What 613 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Forester Wilderness

DRIVER WAS REAR ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN AT A DEAD STOP BY A VEHICLE GOING AROUND 60-70 MPH. THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT JERKED FORWARD AND IMPACTED DRIVER LEG CAUSING CONTUSIONS AND THE BACK SUPPORT AND HEAD REST PORTION FLEW BACKWARDS, CAUSING DRIVER GLASSES AND HAT TO COME OFF AND LAND TOWARD THE BACK HATCH OF THE VEHICLE. SPARE TIRE WAS DISLODGED FROM TRUNK AREA AND IMPACTED DRIVER'S HEAD DUE TO THE SEAT BACK BEING IN THE RECLINING POSITION. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY LEVEL AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11377910

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PREOWNED 2015 FORESTER IN NOVEMBER FROM NORTHTOWN SUBARU IN AMHERST, NY IN NOVEMBER 2017. I WAS SOLD A BASIC MODEL AND ASSURED THAT THE REMOTE CAR STARTER AND HEATED SEAT THAT THEY COULD INSTALL AT THE DEALERSHIP WERE AS GOOD AS THE ONES INCLUDED IN MORE EXPENSIVE FORESTER MODELS. SAFETY ISSUE: ON WEDNESDAY 3/28/18 I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO WITH MY HEATED SEAT TURNED ON. THE BACK OF MY LEG, RIGHT BELOW MY KNEE BECAME INTOLERABLY HOT. I TURNED THE HEATED SEAT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND REACHED DOWN. THE SEAT INSTANTLY BURNT TWO OF MY FINGER TIPS. I SHOUTED IN PAIN AND EXPLAINED TO MY FRIEND WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID HE SMELLED SMOKE AND BURNING PLASTIC. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED AT THE FRONT OF THE SEAT (NEAR MY CALVES) AND THE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT HAD BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT UPHOLSTERY AND WAS STILL BURNING INSIDE THE SEAT AND SMOKING. I CALLED NORTHTOWN SUBARU AS SOON AS THEY OPENED IN THE MORNING AND EXPLAINED THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION. I WAS PASSED TO VOICEMAIL BOXES THAT WERE FULL AND PUT ON HOLD FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. I EXPLAINED TO EVERYONE I SPOKE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN THE SMART CAR DEPARTMENT BUT THEIR VOICEMAIL BOXES WERE FULL. THE SERVICE REP WOULD LEAVE A NOTE ON THE SMART CAR EMPLOYEE'S DESK AND HAVE HIM CALL ME IMMEDIATELY. THIS WAS AT 9:30 AND BY 2 I HAD NOT HEARD BACK. I CALLED THE SALES PERSON WHO SOLD ME THE CAR AND HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE HIS MANAGER CALL ME IMMEDIATELY. I FINALLY HEARD BACK AT 3 AND WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD DROP OFF MY CAR MONDAY MORNING AND THEY WOULD 'MAKE IT RIGHT.' I FELT THAT EVERYONE AT NORTHTOWN WAS DISMISSIVE AND NOT CONCERNED WITH A PRODUCT THEY INSTALLED THAT HAD SEVERELY MALFUNCTIONED AND INJURED ME.

NHTSA ODI 11082160