What 403 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Forester Wilderness

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ON LONG ROAD TRIP. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THE 5 HOURS REMAINING ON THE DRIVE. THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE PART, LABOR AND TAXES CAME TO A TOTAL OF $1007.22.

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MY AIRBAG SRS POPPED UP WHEN ON A ROAD TRIP AND SAID THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS OFF SO I FREAKED OUT AS MY BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING AND THEN DRIVING BACK IT JUST TURNED OFF AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT SAID IT WAS ON. VERY WEIRD CALLED MY SUBARU AND CHARGED ME FOR THEM TO GO ON AND LOOK AND SAID IT WOULD BE OVER $1000 TO FIX BUT THEY REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE ISSUE WAS COMING FROM AND I WOULD BE OUT OF A CAR FOR A WEEK.

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***SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED*** THIS WARNING HAS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 5-6X'S NOW IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. EVERY OCCURRENCE THERE HAS BEEN A PASSENGER SEATED AND OCCURS IMMEDIATELY AS I GO FROM PARK TO DRIVE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 2015-2018 FORESTERS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED SEATS DUE TO AN AIRBAG SENSOR DEFECT. DETAILS OF THE RECALL ARE IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS ON MY 2014 FORESTER. IT'S THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HAVING ISSUES AND MY PASSENGER SEAT IS HEATED. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND OFTEN TRANSPORT MY MOTHER TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. WHEN THE WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND $1200 TO FIX A SAFETY ISSUE ON A VEHICLE 5-6YEARS OLD IS ABSURD. THE INVESTIGATION WHICH WAS DONE FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR RECALL WUM-98 NEEDS TO BE REVISITED AND I GUARANTEE IT WILL FIND THE NUMBER OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL GROW.

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WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WITH A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT 2 DAYS AGO, THE RED AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND PASSENGER AIRBAG SIGN WENT TO "OFF". I TOOK IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER IN OLYMPIA, WA AND THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS CAUSED BY WATER DAMAGE (WE HAD NEVER SPILLED WATER IN THAT SEAT) AND THEY WANTED $2100 TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT ASSEMBLY. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IT FIXED ELSEWHERE, BUT THEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY, THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE RIGHT PASSENGER AIRBAG STARTED WORKING AGAIN. RIGHT NOW IT IS WORKING AGAIN. WHILE IT WAS NOT WORKING, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER THE CAR WAS IN MOTION OR STOPPED. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION IF A PASSENGER IS RIDING IN THE FRONT SEAT. WE CAN'T DEPEND ON THE AIRBAG BEING THERE IF NEEDED IN AN ACCIDENT.

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PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS OFF WITH PASSENGER ON SEAT. IT CORRECTED ITSELF FOR A WHILE AND NOW IS OFF WHETHER THERE IS OR ISN'T A PASSENGER ABOARD.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNED OFF. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH MY WIFE'S LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN GREAT DANGER.

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MY SUBARU FORESTOR FROM 2014 HAS A FAULTY AIRBAG SYSTEM FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT SAYS THAT IT IS OFF WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT AND GIVES THE WARNING LIGHT. WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT IT STILL BEEPS SOMETIMES AND I CAN ONLY STOP IT BY BUCKLING THE SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS SUBARU'S FAULT. I HAVE NEVER SPILLED ANYTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT JUST FAILED. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT AND IS RANDOM IN THE CAR.I TOOK IT TO SUBARU AND THEY SAID THAT I SPILLED SOMETHING ON THE SEAT AND WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SENSOR FOR OVER $1200. I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS FROM SUBARU MODELS OF ALL KINDS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON MULTIPLE WEBSITES. IT IS IN A VARIETY OF MODELS AND DIFFERENT YEAR CARS.

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MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON CITY STREET WHEN A CAR DROVE OUT OF A PARKING LOT, ACROSS AND IN FRONT OF HER, SHE HAD HARDLY ANY TIME TO APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE OTHER CAR, MY CAR SUFFERED EXTENDED DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOYED. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE SUBARU.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "SYSTEM OFF" WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED WHEN A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MESSAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT ACTIVATED. IN ORDER FOR THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE AND PERFORM AS NEEDED, AN OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH WITHIN THE SEAT AND RESTART THE VEHICLE FOR THE "SYSTEM ON" WARNING MESSAGE TO ILLUMINATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. LESTER GLENN SUBARU (1501 NJ-37, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08755, (888) 785-0675) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MATTER AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

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2014 SUBARU FORESTER WITH DEFECTIVE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR WITH WARNING SIGN "SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED". THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL SHOW THAT IT IS "OFF" WITH A PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK AND IN MOTION. SOMETIMES, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL SHOW THAT IT IS "ON" WITH NO ONE OR NOTHING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST MONTH, BUT HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR THE PAST WEEK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEIR SCAN TOOL SHOWS A CODE FOR "OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR MATT" FAILURE. THEY RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BOTTOM FOR $900. THEY REPORTED THAT "A LOT OF FORESTERS" HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR THIS, BUT IS CLEARLY A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. ALL OTHER SAFETY RECALLS ARE UP TO DATE WITH MY VEHICLE, AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS OR ISSUES WITH MY CAR. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CONCERN JUST RANDOMLY BEGAN RECENTLY.

