NHTSA Complaint #10851037 — 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK

BOUGHT A USED 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK IN APRIL OF 2015, AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS BEGAN SEEING THE AIRBAG DASH LIGHT OCCASIONALLY UPON STARTUP. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, AND WOULD OFTEN COME ON AND STAY ON WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AGAIN. OVERHEAD PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR ALSO WAS MALFUNCTIONING, AND DID NOT INDICATE ON OR OFF. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP ON 3/22/2016, AND THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE (PART # 92151AG13AOR) WAS REPLACED TO REMEDY AIR BAG CODE 26. TOTAL COST WAS $182.95; $130.45 FOR THE NEW CONSOLE, AND $52.50 FOR THE LABOR. THIS MALFUNCTION IS FAR TOO COMMON IN SUBARU VEHICLES ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS,AND IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT REPAIR AND A DANGEROUS SAFETY CONCERN. THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE WHEN THE DASH LIGHT IS ON, AND SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION FOR ALL SUBARU VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE CONSOLE.