The vehicle dossier US · 2017
587 distinct owner reports in the NHTSA snapshot. Other components appears in 194 of them. Explore what was reported—and which official actions are on file.
From the original manufacturer documents
These reviewed documents are associated with this model-year. Check the stated engine, build-date, VIN and coverage conditions before assuming they apply to the car you’re considering.
75% covered during extension
The bulletin discusses reproducible unnecessary stopping or slowing attributed to specified EyeSight or reverse-braking components.
A special four-month window for vehicles whose extension would already have expired ended November 29, 2025.
Read coverage & conditions01 / Owner-reported evidence
Categories attached to 587 distinct reports. A report can mention more than one component, so category totals can overlap.
These are reports made to NHTSA, not verified diagnoses. More reports can reflect more vehicles, more time on the road, or greater reporting activity.
The reporting timeline
Reports by year filed, not by the year a problem occurred. Showing the latest 11 years with reports.
30,000 miles is the median among 321 reports with usable mileage. The middle half spans 16,257–48,000 miles.
This describes the submitted reports. It does not predict when a vehicle will fail.
02 / Official safety campaigns
A campaign can cover only certain production dates or configurations. The count does not tell you whether an individual car has an open recall.
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.
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.
Manufacturer campaign: WUM-98
Read campaign 19V701000 at NHTSA03 / The manufacturer’s record
443 distinct communications list this model-year. Showing the latest 12. A matching model-year does not establish that every engine, trim or reported symptom is covered.
This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body. The updated valve body incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Components: POWER TRAIN. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11036810 at NHTSAThis Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11036807 at NHTSAThis Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11036796 at NHTSATechtips newsletter locator index.
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11036794 at NHTSAThis bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11036789 at NHTSAThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
Components: ENGINE. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11034269 at NHTSAThis announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11034249 at NHTSAThis bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. (This is an revised version of the orignal bulletin.)
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · POWER TRAIN. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11034242 at NHTSAThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11033069 at NHTSAThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers).
Components: ENGINE. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11033065 at NHTSAThis bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability.
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · POWER TRAIN. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11033063 at NHTSAThis announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
Components: POWER TRAIN. Confirm detailed applicability in the original document.
Source record 11033056 at NHTSARecords below contain the NHTSA bulk summary unless a document-reviewed explainer is linked. A service bulletin is not a safety recall or a promise of a free repair. Records may be revised or superseded; verify the current document with the manufacturer.
04 / Agency investigations
An investigation is an inquiry into a potential concern. Its presence does not establish a defect, and a closed case does not certify a car’s condition.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
Recorded closure: Jan 22, 2020
Campaign reference in the source: 19V701000
Find investigation PE19009Your next step
Use these prompts with a qualified inspector. This page is research, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a hands-on inspection.