Subaru Forester airbag problems, 2016–2026
447 of the 3,454 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Subaru Forester 2016–2026 name the airbags (NHTSA’s “Air Bags” heading — airbags, their sensors and warning lights). The loudest years: 2017 (197), 2018 (122), 2016 (114). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 recall campaign, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Subaru Forester airbag problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the airbags | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 7 | 24% | — | — | the year → |
| 2023 | 7 | 10% | — | — | the year → |
| 2022 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2021 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2020 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2019 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2018 in depth | 122 | 25% | 12k | 1 recall · 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2017 in depth | 197 | 34% | 26k | 1 recall · 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2016 in depth | 114 | 28% | 40k | 22 TSBs · 1 recall · 1 investigation | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the airbags. Nothing here is a rate.
When the airbag complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 1 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 58 · 2019: 139 · 2020: 20 · 2021: 20 · 2022: 37 · 2023: 32 · 2024: 46 · 2025: 45 · 2026: 41
Across the model years, half of the 218 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the airbag problem between 12,000 and 43,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the airbags, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Passenger air bag light remains off when passenger seat is occupied, or turns off after seat has been occupied for several minutes. This results in SRS airbag error light on dash illuminating. Dealer claims "seat was wet" and it will resolve itself when seat is dry. Seat has never been wet - no spills, no wet swimsuits, nothing.
Front passenger airbag warning light comes on intermittently, either on start up or while driving, stays on for hours or days at a time, unrelated to whether the seat is occupied or not. When it is on, passenger seat belt light indicates it is not fastened even if it is. The seat has never had spills, rain or otherwise wet.
2018 Subaru Forester: passenger airbag system fails & turned itself off. Happen 4-5 times in fall 2018. 10/23/2018 I took to northend Subaru service code B1650, part back ordered. 04/05/2019 passenger airbag system fails & turned itself off again. Called northend Subaru service. Part still back ordered more than 5 months.
Passenger side seat sensor detects person sitting in seat and turns on the airbag when the seat is empty. Notifications turns on at car startup and will turn on while vehicle is moving. Car was bought may 31st, 2018. This behavior started on the first cold day in my area (roughly late november/early december 2018)
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.
What is on file about the airbags, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaign filed under this heading, any model year
- 19V701000 HighOct 3, 2019 · 366,282 vehicles
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
NHTSA investigation
- PE19009 Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failureopened Aug 6, 2019 · closed Jan 22, 2020
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as e…
Other systems with a record on the Subaru Forester
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Subaru Forester problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Subaru Forester years have the most airbag complaints?
2017, 197; 2018, 122; 2016, 114. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2017 (34%).
Is there a recall for the airbags on the Subaru Forester?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 19V701000 (2018). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do airbag problems show up on the Subaru Forester?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 26,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 12,000 and 43,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Air Bags" heading cover?
Airbags, their sensors and warning lights. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.