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ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS "THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT MAY LOOSEN OVER TIME, ACCORDING TO SUBARU. THAT CONNECTION IS NECESSARY FOR THE DETECTION SYSTEM TO FUNCTION. SUBARU SAYS THAT ONLY CARS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED FRONT SEATS ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL, AS THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES EQUIPPED WITH THE SPECIFIC HARNESS WHERE THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE." THE RECALL IN QUESTION APPLIES TO 2015 SUBARU FORESTERS. HOWEVER,MY 2014 FORESTER IA A MID YEAR MODEL THAT HAS FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS AND SEAT HEATERS.THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDEDED TO THE 2014 MODEL.

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PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAULTY. WITH AN ADULT PASSENGER PRESENT IN THE SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL FREQUENTLY TURN OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS CAN SOMETIMES BE RESOLVED BY PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. RESTARTING THE VEHICLE DOES NOR RELIABLY RESOLVE THE ERROR.

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FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG COMPUTER, RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, YELLOW PASSENGER AIRBAG "ON/OFF" LIGHT, SEAT BELT WARNING AND CHIME. AIR BAG DISABLED WARNING INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED, SEAT BELT FASTENED, CAR OUT OF GEAR, STATIONARY. SOMETIMES STOPPING ENGINE, KEY OFF AND REMOVED, THEN ENGINE RESTARTED WILL RESET THIS WARNING. OTHER TIMES DURING NORMAL DRIVING, PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED, SEAT BELT LATCHED, AIR BAG WARNING (RED) LIGHT WILL OCCURS AND YELLOW PASS AIRBAG ACTIVE LIGHT WILL INDICATE PASSENGER AIR BAG INACTIVE. WHEN FRONT PASS SEAT EMPTY OR WITH WEIGHT AS LIGHT AS 2 POUNDS ON THE SEAT, SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME COMES ON WHEN SPEED EXCEEDS 5 MPH. SOMETIMES THIS ALARM CAN BE RESET BY SHARPLY STRIKING SEAT, SOMETIMES NOT, AND TRIP MUST BE COMPLETED WITH THE SEAT BELT BUCKLED. IN THIS CASE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT USUALLY SHOWS INACTIVE. THE SEAT BELT ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THE AIRBAG ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS, STARTING JUST AFTER THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH RECALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED AT SUBARU DEALER IN LAS VEGAS, NV.

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2014 SUBARU FORESTER. THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THE CAUSE IS A SENSOR WITHIN THE PASSENGER SEAT BEING BROKEN. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

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OUR FORESTER HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS AIRBAG SYSTEM. IT WOULD ALERT US ON THE DASHBOARD THAT 'SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED' AND A RED WARNING SYMBOL OF THE AIRBAG BEING INFLATED. IN ADDITION, IT WOULD SHOW MY PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENED ONE TIME WHEN WE WERE ON OUR DRIVEWAY JUST STARTING TO LEAVE; OTHER TIMES WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN LOCAL STREETS; MAYBE ONE TIME ON A HIGHWAY TOO. IT SEEMS TO BE MORE FREQUENT IN RECENT MONTHS. NOW NO ONE SITS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT UPFRONT WHILE WE TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE AIRBAG PROBLEM THAT OUR SUBARU DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO BE CLUELESS. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE, JUST BASED ON THE FACT THAT SUBARU DEALERSHIP MECHANIC COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR ITS CAUSE. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS SOMEHOW DEFECTIVE AND THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SUBARU SHOULD HAVE IT RECTIFIED REAL FAST BEFORE ANY LIFE IS LOST.

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AIR BAG SOMETIMES DOES NOT DETECT PASSENGER IN SEAT. DEALER HAD FOR THREE DAYS AND COULD NOT FIND OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. BEVAN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BUT LAST HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

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MY 2014 SUBARU FORRESTER ACCELERATED AND HIT A TREE AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE. IT TBONED THE FRONT END AND AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY..I WAS GOING INTO THE SPACE VERY SLOWLY AND IT WAS WHEN IT ACCELERATED.

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MY 2014 SUBARU ACCELERATED AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT HITTING A TREE. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE WHEN THIS HAPPENED.MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY .

