2001 Subaru Forester Airbags Problems

Your driver's side seat belt won't retract properly, causing it to hang loose and get caught in the door. Additionally, the middle rear seat belt is missing or has the wrong component, so it won't latch securely. This means you cannot safely transport more than 2 passengers in the back seat. Fixing this will require replacing the seat belt retractor mechanism on the driver's side and installing the correct seat belt assembly for the middle rear position.

(EVENT)MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 SUBARU FORESTER AT 55MPH WHEN SHE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, CAUSING OUR CAR TO SWERVE. SHE HIT A LAMPOST WITH THE FRONT OF THE FORESTER HARD ENOUGH TO KNOCK THE POST DOWN, STOPPING OUR CAR. NOBODY WAS CRITICALLY INJURED. (FAILURE) THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. (FOLLOWUP) THE CAR HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. WE ARE WORKING OUT COMPENSATION WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE CAR THAT HIT OURS. I AM CALLING SUBARU TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, OWNER SAW A DEAD COW LEFT IN THE ROADWAY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANUEVER DRIVER STRUCK THE COW AND VEHICLE BECAME AIR-BORN. VEHICLE HIT THE GROUND WITH NOSE/FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON AND FRONT AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS GOING 35MPH. CONSUMER HAD NO IDEA IF SUBARU DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER LISTED THERE WERE 3 INJURIES AND 3 FATALITIES, HOWEVER DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION IN THE STATEMENT OF ANY DEATHS. *SLC

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT HEAD ON DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TOTALED OVER 8000.00 . DAMAGE INCLUDED THE FRONT HOOD, RIGHT FRONT FENDER, FRONT BUMPER COVER AND REINFORCEMENT , RADIATOR SUPPORT AND THE RADIATOR. ALSO, THE AC CONDENSOR, THE WHOLE FRONT WAS BENT TO THE LEFT RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHASSIS. THE ENGINE WAS TILTED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, AND THE SUB RAIL , WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS, CRACKED IN TWO. THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DAMAGEALSO. WITH ALL THIS DAMAGE, THE AIRBAGS, FAILED TO DEPLOY, SHOCKING THE POLICE , THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE REPAIR SHOP. I CONTACTED SUBARU TO INFORM THEM THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND ENGINEERS TO INSPECT THE CAR WITHIN 72 HOURS. A WEEK LATER,I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY REQUESTED COPIES OF THE POLICE REPORT AND INSURANCE INFORMATION. I COMPLIED AND FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS , I WAITED FOR AN ANSWER. FINALLY, AN EMPLOYEE OF SUBARU CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR TO A DEALER TO CHECK IF THE AIR BAGS ARE WORKING. I TOLD THEM OBVIOUSLY, THEY DIDN'T WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM TOO, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE IMPACT WAS RIGHT OVER THE SENSOR. HE THEN SAID WHY WAS I WORRYING , THAT THE DAMAGE WAS PAID. I EXPLAINED THAT I NO LONGER FELT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. TO DATE, I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR AND INCURRING EXPENSES FOR THE RENTAL AND ALSO STORAGE FEES OF MY DAMAGED VEHICLE. ON A TV PROGRAM, FEATURING BRIAN O'NEILL, FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAYTEST SAFETY, AIR BAGS SHOULD DEPLOY AT AN IMPACT OF 12-25 MPH, RESULTING IN DAMAGE COST OF $585. MY QUESTION TO SUBARU WAS, WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY IN A IMPACT THE RESULTED IN $8000 IN DAMAGE?*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WAS HIT ON FRONT QUARTER, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAS SIDE AIRBAGS. LIKELY TO BE TOTALLED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON SNOW WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN CONSUMER RAN OFF ROAD .AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH FRONT END DAMAGE. *AK THE SEAT BELT NOT ADQUATELY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *YH

AOTOMOBILE SKIDDED OF ROAD D/T SNOW/SLUSH STOPPING IN CULVERT. DAMAGE TO FRONT END CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELT APPARENTLY DID NOT HOLD OCCUPANT SINCE HER HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL ER. THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPOLY IMPRESSED THE POLICE AND EMTS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER RAN HEAD-ON INTO A POLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK