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Subaru Outback Air Bags Frontal Safety Report | Aug 20, 2011
Reported on Aug 20, 2011
| WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. WE BOUGHT IT DUE TO HIGH SAFETY RATINGS AND OTHER FEATURES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHILE MY WIFE (WHO IS 115 LBS) SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE FRONT AIRBAG SENSOR SWITCHES THE AIRBAG ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT INSPECTED. THEIR FINDINGS WERE THAT THE CAR IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE AIRBAG IS TURNING OFF WHEN HER WEIGHT IS NOT IN AN EXACT SPOT. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAD MULTIPLE HITS FOR COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF THE SAME CAR (AND THE 2010 MODEL). WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE SURE MY WIFE SITS UP STRAIGHT WITH HER LEGS EXTENDED AND THE SEAT FULLY UPRIGHT AND BACK TO HELP THE AIRBAG SENSOR GET A MORE ACCURATE READING. OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO EXPECT A PERSON TO SIT UNMOVING FOR AN EXTENDED LENGTH IN A CAR. ALSO, IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, HER WEIGHT WOULD NATURALLY SHIFT AND THUS THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY. TO ME, THIS NEGATES THE SAFETY RATING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DISCRIMINATES AGAINST SMALLER ADULTS WHO RIDE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS I READ HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ADULTS UP TO 140 LBS, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLICATED THE PROBLEM WITH A MAN WEIGHING 125 LBS. *TT | |
| Make: | Subaru |
| Model: | Outback |
| Manufactured by: | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | JBER AK |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 4S4BRBGC4B1 |
| Mileage: | 8832 miles. |
| Speed: | 35 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Vehicle type: | AWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
| Previous Report:Air Bags Frontal | Next Report:Exterior Lighting |