NHTSA Complaint #11033013 — 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILS TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY A HUMAN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. MORE THAN HALF THE TIME SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS NOT ACTIVATED. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, STATIONARY, AND ON IN STREET TYPES OR STREET CONDITIONS. THE AIR BAG ALSO FREQUENTLY ACTIVATES WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IS DANGEROUSLY BADLY DESIGNED. IT USES A CAPACITANCE SENSOR TO DETERMINE IF AN OBJECT WITH A SIMILAR CAPACITANCE TO A HUMAN IS IN THE SEAT. HOWEVER, THE CAPACITANCE OF A HUMAN CHANGES DRAMATICALLY DEPENDING ON THE COMPOSITION OF THAT PERSON'S BODY, THE CLOTHES THAT PERSON IS WEARING, IF THEY ARE HOLDING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE, OR TOUCHING SOME PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD GROUND THEM. THE TRADITIONAL WEIGHT SENSORS USED IN ALMOST ALL OTHER VEHICLES ARE A TIME-TESTED AND ROBUST DESIGN.