2016 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems
- 49
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 49 stored complaint records:
- 6 indicate a crash
- 5 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- passenger seat · 25 records
- front passenger · 11 records
- passenger airbag · 10 records
- passenger side · 9 records
- airbag system · 8 records
- system needs · 7 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 30–60k mi | 24 |
| 1–30k mi | 10 |
| 60–100k mi | 2 |
| 150–400k mi | 2 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Air Bags
Took suburu in for 30,000 mile check a couple of months ago. Told dealership that the passenger airbag was inactivated (caution light on) while my wife sat in the seat. Dealer said "it probably got wet". I told dealer rep we always garage our cars and we haven't spilled anything on the seat. They told us it would cost over $1000 to fix it. As we left they said the caution light went out, but it was on again before…
ODI 11256044
Air Bags · Seats
In early may 2019, the vehicle started giving airbag warnings and disabling the front passenger airbag when the front passenger seat was occupied. I reported the problem to my subaru dealer's service department when i took it in for routine service a couple weeks later. It took a month to get an appointment to have the warning diagnosed. Finally they did the analysis and told me the passenger seat sensor had failed,…
ODI 11243035
Air Bags
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru forester. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator was flashing and remained illuminated. Hassett subaru (3520 sunrise hwy, wantagh, ny 11793, [redacted]) was notified of the failure and diagnosed that the bottom of the front passenger seat needed replacement. The vehicle was not included in any air bag recall; however, the manufacturer issued four technical service…
ODI 11228633
Air Bags · Occupant Classification · Sensor/Control Module
Keep getting message "srs airbag system needs to be checked" while driving. Dealer wants to replace the set sensor at my cost. The vehicle only has 41,000 miles. This is a known problem with this vehicle and subaru is not fixing the issue leaving driver in danger. This needs to be a recall!
ODI 11194451
Air Bags · Occupant Classification
The front passenger seat airbag occupancy sensor is malfunctioning and switching off the airbag when someone sits in the front passenger seat.
ODI 11192564
Air Bags
Tl* the contact owned a 2016 subaru forester. While driving approximately 50-55 mph, the vehicle hydroplaned, struck a wall, and was struck by three other vehicles. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a bruised face and minor contusions, which did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage facility. A dealer was not contacted. The…
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 11165089
Air Bags · Occupant Classification
Srs message and warning light coming on. Message srs system needs to be checked. Made an appointment with my local subaru dealer i explained the issues showed them three pictures of the warning and indicators when the issue occurs. Was told that their was nothing wrong. No active codes found. Unable to have someone in the passengers seat in case the air bag does not deploy. Contacted subaru have not responded. The…
ODI 11156964
Air Bags · Electrical System · Occupant Classification
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 subaru forester. The contact stated that a red warning indicator icon flashed intermittently inside the vehicle. The contact drove to subaru of rochester ([redacted] se, rochester, minnesota 55904, [redacted]) and was informed that the occupant detection system sensor failed. The contact was provided a cost estimate for repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The…
ODI 11246651
Air Bags · Occupant Classification
The occupant detection sensor for the front passenger seat does not work properly. It will occasionally set a warning while the vehicle is in motion, saying that the air bag system needs to be checked out, but then you can turn the vehicle off and back on and the warning disappears. The 'cure' is to replace the entire front passenger seat assembly! The following text from another complaint perfectly describes my…
ODI 11152921
Air Bags · Occupant Classification · Unknown Or Other
I copied this message from another complaint which explains exactly what i am trying to complaint. Subaru is knowingly building its cars with faulty passenger side air bag sensors which will randomly turn off the air bag while the passenger seat is occupied under normal life driving conditions. It is in the 2016 and 2017 owners manual that if there is a cell phone or electrical device in the front area of the car…
ODI 11131785
Air Bags · Front Passenger · Occupant Classification · Seats
Subaru is knowingly building its cars with faulty passenger side air bag sensors which will randomly turn off the air bag while the passenger seat is occupied under normal life driving conditions. It is in the 2016 and 2017 owners manual that if there is a cell phone or electrical device in the front area of the car then the air bag sensors could malfunction. It also states that if your passenger is wearing a jacket…
ODI 11124557
Air Bags
Passenger side air bags shuts off while passenger is in the seat while driving. Reported to subaru and was told seat covers and phone charging cables might be causing the problem . Upon further research others have been having the same problem with older subaru models and subaru will not fix so you have a 50/50 chance of your passenger air bag engaging in a accident.
