2014 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2014 Subaru Forester, 14% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 75,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “passenger seat” (53% of reports).
- 57air bags complaints
- 75,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 30 of 57 complaints (53%)
- Airbag off: mentioned in 11 of 57 complaints (19%)
- Occupant detection: mentioned in 10 of 57 complaints (18%)
- Needs checked: mentioned in 5 of 57 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2014 Subaru Forester at $1,300, and half of them between $1,150 and $1,500.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 33 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 57 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Subaru Forester air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Forester | 4 | 4% | — |
| 2024 Forester | 7 | 23% | — |
| 2023 Forester | 6 | 8% | 9,000 |
| 2022 Forester | 4 | 4% | 1,800 |
| 2021 Forester | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 Forester | 11 | 2% | 5,350 |
| 2019 Forester | 17 | 2% | 13,099 |
| 2018 Forester | 99 | 20% | 13,280 |
| 2017 Forester | 165 | 28% | 30,000 |
| 2016 Forester | 99 | 24% | 40,000 |
| 2015 Forester | 102 | 17% | 59,900 |
| 2014 Forester | 57 | 14% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Forester | 13 | 17% | 28,000 |
| 2012 Forester | 20 | 19% | 39,000 |
| 2011 Forester | 29 | 20% | 35,140 |
| 2010 Forester | 42 | 16% | 42,000 |
| 2009 Forester | 40 | 22% | 60,000 |
| 2008 Forester | 6 | 12% | 81,500 |
| 2007 Forester | 6 | 8% | 50,355 |
| 2006 Forester | 6 | 7% | 52,711 |
| 2005 Forester | 5 | 5% | 57,000 |
| 2004 Forester | 21 | 10% | 68,000 |
| 2003 Forester | 25 | 13% | 59,287 |
| 2002 Forester | 10 | 11% | 30,356 |
| 2001 Forester | 12 | 9% | 56,000 |
| 2000 Forester | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1999 Forester | 2 | 2% | 61,500 |
| 1998 Forester | 6 | 6% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists air bags for the 2014 Subaru Forester. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Airbag warning light came on 1/25, took to Subaru dealership for diagnostic service. Was told the Passenger Front Seat Occupant Detection Sensor Assembly needs to be replaced, airbag system is not functional. Item has been on backorder, unable to replace as needed and told this is a known issue for…
The contact owned a 2014 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, a vehicle coming from oncoming traffic was attempting to make a left, causing the contact to crash into that oncoming vehicle. The contact mentioned that during the impact, the front passenger side wheel was…
While I was driving to work, with Cruise control set at 65, I hit a deer head on. All airbags deployed and engine ceased and I was able to brake car to a stop on the shoulder of the road. Within minutes, the engine erupted in fire and thankfully I wasn't trapped inside and was able to get out…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2014 Subaru Foresters have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 57 owner complaints about air bags for the 2014 Subaru Forester (14% of the 403 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Subaru Forester air bags?
No recall currently lists air bags for this vehicle.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 75,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2014 Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $1,150 and $1,500), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2014 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger seat”, in 30 of 57 complaints, followed by “airbag off” (11).
Other 2014 Subaru Forester problems
- Suspension problems (94)
- Engine problems (69)
See all 2014 Subaru Forester problems or air bags problems across all Forester years.