NHTSA Complaint #11716490 — 2017 SUBARU FORESTER

Airbag light came on intermittently at first, then constantly in 2023. It was determined to be a defective ODS in the passenger seat, and was repaired at Subaru’s expense “Goodwill” on November 2 2023. Again in 2025, the SRS alert appeared intermittently at first, then continuously that the system needed service. The car was at Fox Subaru for 8 days, and eventually I was told by Subaru Customer Advocacy they would not cover the expensive repair for a second failure, and I’m reluctant to pay for it based on my concern for its reliability. The defective component is still in the car, but I cannot accommodate a front seat passenger safely. Both times, I was told “probable” moisture damage, although the first repair in 2023 revealed no moisture, and this seat has never gotten wet. A failure of the front passenger airbag would put a front seat passenger as higher risk in a collision. In 2020 a recall of the ODS electrical harness was repaired under recall. There has been a recall of Subaru Outback, for a similar failure of the ODS sensor. Other 2017 Subaru Forrester owners have posted online of similar issues and excuses from Subaru.