2014 Subaru Impreza

IN DECEMBER 2014 AND AGAIN (TWICE) IN JANUARY 2018 I WAS DRIVING (IN MOTION) WITH A PASSENGER WHEN THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM TURNED OFF. THE ONLY VARIABLE I KNOW FOR THE SECOND TIME WAS THAT THE PASSENGER WAS DAMP FROM SNOW-SPORTS. EACH TIME IT PROVED IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE CAR TO RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, SO WE HAD TO DRIVE WITHOUT AIRBAG PROTECTION FOR THE PASSENGER. THE FIRST TIME, THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP REPLACED (8/6/15) THE PASSENGER SEAT-BOTTOM WITH SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE; THEY HAVE SAID THEY INTEND TO DO THIS AGAIN. THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THAT IMPREZA PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSORS CAN TURN OFF WHEN THE SEAT IS DAMP/WET.

TWO SPECIFIC ISSUES. 1) THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT ACTIVATE, ACCORDING TO THE INDICATOR LIGHT, WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR. 2) THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE THAT RINGS A BELL IF THE PASSENGER IS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT WILL GO OFF WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT - DANGEROUSLY DISTRACTING FOR THE DRIVER. THE START DATE BELOW IS THE DATE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, AS THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED SINCE PURCHASE.

AIRBAGS IN THE CAR SHUT OFF WHEN A PASSENGER GETS IN THE SEAT IF THEY HAVE EVEN A TINY AMOUNT OF MOISTURE....SUCH AS AFTER WORKING OUT AT THE GYM *AND CHANGING CLOTHES*. ALSO IF IT'S RAINING, THE 50' WALK FROM THE HOUSE TO THE CAR PUTS ENOUGH MOISTURE ON THE PASSENGER TO MAKE ALL OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR SHUT OFF. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TO NOT GET THE SEAT WET. SEVERAL OTHER YEAR MODELS OF SUBARU HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE- THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED.

ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS IN MY 2014 IMPREZA STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A SENSOR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION GOT WET (E.G., BY PEOPLE SITTING IN THE SEAT AFTER EXERCISING OR GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN). AN AIRBAG SENSOR SHOULD NOT DISABLE AN AIRBAG BECAUSE OF A WET SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT, HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED FOR THE 2014 IMPREZA IN ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS, AND IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE DEFECT THAT PRECIPITATED A 2012 IMPREZA SAFETY RECALL (RECALL #WQT-55, SAFETY CAMPAIGN 15V419000) SUBARU SHOULD RECALL THE 2014 IMPREZA AND PAY FOR THE COST OF REPLACING DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSORS.

MY FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS OFF SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN I HAVE PASSENGERS SITTING THERE. I TOOK THE CAR TO CARMAX, WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY SAID THE SEAT SENSOR WAS MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO A WET SEAT. THE SEAT WAS NOT WET TO MY TOUCH AND NO LIQUID HAD SOAKED IT. SINCE THEN, THE AIRBAG HAS CONTINUED TO TURN OFF WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 5 TIMES IN A 6 MONTHS TIMESPAN. I HAVE A VIDEO DOCUMENTING ONE OF THE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS TURNING RIGHT AND THE CONTACT BUMPED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND BELOW THE KNEES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, KNEES, NECK, AND FACE. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER WHO REPAIRED THE COSMETIC DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT PROVIDE A DEALER AS A REFERRAL TO DIAGNOSE THE AIR BAG FORCE ISSUE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NO SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH OUR PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN SOMEONE IS SETTING IS THE PASSENGER SEAT. WE HAVE TWO VIDEO ONE JUST AFTER THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE SECOND AFTER WE STOP, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED TAKEN TODAY JULY 9 2017 AT 4:56PM. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASE IN JULY 2014. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO ULTIMATE SUBARU OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA AND TO CREWS SUBARU NORTH CHARLESTON SC ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON JULY 6 2017. I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE LIGHT DOESN'T STAY ON. THEY ALSO COULDN'T TELL ME IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE WITH SOMEONE RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS ON. THE TECHS AT CREW SUBARU NORTH CHARLESTON SC TOLD ME TO MAKE A VIDEO AND TO SEND IT TO SUBARU CORPORATE, NHTSA AND IIHS. MY RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT SUBARU HAD A RECALL ON THEIR 2012 IMPREZA RECALL #WQT-55, . THE FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT SENOR. SINCE WE HAVE CONTACTED TWO DEALERS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. WE HAVE REPORTED THIS TO INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) ON APRIL 20, 2017. TODAY I CONTACTED SUBARU CORPORATE CASE # 1-24758084454 I SPOKE WITH KIYA AT CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS MORNING JULY 10, 2017 SHE IS THE ONE PERSON WHOM STATED THAT IF THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON THEN THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK. I HAVE VIDEO SHOW THIS BUT CAN NOT UPLOAD IT TO THIS SITE. I CAN EMAIL IT TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.