Problems · by component

2003 Subaru Forester air bags problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Subaru Forester cite air bags, 13% of all 191 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
13% of all complaints
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY MOTHER WAS PULLING HER CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & SHOT DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREET, THRU THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND LANDED IN THEIR BACKYARD. THE CAR JUST MISSED MY FATHER IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE NEIGHBORS IN THEIR HOUSE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THE CAR WAS AIRBORNE WHEN IT WENT THRU THE FRONT DOOR BASED ON THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DOOR & THE SKID MARKS ON THE TILE IN THE HALLWAY. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS MY MOTHER WAS PARKING THE CAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT CROSSED THE SIDEWALK AT THE STORE & HIT ANOTHER CAR. AT THE TIME SHE THOUGHT THAT HER FOOT MUST HAVE SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE. MY FATHER DROVE IT A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT & SAID IT WANTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE HE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROX. 72,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2019Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11252119
“I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH WHEN MY RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM SNAPPED. I LOOKED TO ENSURE NO VEHICLES WERE COMING, AND MADE THE DECISION TO TURN LEFT TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD WITH ALL FOUR TIRES AS I COULD ONLY TURN LEFT. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE TURNED SIDE WAYS AND THEN ROLLED THREE CONSECUTIVE TIMES LANDING ON ITS WHEELS FACING SOUTH. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL . ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL IN THE AMBULANCE THE DRIVER HAD TO STOP, BECAUSE I WAS THROWING UP CONVULSIVELY WHILE BEING STRAPPED TO A BACKBOARD AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BREATH DUE TO MY AIRWAY BEING FILLED WITH VOMIT. I SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING INJURIES: 2 FORMS OF VERTIGO WHICH I STILL HAVE, A SHOULDER INJURY WHICH I WAS IN A SLING FOR SIX WEEKS, SEVERE MUSCLE INJURIES IN MY BACK AND NECK, I NOW HAVE SEVERE MUSCLE SPASMS AND CRAMPS THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE BODY, LOSS OF MEMORY, AND SEVERE CONTUSIONS THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE BODY, AND ALSO A RIGHT LEG INJURY WHICH AFFECTS MY WALKING CAPABILITY, PTSD AND SEVERE FLASHBACKS OF MY ACCIDENT WITH ME ROLLING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BECAUSE I WAS CONSCIOUS THROUGH THE WHOLE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2014Steering, Suspension, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10617956
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO AVOID HITTING AN ANIMAL HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES AND CRASHED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. THE DETAILS OF THE INJURIES WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 126.000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10598597
“THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON MY SUBARU FORESTER IS ON YET AGAIN. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES. IN READING ONLINE THERE ARE WIRED BROUGHT TOGETHER AT A CONNECTOR THAT WHEN BOTH ENDS ARE PUSHED TOGETHER THEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WILL GO OUT. JUST USING GOOGLE ONLINE TO SEARCH I HAVE COME ACROSS DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS. AS THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPONENT, SUBARU SHOULD REPAIR THIS AT NO COST. WHY SUBARU COULD NOT HAVE IMPLEMENTED A MUCH MORE SECURE, RELIABLE CONNECTOR FOR SUCH A CRITICAL SAFETY SUBSYSTEM IS BAFFLING AS A MORE RELIABLE CONNECTOR SHOULD NOT COST BUT A COUPLE OF DOLLARS MORE. SUBARU SHOULD BE REPAIRING THIS AT NO CHARGE TO VEHICLE OWNERS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2013Air bagsODI 10555207
“(ALL) THE AIR BAGS FAILED. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR, (FELL) OUT OF THE CARRIER. THE DRIVERS AUTO LOCK ON THE SEATBELT FAILED, THE REAR STORAGE COVER POPPED (OUT) OF ITS HOLDERS, FLEW TO THE FRONT (V'ED), HITTING HER IN THE RT TEMPLE, AS SHE (BOUNCED) BACKED AND FORTH HITTING THE DASH AND CENTER POST DRIVERS DOORS. GEICO (GAVE) ME THE CAR INCASE SUBARU WANTED TO SEND AN INVESTOR. CALLED THEM AT THEIR CORP. #. THREATENED TO SUE ME IF I WENT PUBLIC. HAD TO HIRE A LAWYER IN FAIRBANK. TWO RIVERS WOMAN KILLED IN COLLISION PUBLISHED MARCH 17, 2005 BY [XXX] , STAFF WRITER A VEHICLE COLLISION CLAIMED A WOMAN'S LIFE NEAR 10 MILE CHENA HOT SPRINGS ROAD ABOUT 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY. [XXX], OF TWO RIVERS DIED AFTER SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER SUBARU ON THE SLIPPERY ROAD, VEERED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE AND WAS STRUCK BY A COMMERCIAL VAN. "HER VEHICLE WAS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL," SAID ALASKA STATE TROOPER [XXX]. [XXX], WHO WAS DRIVING EAST, STARTED FISHTAILING AND VEERED INTO THE WESTBOUND LANE. THE VAN DRIVER, 51-YEAR-OLD [XXX], WAS DRIVING WEST. [XXX] DIED FROM HEAD INJURIES. THE CRASH IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. [XXX]WITH HIS THREE GRANDDAUGHTERS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN FRONT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2013Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 10544615
“2013 SUBARU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ALMOST FROM THE MOMENT, HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE AND HIS WIFE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED ON TWO OCCASIONS, HIS WIFE EXPERIENCED A SLOW BRAKE RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL AND WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. HIS WIFE SUFFERED A BACK INJURY. THE SECOND TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AGAIN, AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. CONSEQUENTLY, HIS WIFE HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN EITHER ACCIDENT. UPDATED 04/04/14*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10537652

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.