2018 Subaru Forester Airbags Problems

- The passenger-side Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensor, which is part of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag system, has failed. This component was previously replaced under a Subaru safety recall completed in May 2020. The SRS airbag warning light is now illuminated again, indicating a failure of the same system. The vehicle and failed component are available for inspection upon request. - The failure of the ODS sensor directly impacts the functionality of the passenger airbag system. This creates a significant safety risk because the airbag may not deploy correctly—or at all—in the event of a crash. This puts both the driver and any passenger at increased risk of serious injury or death. Since this is a critical safety system, its failure compromises the overall crash protection of the vehicle. - The issue is indicated by the illuminated SRS airbag warning light and has been identified as related to the Occupant Detection System. A dealership has confirmed that the ODS sensor requires replacement. The failure is consistent with known issues related to the prior recall repair. - I contacted Subaru of America regarding this issue, but they declined to provide assistance. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, as no accident has occurred. - The SRS airbag warning light illuminated. There were no prior symptoms before the warning light appeared. The light has remained on consistently since then, indicating a persistent fault in the airbag system. - This issue is especially concerning because the component that failed was previously replaced under a safety recall. A recall repair should resolve a safety defect, not temporarily mask it. The failure of a critical airbag system component only a few years after a recall repair suggests that the original remedy may not have been a permanent fix. This raises serious safety concerns not only for my vehicle but potentially for other vehicles that received the same recall repair.

NHTSA ID

11752602

Incident

Jul 2, 2026

I brought my vehicle to an authorized Subaru dealership (Byers Imports, LLC in Columbus, Ohio) to diagnose the reason for the airbag warning lamp illuminating. The dealer had the manufacturer's WUM-98 Safety Recall (NHTSA Campaign Number 19V701000) performed to remedy a defective Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensor harness.Despite the recall remedy being completed, the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag warning light re-illuminated on the dashboard, completely disabling the front passenger-side airbag.The dealership confirmed that the passenger-side airbag remains completely disabled and inoperable due to a hardware failure of the internal occupant detection sensor mat. Because the initial WUM-98 recall was previously marked as "closed" in Subaru's automated system, the manufacturer refused to cover the repair under the recall. I was forced to pay $1,258.34 out of pocket up front to order a replacement front passenger seat cushion assembly (Part #64139SG061LL) to restore basic airbag safety to the vehicle.The initial federal safety recall remedy failed to permanently correct the underlying safety hazard. The vehicle continues to exhibit the exact same life-threatening defect (disabled passenger airbag) targeted by the original recall, and the manufacturer is shifting the financial burden of this failed remedy onto the consumer.

NHTSA ID

11751355

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

I am filing a formal complaint against Subaru of America for refusing to remedy an active federal safety recall (NHTSA Campaign 19V701000 / Subaru Recall WUM98). My passenger airbag is currently disabled (DTC B1760). SRS light goes on and off and visit to the Sheehy Fredericksburg Subaru location confirmed that the occupant detection system is failing and I need a cushion assembly replacement. Subaru Customer Advocacy Department claims they already performed the initial wire harness replacement for this recall back in March 2020, but unable to provide me with the invoice or documentation of where this repair was done, and they are using this as their sole justification to refuse proceeding with Step 6 on Page 8 of the official recall bulletin—which explicitly mandates the replacement of the complete seat cushion assembly if the condition persists. When I referenced federal law (49 U.S.C. § 30120(g)(1)) regarding the 15-year statutory limit for free recall remedies, the representative denied coverage claiming 'it has been 6 years.' Subaru is actively denying a mandated safety remedy, ignoring its own technical guidelines, and endangering passenger safety.

NHTSA ID

11750402

Incident

Jul 14, 2026

I had a recall for my ODS sensor which controls the passenger airbag. I went and had it "taken care" of due to a recall. They did not fix it. My passenger airbag will still randomly shut off while I am driving down the road. I tried talking tk the dealership and they only say "we fixed the part we needed to replace". This is a huge safety issue. If I were tk wreck and my passenger airbag was turned off, someone would die.

NHTSA ID

11745472

Incident

Apr 5, 2023

B1760 code for ODS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF is On. There is a recall open for many other Subarus, same make, model & year. Safety concern for my daughter as she rides passenger. I had the problem diagnosed and documented receipt from ACS in Roseville California. I contacted Maita Subaru of Sacramento and they said there is not and wasn’t a recall for my Subaru. Very concerning, please help.

