "OFF" (EVEN IF AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT). THE RED SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING (LIGHT LOCATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER) TURNS ON WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS. EVENTUALLY THE LIGHT SHUTS OFF BY ITSELF. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS REGARDLESS WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.

THE DASHBOARD 'AIRBAG MALFUNCTION' LIGHT TURNS ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT SWITCHES TO 'OFF' WHILE THERE IS AN ADULT PASSENGER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS UPON STARTING THE CAR AND CONTINUES UNTIL THE CAR ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. I AM AFRAID IF THERE IS A CRASH THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY.

ON TWO OCCASIONS OF A REAR END COLLISION ON DRY PAVEMENT, WHILE TRYING TO AVOID COLLISION AND APPLYING THE BRAKES EXTREMELY HARD, I FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. INSTEAD THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP BUT SLID INTO VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME. I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M BLAMING THE CAR FOR MY ACCIDENT BUT I HAVE HAD CARS STOP ON A DIME. THIS CAR DID NOT STOP ON A DIME. I HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED HARD ENOUGH THAT IT SHOULD HAVE STOPPED INSTEAD IT CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BOTH INCIDENCES OCCURRED DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC UNDER THE SPEED OF 10-15MPH. I FELT LIKE THE CAR JUST CONTINUED TO MOVE SLIDING INTO THE OTHER CAR WHILE ON DRY PAVEMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V419000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

MULTIPLE SPORADIC ISSUES WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR. 1) WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED WITH SEATBELT FASTENED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, ONCE THE CAR IS IN MOTION THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR WILL CHANGE STATUS TO OFF AND A RED AIRBAG/BALLOON INDICATOR LIGHT WILL SHOW ON THE DASH AS IF THERE IS NO-ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. 2) WHEN SOMEONE SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EXITS THE CAR, AFTER DRIVING AWAY THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR WILL TURN ON AS IF SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT CHIME WILL CONTINUE SOUNDING EVEN THROUGH THE PASSENGER SEAT IS EMPTY. 3) WITH NO PASSENGER IN THE CAR, IF YOU PLACE A CELL PHONE DIRECTLY ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE IT IS PLUGGED IN TO THE USB PORT CHARGING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR WILL SWITCH STATUS TO ON AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT CHIME WILL SOUND. IF YOU PICK UP THE CELL PHONE FROM THE SEAT (STILL PLUGGED IN TO USB PORT CHARGING), THE INDICATOR WILL CHANGE BACK TO OFF AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT CHIME WILL STOP. IF YOU PLACE THE CELL PHONE BACK ON THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WILL SWITCH BACK TO ON AND THE FASTEN SEAT BELT CHIME WILL SOUND. ISSUE #1&#2 SEEM TO OCCUR MOST OFTEN IN HIGH HUMIDITY OR RAIN. ISSUE #3 OCCURS IF THE CELL PHONE IS GREATER THAN 35% CHARGED.

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATES/ ILLUMINATES/ STAYS ON WHEN PASSENGER WITH WET/ MOIST CLOTHING SITS IN PASSENGER SEAT. THIS ALSO OCCURS AFTER CLEANING THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH UPHOLSTERY CLEANER AND THE SEAT HAS NOT FULLY DRIED. UPON READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 2012 MODELS. PLEASE INCLUDE 2013 MODEL AS THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.