NHTSA Complaint #11267525 — 2017 SUBARU FORESTER

THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH MY SUBRARU FORESTER 2017 FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONS SAME AS 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 EITHER FULL-SIZED, SMALL STATURE, A CHILD SEAT OR OTHER OBJECT. THE COMPLAINTS REPORT THE ODS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY, THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND/OR THE ODS INCORRECTLY SUPPRESSED (TURNED OFF) THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A FULL-SIZED PASSENGER. IN A FRONTAL CRASH SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT DEPLOYMENT, A SUPPRESSED AIR BAG MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT. ODI OPENDED THIS INVESTIGATION TO ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY, AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.