2012 Subaru Impreza Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 105 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2012 Subaru Impreza, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 36,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “passenger airbag” (37% of reports).
- 105air bags complaints
- 36,750median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 41%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 airbag: mentioned in 39 of 105 complaints (37%)
- Air bag: mentioned in 30 of 105 complaints (29%)
- Sitting seat: mentioned in 13 of 105 complaints (12%)
- Occupant detection: mentioned in 11 of 105 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 87 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 105 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Subaru Impreza air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Impreza | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2021 Impreza | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2020 Impreza | 3 | 4% | 46,000 |
| 2019 Impreza | 4 | 2% | 23,950 |
| 2018 Impreza | 2 | 1% | 13,222 |
| 2017 Impreza | 11 | 9% | 4,948 |
| 2016 Impreza | 8 | 11% | 28,817 |
| 2015 Impreza | 7 | 9% | 46,055 |
| 2014 Impreza | 38 | 35% | 50,000 |
| 2013 Impreza | 79 | 32% | 57,000 |
| 2012 Impreza | 105 | 43% | 36,750 |
| 2011 Impreza | 17 | 29% | 55,000 |
| 2010 Impreza | 6 | 13% | 38,671 |
| 2009 Impreza | 12 | 12% | 69,000 |
| 2008 Impreza | 37 | 21% | 750 |
| 2007 Impreza | 27 | 40% | 33,544 |
| 2006 Impreza | 20 | 36% | 64,455 |
| 2005 Impreza | 12 | 16% | 39,500 |
| 2004 Impreza | 14 | 15% | 145,000 |
| 2003 Impreza | 4 | 6% | 126,000 |
| 2002 Impreza | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2001 Impreza | 2 | 18% | 81,500 |
| 2000 Impreza | 2 | 5% | — |
| 1999 Impreza | 2 | 9% | 62,000 |
| 1998 Impreza | 3 | 10% | — |
| 1997 Impreza | 6 | 20% | 115,000 |
| 1996 Impreza | 5 | 25% | — |
| 1995 Impreza | 20 | 43% | 141,125 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012 model year Subaru Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicles (except WRX/STI models) manufactured April 21, 2011, to February 16, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may deactivate if a front seat passenger operates a device that is plugged into the power outlet such as a music player or cell phone, or touches a metal part of the vehicle such as the forward/rearward seat adjuster lever.
Risk: If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Occupant Control Unit with a modified one, free of charge. The recall began August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQT-55.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The Airbag warning light has been lit within the dashboard. The front passenger seat airbag is faulty and is not able to correctly sense when a passenger is within the seat or not, which disables the airbags. This can be deadly to the passenger if in an accident. The issue seems to be in the ODS…
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics and the contact was informed that there was a defective gasket on the transfer…
Over the past three months, the front driver and passenger airbag lights have been on in my 2012 Subaru Impreza while driving. Documented videos attached were on 01/11/23, 01/20/23, and 04/04/23. It has happened at least 6 times and possibly more. I contacted Subaru after it happened and took it to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Subaru Imprezas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 105 owner complaints about air bags for the 2012 Subaru Impreza (43% of the 243 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 2012 Subaru Impreza 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 36,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2012 Subaru Impreza?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger airbag”, in 39 of 105 complaints, followed by “air bag” (30).
Other 2012 Subaru Impreza problems
- Engine problems (55)
See all 2012 Subaru Impreza problems or air bags problems across all Impreza years.