NHTSA Complaint #11373483 — 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK

SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW (CURRENTLY 55,000 MILES ON IT) THE AIR BAG RED MALFUNCTION LIGHT HAS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ALSO, AT TIMES, THE DASHBOARD WILL REGISTER THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER. I MENTIONED THIS TO DEALER EARLY ON, BUT WAS TOLD BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IT HAS CONTINUED, AND I NOTICED THAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AFTER OR DURING HEAVY RAINS. MOST RECENTLY I TOOK A VIDEO OF THE LIGHT ON AND PANNED TO THE PASSENGER TO SHOW THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THIS WEEK (OF COURSE THE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF) AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MOISTURE IN THE AIR THAT THEY ARE SEEING WITH OTHER CARS AS WELL. BUT, WAS AGAIN TOLD SINCE THERE WAS NO LIGHT, THEY COULD NOT CHECK TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT SUBARU HEADQUARTERS, DAVID AT 856 356-1190. HE SPOKE WITH DEALER AND WAS GOING TO SUGGEST AN ENGINEER LOOK AT VEHICLE, BUT JUST GOT BACK TO ME AND SINCE THERE IS NO HISTORY OF FAILED ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS, AND THE LIGHT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON, WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING, AND THAT I SHOULD BRING THE CAR BACK IN WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. I AM FURIOUS. I AM DRIVING AROUND WITH A PASSENGER WHO IS OCCASIONALLY NOT PROTECTED BY AN AIRBAG. THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND EVEN HAVE A PROCEDURE ON WHAT TO DO TO RESET THE LIGHT. BUT, I WORK DURING THE DAY, AND WHEN I HAVE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, IT IS IN THE EVENING OR ON THE WEEKEND. SO, EVEN IF A LIGHT COMES ON, THE DEALER IS NOT OPEN AT THOSE TIMES, AND BY THE TIME I GET THERE WHEN THEY ARE OPEN, THE LIGHT IS OFF. THERE WILL NEVER BE A HISTORY OF FAILED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR AS THEY NEVER SEE THE LIGHT ON, DESPITE ME SHOWING THEM THE VIDEO I TOOK. MY PASSENGERS ARE IN DANGER, AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.