Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I was recently involved in a multi-car accident, where the vehicle rammed into my outback from behind, leading to a spin-up and hit again by the driver side, forcing me to collide into a vehicle that had side-lined on a highway. In this situation, I would expect the airbags to get deployed, but to my surprise and shock, none of the airbags were deployment (both frontal as well as side)
was at a stop in the middle lane going to turn left, got hit straight head on by a driver driving in the middle lane. his air bags deployed, none of mine deployed. the front end and drivers side of the subaru was impacted
Was in a car accident was hit from left front side and left rear passenger door. Other vehicle was going 62 mph when impacted. None of the air bags deployed in the vehicle. I hit my head twice on the window and was knocked unconscious. Insurance will be inspecting vehicle. No lights or failure before accident about airbags.
While troubleshooting an erratic cruise control switch, my mechanic found that the clock spring switch in my steering wheel was defective. This means that my air bags are disconnected and will not deploy in case of an accident. He read this from the cars computer yet my car did not alert me. The issue with the cruise control is connected so I know the problem has been there for likely months. This failure to alert me could have resulted in a death.
My airbag indicator light on the passenger side comes on. Then it goes off. Then it comes on again sometime and goes off. It has been off a while. But to me this indicates a system issue with the passenger airbag.
The SRS Warning light triggered on 1/12/2022. I took my vehicle to Hendrick’s Subaru in Hoover, Alabama on 1/13/2022. The service technician, using computer error codes, determined that the airbag control unit had failed. This repair will be approximately $1600.00 and I believe that my Outback should have been part of an airbag recall campaign WUX-09R. It was explained to me that the control module replacement will require the installation of a new passenger side airbag. This led me to investigate air bag issues on the NHTSA website.I feel that the scope of Recall Campaign WUX-09R should be expanded and I should not have to bear the cost of a known issue.
CAR WAS REAR ENDED (DRIVER SIDE REAR) AT FULL SPEED, WHICH THEN PUSHED US INTO A PARKING LOT, SPECIFICALLY THE CORNER WITH A CEMENT PILING WITH A LIGHT POLE WHICH COLLAPSED, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.
I HIT A LARGE DEER ON IH 10 AT 75 MPH. ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED SAFELY BUT CONPLETELY BLOCKED MY VISION AND PREVENTED ME FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE AS THE BAGS BLOCKED DOOR HANDLES, WINDOW CONTROL SWITCHES AND MY SEAT BELT RELEASE. ANOTHER MOTORIST CUT AIR BAG STRIPS AND HELPED ME TO EXIT THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, NO FIRE.
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON A PUBLIC STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN ANOTHER CAR RAN A RED LIGHT AND DROVE OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. HE HIT HER BROADSIDE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A CRACKED STERNUM. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED SO SEVERELY IT WAS TOTALED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, HENCE THE CRACKED STERNUM FROM THE SEAT BELT. I BELIEVE THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED WHICH WOULD HAVE LESSENED THE IMPACT AGAINST THE SEAT BELT. I HAVE A POLICE REPORT, PICTURES OF THE CAR AND HOSPITAL REPORTS IF THEY ARE NEEDED.
SEPTEMBER 9TH 2017, OUR OUTBACK WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON A MIXED RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL STREET INTERSECTION, WHEN IT WAS HIT ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, HARD ENOUGH TO SPIN THE CAR SO THAT THE LEFT REAR CORNER MADE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND WEEKS OF RECOVERY. THE AIRBAGS & SEATBELT PRE-TENSIONERS DID NOT ACTIVATE. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE "SOS" BUTTON WAS PRESSED, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM STARLINK. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE STARLINK CONCIERGE CALLED TO ADVISE US THAT THE LIGHTS WERE "ON" AND CHECKING ON OUR WELLBEING. THEY WERE UNAWARE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR, NOR DID THEY HAVE ANY RECORD THAT THE "SOS" BUTTON HAD BEEN ACTIVATED. THE CAUSE OF THE NON-ACTIVATION IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY OUR INSURANCE AND SUBARU
UPON IMPACT, IN AN ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 20, 2017 WITH MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE AUTO BODY REPAIR SPECIALIST EXAMINED THE CAR, & THE ANGLE IN WHICH IMPACT OCCURRED AND BELIEVES THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE IN FACT,DEPLOYED. I ALSO HAD THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER FROM USAA LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE ACCIDENT. HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION WAS ALSO THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED HAD THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOY. ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR PHOTOS THAT ARE NEEDED CAN BE RECEIVED BY CONTACTING JAKE AT 706-258-2950 MY CLAIM NUMBER AT USAA FOR THIS ACCIDENT IS 4790053-9 MY CLAIM ADJUSTER IS CHRIS JAMES AT EXTENSION 44727
TAKATA INFLATORS I CANNOT FIND OUT IF MY AIR BAGS ON MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK ARE ON THE RECALL.I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER.CAN YOU PLEASE FIND OUT AND LET ME KNOW
TAKATA RECALL--CHECKING IF APPROPRIATE
ON 8 JUNE 2017 I HAD JUST PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF A MEDICAL SUITE WHEN MY LEASED THREE MONTH OLD 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH 1,000 MILES SUDDENLY HAD AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EPISODE JUMPING THE CURB AND CRASHING INTO A BRICK WALL AND SUITE DOOR AFTER DISPLACING A THRESHOLD COLUMN BY TWO INCHES. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE "EYESIGHT" FUNCTION DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME AND MY CHEST SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, MY KNEES CRASHED INTO THE DASHBOARD. ON 2 JUNE, LESS THAN A WEEK EARLIER, THE CAR HAD DONE THE SAME UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, BUT NOTHING WAS HIT AT THAT TIME. AFTER THE INITIAL AMBULANCE ER VISIT, PLUS TWO MORE, MY PHYSICAL INJURIES CONSISTING OF ACHES AND PAINS, BRUISES, XRAYS, IV TREATMENT FOR PERSISTENT HEADACHE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, ARE INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. NOT TO MENTION THE ECONOMIC BURDEN AND FRUSTRATING SITUATION THIS LEAVES ME IN. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND SENT IN PICTURES OF THE VEHICLES AND DAMAGED BUILDING. THEY IN TURN REFERRED MY COMPLAINT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA WHO WAS VERY DILIGENT IN PERFORMING AN INVESTIGATION AND KEEPING ME UPDATED WITH THE PROCEDURE. HOWEVER, ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SUBARU OF AMERICA CLAIMS THEIR RESULTS INDICATE "MISAPPLICATION OF THROTTLE AND BREAK" CLEARLY PUTTING THE BLAME ON ME, WITHOUT MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT THE FIRST INCIDENT, AND THE LACK OF RESPONSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THE VEHICLE DURING THE ACCIDENT. THERE ARE AT LEAST 34 REPORTS OF SIMILAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF OUTBACK VEHICLES, AND AT LEAST 70 RELATED TO THE SUBARU FORESTER ON CARPROBLEMZOO.COM SINCE 2000. I NOW FIND MYSELF WITH A BEAUTIFUL BRAND NEW VEHICLE THAT I WILL PAY THE LEASE FOR, BUT DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING OUT OF FEAR THAT THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WILL REOCCUR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,360.
FAULTY OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM. TURNS OFF AIRBAG WITH PASSENGER. TURNS ON AIRBAG AND SEATBELT CHIME WITH NO PASSENGER/WEIGHT. INTERMITTENT. BRAND NEW CAR WITH 700 MILES AND BROUGHT IN 3 TIMES TO SUBARU SANTA MONICA. SERVICE CENTER UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT I SENT THEM VIDEOS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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