2002 Subaru Forester Airbags Problems

You were involved in a rear-end collision at 20-25 mph that caused damage to two vehicles totaling over $16,000. Despite the impact, your driver-side airbag did not deploy during the crash, which surprised both the responding police officer and fire department. The airbag system may need diagnostic testing to determine why it failed to activate in this collision.

Your steering wheel airbag cover has a design weakness that causes cracks to develop under the "SRS AIRBAG" label. If the airbag deploys while cracked, the sharp broken pieces could cause serious cuts or potentially become airborne and cause severe injury. Do not attempt to tape or repair the cover yourself, as this could prevent the airbag from deploying properly. The fix requires replacing the entire steering wheel airbag assembly.

AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT COMES ON REPEATEDLY. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND FRONT SEAT AIR BAG HARNESS CONNECTOR KIT TWICE (IN 2006 AT 34,000 MILES AND AGAIN IN 2009 AT 63,000 MILES.) AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER. DEALER WILL NOT ADMIT TO ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPEATED FAILURE OF THE SAME PART. *LN

MY VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE LEFT SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT FAILED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30-40 MPH. DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE EXTENDED FROM THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO THE REAR LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT SPUN MY VEHICLE INTO A TREE THAT DAMAGED THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. NEITHER LEFT NOR RIGHT SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2004 I NOTIFIED SUBARU OF AMERICA OF THE AIRBAG FAILURE. THEY ASSIGNED CASE #700-407 AND SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE RICK POZNIAK. ON DECEMBER 3, 2004 SUBARU OF AMERICA THROUGH RICK POZNIAK INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE AIR BAG FAILURE.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND WILL STAY ON DURING THE TIME THE IGNITION IS ON. IT WILL DO THIS FOR DAYS AND THEN IT WILL WORK CORRECTLY FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE REPEATING THE ABOVE BEHAVIOR. *LA

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 15 MPH AND HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE STRIKING A TRUCK IN THE OPPOSITE LANE.*TS *JB

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AT ABOUT 45MPH. VEHICLE WENT AIRBORN, THE FRONT VEHICLE AXLE BROKE ON IMPACT. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH WITH AN ELK. BOTH DRVR AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER THAT AIR BAGS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO DEPLOY FOR COLLISIONS WITH ANIMALS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED OF 30MPH WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD/. *AK