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AIR BAG SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT ALWAY RECOGNIZE WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT, OR GIVES A WARNING THAT IT DOES RECOGNIZE, BUT IS NOT ACTIVE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR TWO YEARS. I THINK SUBARU SHOULD WARRANTY THEIR AIRBAG SYSTEMS MUCH LONGER THAN 3 YEARS, 36K MILES

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DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY DRY CONDITIONS IN THE EARLY MORNING WHEN I HIT A DEER IN THE FRONT, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

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VEHICLE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FIRST CAME ON AND IT HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE. HAVE TAKEN IT TO LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE AIRBAG SENSOR/PASSENGER SEAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE (WATER OR BLUNT FORCE) THAT OCCURRED TO THE FEATURE AND THAT IT WAS NOTHING WE HAD DONE; HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT BE REPLACED UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY. SINCE SUBARU PRIDES THEMSELVES IN SAFETY, IT SEEMS ODD THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THIS COMPLAINT THAT HAS BEEN CITED REPEATEDLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS NO FAULT TO THE OWNER BUT RATHER A MANUFACTURING ISSUE.

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MY VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. I WAS FIRST ALERTED BY MY CARS WARNING SYSTEM, WHICH STATES 'SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED' AND GIVES ME A RED WARNING SYMBOL OF THE AIRBAG BEING INFLATED. SECONDLY IT SHOWS MY PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS WARNING DID NOT COME ON DUE TO A COLLISION AS MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION OR INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OTHERWISE. IT SIMPLY APPEARED SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN SEVERAL TIMES TO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALERSHIPS TO ASK WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I WAS FIRST TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM THAT PERHAPS IT WAS JUST A MALFUNCTION IN THE SENSOR. THEN THE OTHER DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR, BUT THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO BE TURNED OFF. THEY SAID I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT, BUT THEY WERE UNSURE IF THIS WOULD FIX THE ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MACHANIC AND THEY ALSO WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME BACK TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA ABOUT THE ISSUE AND I NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THEM, ALTHOUGH THEY PROMISED TO GET BACK TO ME ABOUT THE ISSUE. I JUST KNOW THERE IS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO MAKE THIS PROBLEM APPEAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE, JUST BASED ON THE FACT THAT SUBARU COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR IT'S CAUSE. SO FAR I JUST HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS SOMEHOW DEFECTIVE AND THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY.

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MY 2014 SUBARU FORESTER 2.0 XT HAS HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT. WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT THE SEATBELT WARNING WILL CHIME THE ENTIRE TIME I'M DRIVING, THEN EVENTUALLY THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND I'LL RECEIVE AN INDICATOR TO HAVE IT CHECKED. UPON TAKING IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD NEED AN ENTIRE BOTTOM SEAT AT THE COST OF $1,000 PLUS $400 FOR INSTALL. I WAS TOLD THE PART WOULD TAKE A MONTH TO COME IN AS IT HAS TO BE CUSTOM MADE. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON NONE OF MY AIRBAGS WOULD FUNCTION ON THE VEHICLE. WITH TWO CHILDREN I CAN'T BE DRIVING A CAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE WORKING AIR BAGS. I'VE BEEN BORROWING A FAMILY VEHICLE FOR THE LAST WEEK WHILE I TRY AND WORK WITH SUBARU CORPORATE TO GET THE COST OF THE REPAIR FIXED. IT SEEMS TO ME THERE SHOULD BE A CHEAPER OPTION TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER SENSOR THAT'S UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. I'VE ALSO READ ON SOME ONLINE FORUMS THAT APPLE PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR IPHONES LAID IN THE SEAT CAN IMPACT THIS SENSOR. THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE AS WELL. I'M HOPING SUBARU ENDS UP PAYING FOR MY SEAT OR COVERING PART OF THE REPAIR SINCE IT SOUNDS LIKE A MALFUNCTION THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN EASY FIX, AND THE IMPACT OF THE MALFUNCTION IS TO NOT HAVE ANY FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS.

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT WAS GOING OFF & DINGING-DID NOT HAVE A PASSENGER-TURNS OUT IT WAS MY AIRBAG IN MY PASSENGER SEAT.-FAULTY SWITCH. WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS MY ABS, HILL START ASSIST & VEHICLE DYNAMICS LIGHTS ALL CAME ON-FAULTY SWITCH AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED MY BLUE TOOTH DISCONNECTS & STILL SAYS IT IS CONNECTED, DROPS CALLS, NOT ABLE TO PLACE CALLS, NOT ABLE TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING THROUGH MY PHONE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE CONNECTED TO MY BLUE TOOTH. IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE A HANDHELD PHONE AND USE IT WHILE DRIVING-THIS IS NOT SAFE-SUBARU OF AMERICA CONTINUES TO SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY STEREO OR CAR THAT ITS MY PHONE WELL I UPGRADED MY PHONE TO A SAMSUNG S9 & I CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON A DAILY BASIS!

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TAKATA RECALL

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