NHTSA ID

11745467

Incident

May 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated the passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated while his wife was seated in the passenger’s seat. The message that the passenger’s side air bag was disabled was displayed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

NHTSA ID

11744239

Incident

May 28, 2026

Mileage

135,000 mi

Passenger airbag system doesn’t detect occupancy in seat

NHTSA ID

11742880

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

Airbag light comes on due to some failure in the passenger seat. This vehicle year has had a recall on the same issue but this VIN number was not included for some reason. Another consumer posted his assessment which I have attached. My vehicle falls under his category. He has sold his since his was never resolved.

NHTSA ID

11724224

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

Passenger front seat. Airbag light is on when someone is sitting in the seat and seatbelt indicator dings when nothing is in the seat.

NHTSA ID

11723419

Incident

Apr 9, 2025

The passenger airbag light in my 2018 Subaru Forester intermittently turns off and on, even when the seat is occupied. The vehicle has never been in a crash, and the airbags have not deployed. This issue raises serious safety concerns, especially since it may prevent the airbag from deploying in an accident while a passenger is in the seat. I raised this concern to a local Subaru Dealer, and they shared Subaru has not issued a recall on this make/model and the dealership has not provided a lasting fix. I believe this may be a defect in the occupant detection system or seat wiring.

NHTSA ID

11695780

Incident

Oct 1, 2024

The passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) sensor failed, turning off the airbag and illuminating the SRS light. This is a known safety defect covered by Subaru recall 19V701 / WUM-98 for 2015–2018 Foresters built through August 1, 2017. My vehicle, a 2018 Forester XT Touring (VIN [XXX] ), has the same defect but Subaru and NHTSA do not list it as part of the recall. I waited nearly a year for the replacement seat to arrive, and Subaru of America only offered $500 goodwill assistance. I paid about $900 out of pocket for the repair. Given that this is a critical airbag safety system, I believe this vehicle should have been included in the recall population. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11685044

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

Passenger seat occupancy detection sensor failure. Known recall for the issue from same year 2018, my vin not included. Delaership stated 5300 dollars to repair. Subaru of America to provide goodwill gesture of 2000 dollars. Remaining amount is 3500 to repair ODS.

NHTSA ID

11678423

Incident

Jan 1, 2025

My airbag warning light comes on intermittently. My mechanic found it is due to a recalled part but my vin number is not listed on the recall even though it meets the criteria. Subaru Safety Recall WUM-98 NHTSA Recall ID 19V 70. The person in the passenger seat's safety is at risk if the airbags don't deploy in the event of a crash.

NHTSA ID

11670418

Incident

Mar 12, 2025

Subaru recall WUM98 was issued in 2019 to replace the ODS harness on my 2018 Subaru Forester. The part replacement was completed in in April 2020. The harness failed again in Oct 2024. It was replaced for the 2nd time. Now, my passenger air bag light is on for the 3rd time, and the dealership is indicating that the ODS mat is the culprit (not the harness). Subaru is not covering this under any open recall. Note that Subaru currently has an open recall WRA-24 for certain 2020 - 2022 Forester & Outback models to replace all (four) of the Occupant Detection System sensors in the front passenger seat. Since Subaru is saying that the issue in recall WRA-24 is the same as my issue, it is my belief that other models should also be included in this recall. It should also be noted that for WRA-24, they still don't have parts for many of the vehicles that need the seat assembly replaced, which may indicate supply issues. I was also told that Subaru does not have the seat assembly for my vehicle. The length of time for Subaru to get parts is unacceptable. Recall WRA-24 was issued by letter on May 21, 2024. It is my belief that they should also cover costs for rental vehicles until the issue is fixed.

NHTSA ID

11663998

Incident

May 27, 2025

Intermittent failure of occupant detection system on front passenger seat which turns off airbag even though an adult is sitting in the seat. The occupant detection system wiring harness was recalled and replaced in 2020. I believe there is a continuing issue with this recall either not being a complete solution or being repaired with a defective part or new part that did not solve the issue. This is a critical occupant safety issue. This issue has occurred multiple times and continues to be an issue.

NHTSA ID

11658832

Incident

May 4, 2025

I am the second owner of this vehicle and lately my passenger airbag sometimes doesn’t turn on due to a harness connected to the occupant plate being faulty. When the issue first occurred I contacted my local Subaru service center and explained my situation and told them I had seen there was a recall for my exact issue. They informed me that the repair had already been done on my vehicle and the only solution offered was to pay a $140 diagnostic fee to see if that was the actual cause of my airbag not turning on. I took it to my local mechanic shop named Peet’s Garage and they confirmed there was an issue with the harness and my vehicle had a code for my passenger side airbag. I contacted Subaru customer advocacy since the affected part had a past recall. I was told since the repair was done in 2020 it’s no longer their responsibility and was refused further assistance . I now have a 50/50 chance of having a passenger airbag working in my car and if I want it to be repaired I’ll have to pay out of pocket. There has been multiple complaints from other consumers online being affected by this issue on the same make and model and Subaru is still refusing to take further action. This is a very serious safety issue and not a cheap repair as the only solution made available by Subaru is to replace the entire seat cushion and wiring when all they did was replace the effected harness.

