NHTSA Complaint #10437774 — 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK

THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ACTIVATION SENSOR. MY WIFE, WHO WEIGHS APPROX. 125 LBS, OFTEN SITS IN THAT SEAT. THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT MIGHT GO ON, OR IT MIGHT NOT. SOMETIMES SHE CAN SHIFT HER WEIGHT AND HAVE IT COME ON. OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SHE DOES, IT WILL NOT GO ON. WE CAN BE RIDING ALONG WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, FOR NO REASON, IT WILL GO OFF. THEN, INEXPLICABLY, IT MIGHT, OR MIGHT NOT, COME BACK ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IS MADE AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. THEY SAID THAT IT IS AGAINST FEDERAL LAW FOR THEM TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS AND THAT I SHOULD JUST MAKE SURE MY WIFE WEARS HER SEAT BELT WHEN WE'RE DRIVING. THIS IS A MAJOR IRRITANT, SINCE NEITHER OF US CAN BE SURE IF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL ACTUALLY DEPLOY SHOULD WE BE IN AN ACCIDENT. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I'VE SEARCHED THIS SITE AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR. I JOKE WITH MY WIFE THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO FATTEN HER UP TO SAVE HER LIFE, BUT FOR SOME REASON SHE JUST DOESN'T THINK IT'S FUNNY. MAYBE YOU FOLKS CAN LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *KB