2016 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2016 Subaru Forester, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “passenger seat” (37% of reports).
- 99air bags complaints
- 40,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%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 37 of 99 complaints (37%)
- Occupant detection: mentioned in 10 of 99 complaints (10%)
- SRS airbag: mentioned in 10 of 99 complaints (10%)
- Needs checked: mentioned in 8 of 99 complaints (8%)
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 2016 Subaru Forester at $1,550, and half of them between $1,400 and $1,800.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2026), 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 43 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 99 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 7 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.
While driving, the car will beep and display a warning that the SRS system is malfunctioning. It will then turn passenger airbags off, even when there is a passenger sitting in the seat. I took the car in to Subaru of Glendale and was charged over $1000 to replace it, being told that i was not…
Vehicle reported an SRS Passenger problem intermittently, as displayed on the dashboard, the car's information system, and a diagnostic trouble code (the car's aftermarket radio is connected to the OBD-II connector and can pull codes). The problem would appear, and then disappear upon subsequent…
Airbag light is now consistently lit, Has come on & off for some time. when it first happened, I went straight to the dealership & a technician placed a device under the dashboard on the driver's side & switched off the light. No mention of a recall was discussed. Because the light is on most of…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Subaru Foresters have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about air bags for the 2016 Subaru Forester (24% of the 415 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 2016 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 40,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2016 Subaru Forester?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,550 (half paid between $1,400 and $1,800), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2016 Subaru Forester?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger seat”, in 37 of 99 complaints, followed by “occupant detection” (10).
Other 2016 Subaru Forester problems
See all 2016 Subaru Forester problems or air bags problems across all Forester years.