2015 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2015 Subaru Forester, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 59,900 miles. The words owners use most often: “passenger seat” (38% of reports).
- 102air bags complaints
- 59,900median miles at failure
- 17mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 18%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 39 of 102 complaints (38%)
- Occupant detection: mentioned in 12 of 102 complaints (12%)
- Heated seats: mentioned in 11 of 102 complaints (11%)
- SRS airbag: mentioned in 10 of 102 complaints (10%)
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 2015 Subaru Forester at $1,550, and half of them between $1,400 and $1,600.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2025), 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 41 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 102 complaints, 17 mention a crash, 9 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 (1)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Risk: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The passenger seat belt went off when my beagle was jumping around on the front seat and I had made an appointment to bring it into the shop the dealer and the light was off but I had the appointment so I brought it in anyway and now the lights on all the time now and it's coming up on the screen…
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passengerâs side air bag warning light illuminated, and the air bag module warning light was illuminated. The air bag occupant classification system was not operating as intended. The…
Codes for B1760 and B1650 present, intermittent SRS light for the passenger airbag. Passengers put at risk in event of crash. SRS sensor issues seem to be common for this vehicle according to online databases and dealership technicians.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 Subaru Foresters have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 102 owner complaints about air bags for the 2015 Subaru Forester (17% of the 615 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 2015 Subaru Forester air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 59,900 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2015 Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,400 and $1,600), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2015 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger seat”, in 39 of 102 complaints, followed by “occupant detection” (12).
Other 2015 Subaru Forester problems
See all 2015 Subaru Forester problems or air bags problems across all Forester years.