Subaru Forester Airbag Problems May Result From Heated Seat Wiring: Recall

A recall has been issued for more than 366,000 Subaru Forester SUV’s, due to faulty wiring for the heated seats, which may cause the airbag to deactivate, increasing the risk of serious injury in the event of an accident.

The Subaru Forester recall (PDF) was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on October 10, impacting vehicles from the 2015 to 2018 model years, which contain heated seats.

According to the recall notice, the Subaru Forester airbags may fail due to faulty electrical components associated with the heated seats. As a result of the problems, an electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen, which could deactivate the front passenger airbag even if the seat is occupied.

The recalled Subaru Forester SUVs were manufactured between January 20, 2015 and August 1, 2017, impacting 366,282 vehicles sold nationwide by Subaru of America, Inc.

According to the recall notice, affected owners will be notified of the recall beginning November 29, 2019. Owners will also receive a second notice when the new parts are available to be installed. Subaru dealers will inspect the SUV and replace the ODS sensor and electrical harness free of charge. Owners can contact Subaru about the recall at 844-373-6614. The Subaru recall reference number is WUM-98.

To check if your vehicle is affected by this recall or any other recall visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website and input your vehicle’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN).