This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
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.
Passenger side airbag sensor does not operate properly. Airbag does not turn on when a passenger is sitting in the seat, both when stationary and in motion.
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 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.
- Mills River, NC, USA
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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.
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.
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Impreza. While driving approximately 5 mph, the contact was involved in a front end collision. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact's shins and calves suffered nerve damage, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop and repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed by the manufacturer that the air bags deployed as designed. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
While driving the passenger seat airbag will switch off with an adult seated or switch it on when no one is present. At the same time the seat belt light will turn on. We have found that stopping the vehicle to restart the vehicle correct this issue. On the 2012 Subaru there was a problem just like this that was recalled. Subaru can't find anything because these problems are corrected after the vehicle is started again. No one at Subaru can state that the system is working while this happens.
Airbag fail, drivers side and passenger side. In November of 2016 the icon indicating "passenger airbag fail" starting coming on every time I picked up my son from school on a rainy day or after sports practice. He was not wet, just damp or hot. The icon coming on was totally predictable at first, only under damp conditions, then unpredictable. In speaking to the service person where I bought the car new, I was told that the lit icon was normal, then told that my son didn't weigh enough (he wrestles at 156 lbs). I brought the car to the dealership without an appointment and was able to demonstrate the problem. The passenger seat airbag sensor was eventually replaced under warranty. The problem is now repeating itself with the drivers side airbag fail icon. The dealership was unable to find a problem code when diagnosed.I was told the technician called Subaru tech-support and that he was told that the problem is "normal". I am now told that the sensor can fail when the driver's seat is damp, but will work when it dries out, there is no repair possible. If this is true, I cannot safely drive my car in inclement weather or hot weather. I bought this car specifically for driving in less than ideal weather. The problem with the passenger side airbag sensor was addressed by the NHTSA in April 4015 under action number PE15012, and recall campaign # 15V419000, but I can testify that the problem still exits. It took three days for the drivers side airbag sensor, or icon, to stop showing failed, it stopped raining a day before. It is a highly unsafe situation if it is truly unrepairable.
We have noticed that the airbag sensor light will come on at random times while we are driving. We noticed this issue soon after our lease began, in early 2014. We have been unable to establish if there is a pattern or reason that the light goes on. Once the light comes on, it does not go off until the engine is turned off. Initially, this happened maybe once a week or so, but we have noticed that lately it happens more frequently. We have discussed this problem with our local Subaru dealer (wayne NJ Subaru). Although we brought the problem to their attention, they never advised us that there had been a recall for this exact issue with previous year Imprezas. It was only when we researched this problem on-line that we discovered that there was in fact a recall for this exact same issue, with earlier year Imprezas. The dealer has told us that it would cost approximately $1,000 to have the problem fixed, as it involves replacing the seat. This car is a lease. We do not feel that we should have to pay for a repair of something that is a widespread problem among Subaru Imprezas. We feel that our car should be repaired under this recall. Needless to say, this problem is alarming, as we are concerned about whether the air bag would function properly if the car was involved in an accident. Please advise how we can resolve this issue.
I am presently traveling 60mph on the freeway. I am sitting in the passenger seat. The passenger airbag off light is on. I can only assume this has to do with my bottom being slightly damp after snow sports. I assume this because the previous times that this happened and I took it to the dealership in Aurora Colorado I was told "the sensor will turn the airbag off if there is any moisture on the seat or if electronics are set on or near the seat. I was told not to do those things. I cannot see how this can be considered safe.
Sensor for the air bags isn't working right. It turns the passenger air bag off when people much heavier than 80 pounds are in the front seat. When no one is in the seat, sometimes the passenger air bag comes on. This happens both in park and when I am driving.
Passenger air bag lights turns off after some time driving with a 200 lb passenger in the passenger seat. The light starts off on and turns off meaning the air bag will not deploy. Subaru dealer reviewed problem and did not find anything wrong except for some historical wet sensor error codes. This is unsafe as as the air bag won't deploy if I have a crash. I have the dealer paperwork where they tested it and did nothing !!
To whom it may concern my son has a 2014 Subaru Impreza. Leased brand new. While driving home from the beach and after drying off the passenger noticed that the air bag deployment light was not on. I took the car to the dealer in ramsey New Jersey "invoice 244854.they had the technicians look at the car and what they told us was very upsetting and seems ridiculous. If the passenger seat is the least bit damp the air bag will not deploy. I have in writing from Subaru, owner?S manual page 1-47. So if there is a child that is a passenger and he spills a soda or even water there could be a problem. How many passenger drink coffee on their way to work. The advice from Subaru is that if the seat gets wet have the passenger sit in the back until it totally dries. What ? this is an accident waiting to happen?.remember takata. I can"T believe a company like Subaru cannot fix this problem, I understand that it may also be an issue with the outback and forester. All models if true are advertised for the out doors. Updated 11/25/15
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- Fairport, NY, USA