NHTSA Complaint #11341222 — 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA

THE VEHICLE WAS PARK AT MY HOME. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SET UP WITH THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS DROPPED OFF THAT EVENING AND WAS LOOKED AT THE NEXT DAY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAD AN ISSUE AND THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS DUE TO THE SEAT BEING WET. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2018 WITH 35,278 MILES AND NOW HAS AROUND 46,000 MILES. THE SEAT HAS NEVER BEEN WET IN MY TIME OWNING IT AND WAS NOT WET PRIOR TO OWNING IT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED SEATS AND I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS IN LINE WITH LAST YEARS FORESTER PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR RECALL IN WHICH 366,000 VEHICLES WHERE RECALLED FOR A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE. I HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY AWARE IF SUBARU OF AMERICA IS WILLING TO COVER COST TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. SINCE THEY ARE UNSURE WHEN SUBARU WOULD GET BACK TO THEM, I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND IT IS CURRENTLY PARKED AT MY HOME. I WAS INFORMED TO AVOID SAFETY RISKS TO NOT HAVE OCCUPANTS TRAVEL IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FOR THE TIME BEING AS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COULD TURN OFF AT ANY POINT. SINCE PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES ILLUMINATE UPON START, BUT NO LONGER STAYS ON. IF A FOLLOW UP CONTACT IS REQUIRED I WOULD PREFER AN EMAIL OVER A CALL.