NHTSA Complaint #11390092 — 2014 SUBARU FORESTER

OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) MALFUNCTIONING. PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON WHILE THERE IS NO ONE (AND NOTHING) ON THE SEAT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME TO OCCUR UNTIL SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD AND SHUTS DOWN AIRBAG SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THESE THINGS OCCUR SOMEWHAT RANDOMLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, CONTINUE WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AND HIGHWAY, AND DON'T GO AWAY UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. SOMETIMES RESTARTING THE CAR WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MY FORESTER TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY (1/26/2021) AND THEY REPORTED THAT THE SENSORS OF THE ODS SYSTEM WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACES. COST ESTIMATE IS ABOUT $1,100 AND I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE PART GETS SHIPPED IN. THEY SAID THE LIKELY CAUSE IS MOISTURE OR THE SEAT GOT WET. I LIVE IN A DRY CLIMATE AREA AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE SEATS WET AT ALL RECENTLY (AND BARELY EVER IN THE PAST). THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN THE 2015-2018 MODELS AND THERE IS A RECALL (WUM-98) FOR THOSE YEARS. MY FORESTER IS A 2014 AND IS OF THE SAME GENERATION BUT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR SOME REASON. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE 2014 MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IF THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING? APPRECIATE ANY HELP AND INSIGHT YOU CAN OFFER!