ODI 11105070
Air Bags · Occupant Classification · Seat Belts
This used vehicle was purchased from a dealer as a "great buy", with 74589 miles on may 23, 2018. Less than one week later, bells and dings began sounding while driving, light indicators indicated that the srs system needed to be checked; that the passenger airbag was not on sometimes, other times it was..intermittent. Car in motion both on city streets and on highway. No recalls were reported at that time, and i…
ODI 11132985
Air Bags
Keep getting message "srs airbag system needs to be checked" while driving. The passenger airbag turns off when message displays. When the message comes up, it will stay for a few hours to a few days. My passenger is left without protection in case of an accident.
ODI 11067171
Air Bags
My passenger airbag light go on and off to signal if the passenger seat airbag system is activated or not. Dealer diagnosis is that the sensor in the seat is bad. The replacement part and labor is over $1000 because it is integrated into the seat. I called subaru and they are willing to pay for half, however this is an unacceptable solution. The airbag system on such a new car should be fully functioning and subaru…
ODI 11052638
Air Bags
The passenger side airbag will not deploy if there is a cushion on the seat. This was not explained to me until after i complained and i was then told that i should have read the owner's manual. Unfortunately, the owner's manual is not available until after the car's purchase and even then i would have had to know that my arthritis was going to get severe enough to need a cushion. The non-deployment of my passenger…
ODI 11072671
Air Bags
My accident involved hitting a tree head-on traveling at least 10-15 mph. I would have thought at least 3 airbags would have deployed (side curtain, steering, and dash for knees) preventing me from hitting my head.
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 11015021
Air Bags
My subaru has experienced a malfunction of the passenger air bag restraint system since july of 2017. I took the vehicle to the dealer where i purchased it in 2016, joseph subaru in florence, ky on august 2, 2017. The technician diagnosed a switch malfunction under the passenger seat. The service manager assured me that the part would be ordered and the vehicle would be scheduled for repair. After three weeks with…
ODI 11052876
Air Bags · Body
Front end total collision traveling approximately 30mph on a residential section of a main street. Hit, and broke, a telephone pole. Car deemed totaled. No airbags deployed.
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 10992796
Air Bags
When in motion, the occupancy detector sensor light intermittently illuminates even when there is no passenger in the seat. This is currently happening in my 2016 forester and also happened in my 2014 forester.
ODI 11243099
Air Bags · Unknown Or Other
My airbag light goes on to signal the airbags are not working. It goes off and on at will. I have taken the car to the dealership 4 times now and finally they think they know what is wrong, but will not have the part to fix the problem until sometime in the future. The bluetooth is so bad that the people i talk to cannot hear me. Big safety concerns.
ODI 11041443
Air Bags · Electronic Stability Control · Seat Belts
There were 5 major issues with my vehicle that i want investigated. I was driving straight nb on us-101 in the #1 lane of traffic, going approximately 75 mph, when for no explainable reason, the rear tires of my 2016 subaru forester began to skid me across the #2 lane of traffic. I will note that it had just stopped sprinkling and the road was damp. Issue 1: during my skid, the skid control feature never engaged…
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 11243025
Air Bags · Service Brakes · Vehicle Speed Control
Takata recall vehicle accellerated, brakes did not stop vehicle, accident took place injuring my wife, physically, emotionally & psychologically. Air bags did not deploy. Wife was trying to park, when vehicle sped up and her braking had no effect and she crashed into a parked vehicle.
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 10918643
Air Bags · Front Passenger · Occupant Classification
Passenger detection system to turn on airbag has been intermittent since shortly after purchasing. Will turn off passenger air bag with an adult present in the seat, or not turn it on initially. Now it is almost always off at some point in a driving experience. Several attempts to get it checked out were made but required too long and no loaner was available. After getting a second car, it was taken to the dealer…
ODI 11150824