NHTSA ID

11653579

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

2018 Subaru Forester Safety air bag recall I drive my grandchildren in front passenger seat. There’s a safety recall. No incident yet. What has to happen before this air bag problem is fixed?

NHTSA ID

11652411

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

THE ODS is not properly determining the status of the right front seat occupant. The airbag warning light is illuminated, and the front passenger airbag is deactivated even with a person sitting in the passenger seat. The ODS is also unable to determine if someone is in the seat and triggers the seatbelt alert when anything (even a purse) is on the seat. This exact issue was part of a Subaru recall WUM-98R, for 2015-2018 Subaru Foresters produced between January 20, 2015 – August 01, 2017. Subaru is claiming my vehicle doesn't qualify as it was not part of the recall even though I having the same issues as the recall and I own a 2018 Subaru Forester. Furthermore, as listed in the recall if a vehicle is part of the recall and is brought in for inspection "The part identification label affixed to the yellow sensor mat wiring harness is the focus of this inspection. If the date code is 18074 or BEFORE AND has the supplier code 6578 (RED box in photo) on it, the harness is NG must be replaced. Proceed to Harness Replacement Procedure as outlined below." The date code on my label is before 18074 and the supplier code is 6578. I am asking for your assistance in holding Subaru accountable to add my vehicle to the recall.

NHTSA ID

11649359

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

airbag alert for front passenger seat is lit and disabling the airbag. the seat was empty and dry with nothing in it.

NHTSA ID

11642480

Incident

Feb 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag was not activated message was displayed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70, 000.

NHTSA ID

11619828

Incident

Oct 15, 2024

Mileage

70,000 mi

Per the dealership, the occupant detection wiring harness resulting in the passenger side not activating despite a passenger sitting in the car. This causes a risk to the passenger as the airbag is not activated and the warning light goes on. This problem has been confirmed by the Subaru dealership. There is currently a recall for this issue for this particular issue and vehicle, however the VIN is not included. Additionally, when I look at the product campaign bulletin it outlines how to identify if there is a faulty harness. The harness ID falls in the vehicle within the the range of numbers that classifies it as a faulty harness. Despite this, Subaru refuses to replace it at their cost as the VIN is not covered by the recall notice.

NHTSA ID

11618677

Incident

Jul 16, 2024

The sensor in the seat has been intermittently working for years and finally quit. It costs close to $2000 to fix and there is no way to switch the air bag to stay on. It seems this is an issue with other 2018 Subaru foresters and for some reason the recall did not apply to my VIN.

NHTSA ID

11617755

Incident

Mar 14, 2022

This is related to the ODS recall (October 3, 2019 NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V701000) where the sensor mat harness was replaced. Turns out the ODS sensor mat also needs to be replaced. The issue was happening intermittently throughout 2024 and I have brought the car in for service but the part is on back order for 2 months now.

NHTSA ID

11615072

Incident

Jul 23, 2024

The passenger-side front airbag Occupancy Detection System harness failed on my vehicle. The dealer charged me for a replacement, even though this part was recalled. They said they could not perform the repair free of charge because the recall was not listed for my VIN. I attempted to contact Subaru 12 days ago to request reimbursement, but I did not receive a response. I do not have the old part available, but I do have a photograph of the supplier code and date code on the harness. The codes are within the affected range, as indicated in recall bulletin WUM-98R (NHTSA ID 19V-701) Evidently, Subaru has failed to identify all of the vehicles affected by this defect. Passenger safety was put at risk because the airbag system would disable itself whenever somebody sat in the front passenger seat. Because the problem was intermittent, and because Subaru failed to notify me of the defect, this led to a delay in getting it repaired. The dealer diagnosed the issue and determined that the harness needed to be replaced. Whenever the failure occurred, the airbag trouble light turned on and the message "passenger air bag off" was displayed, even if there was a passenger in that seat.

NHTSA ID

11613567

Incident

Aug 27, 2024

The malfunction identified in NHTSA campaign number 19V701 has been continually malfunctioning again, beginning about a year ago. This is happening within a relatively short time after it was supposedly fixed. (Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98). It is the exact same problem as previously identified in 19V701.

NHTSA ID

11609141

Incident

Aug 17, 2023