10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
36,345 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Subaru Impreza:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #63

Nov 042016

Impreza

  • 20,000 miles
The airbag sensor in the passenger seat has failed 3 times while the car was under warranty and now again out of warranty. When a passenger is sitting in the seat while driving, the airbag sensor doesn't recognize the passenger's weight, and the airbag light will not turn on, putting my passenger at risk. Under warranty, carr Subaru in beaverton Oregon replaced the sensor each time it failed. They briefly explained to me that the sensor "fails all the time" and "its poorly designed." If I understood them correctly, these type of sensors are no longer used in newer models of my car. I am now having the airbag issue again and I am not covered by warranty, I feel this is a major safety issue. Subaru should take responsibility for this faulty system and replace it completely, rather that just replacing the sensor they already know is faulty.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #62

Dec 192015

Impreza

  • 60,662 miles
Falsification of recall service work performed for recall wqt-55 that is related to the air bag not deploying based on an issue w/ the occupant detection system. Waldorf Subaru states they performed that they didn't do. Subaru has been extremely slow an unresponsive in addressing this issue. My car was originally taken to waldorf Subaru to have the recall performed, after which I had a service work order indicating it was complete. I receive a phone call 2 days later from the parts manager indicating the "part that was needed for the recall is now in stock." As a second check, I took my vehicle to another Subaru location (herb gordon Subaru/mile one) to check it out and verify if the recall had been in fact fixed, this proved that it had not been fixed. I obtained a service work order with these details. I contacted Subaru to have them address this, and they have been slow to respond and have been unresponsive to the concerns that have been raised. Their internal complaint number has been opened to address this issue: Sr #:1-17536427192

- Upper Marlboro, MD, USA

problem #61

Jun 032016

Impreza

  • 2 miles
With a passenger in the front seat the airbag light will turn on and the dash will report "passenger airbag off." This happens anywhere from immediately after the car is turned on, before it is placed in drive, to an hour after the car has been running. We do frequently have electronics plugged in, but I just learned of the possible connection and have not tried to troubleshoot it. The seats are heated. The airbag light does not turn on without a front seat passenger. First started in June of 2016 and has been happening intermittently since then, approximately 75% of the time a passenger is in the front seat.

- Lewisburg, PA, USA

problem #60

Aug 132016

Impreza 4-cyl

  • 87,556 miles
My fianc sat in the driver seat, I in the passenger seat. We started the car after we both were sitting down. I had his phone charging in the center console and my phone was in the house. My SRS light came on and the pass. Air bag was turned off. Codes B1660, B16fo, and B1650 were saved. When I brought it to the dealership they told me a wet passenger, a cell phone in a pocket, or even a lap top that was turned off in a bag could cause the occupant classification system to malfunction due to it being static electric based due to the seat heaters. I had a seat recall completed in Nov 2015 and the dealership refuses to state that this could be related to the recall. Service campaign wqt55 NHTSA campaign 15V419000. It is unacceptable to think that having a cell phone while a passenger in a safety rated car could cause a malfunction in the air bag system.

- Thompson, CT, USA

problem #59

Jul 112016

Impreza

  • 65,000 miles
Subaru had a recall on the odc (occupant detection system) NHTSA 15V419000 for cars produced from 4/2011 through 2/2012. My car was produced in mid March 2012 - and experienced the exact same problem as the recalled vehicles. The odc would be deactivated if a passenger was in the car and we had a charger plugged in the power outlet. This is a serious issue. It is being fixed, but it is a $1,200 charge, for what I believe should be part of the recall. Thanks for your time and help.

- Strongsville, OH, USA

problem #58

Apr 042016

Impreza

  • 69,000 miles
The contact owned a 2012 Subaru Impreza. While making a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the front driver side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a head injury and injuries to the left arm that required medical attention. After inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the air bag wiring was fractured. The vehicle was towed and destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.

- Hawthorne, NY, USA

problem #57

Aug 052015

Impreza

  • 24,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that the air bag warning light randomly flashed for an extended period of time. The dealer and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V419000 (air bags). The vehicle was to be inspected and diagnosed by a dealer. The manufacturer provided no remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #56

Aug 022012

Impreza

  • 5,700 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that the front passenger side seat became fractured and was replaced by the dealer. After the seat was replaced, the passenger side "air bag off" warning light would illuminate whenever the seat was wet or lightly damp. The failure did not occur prior to the seat replacement. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V419000 (air bags). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,700.

- Black Earth, WI, USA

problem #55

Aug 192014

Impreza

  • 18,000 miles
Vehicle passenger airbag disabled light illuminates when a cellular device is placed in the proximity of the passenger seatbelt buckle. Also a cellular device placed on the seat with no occupant engages the OCS to register that someone is sitting in the seat. Spoke with Subaru dealer regarding the issue, and was told everything is ok, and there is no fix for the complaint.

- Butler, PA, USA

problem #54

Oct 102015

Impreza

  • 47,000 miles
This vehicle is currently under recall for a defective front passenger airbag system. I have been told that all the parts to fix the problem are, "on back order". I explained that I am uncomfortable driving the car with this problem, since the recall clearly states that the airbag may not inflate upon collision. I asked for a loaner car until the problem was fixed and was told, "there is nothing we can do, you can contact Subaru of America". I have been given no time estimate as to when the parts will be available.

- Ogden, UT, USA

problem #53

Oct 092015

Impreza 4-cyl

  • miles
Today (October 9, 2015), I received an email from [xxx], warranty administrator, team Mazda Subaru, in caldwell, Idaho 208-455-0322 [xxx], telling me that the part to fix Subaru recall campaign wqt-55, NHTSA recall no. 15V-419, August 2015 for my 2012 Subaru Impreza, [xxx] was going to be returned if I did not bring my vehicle in shortly. Soon after I received the safety recall notice in the mail, I called team Mazda Subaru service department to schedule an appointment, telling them exactly what the appointment was for. An appointment was made for 2 pm on September 1, 2015. I arrived at the service center and gave the adviser a copy of the recall notice at 1:50 pm on September 1, 2015. He told me that it would be an hour or more wait. I showed him in the letter that it should take no more than 25 minutes. The adviser seemed to be completely unaware or informed of the recall, but said that he would have it done sooner than previously mentioned. At 2:50 pm I left the dealership with the recall defect not repaired because the part needed was not available. He asked if I wanted him to call me when the part arrived and I said, "please!? today, more than one month later, I get the email described above. The recall notice states that I should contact you immediately if I believe the Subaru retailer has failed or is unable to remedy my vehicle within a reasonable amount of time. I do not consider more than one month a reasonable amount of time. The recall notice also says that I should immediately contact the dealer to make an appointment, which implies that the part is available. I do not understand why an appointment would be made to repair my car if the part was not in stock. Furthermore, why did I have to wait an hour to find out the repair could not be accomplished" sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Caldwell, ID, USA

problem #52

Sep 092015

Impreza

  • 35,000 miles
I received recall information and made an appointment with a local dealer for correction of the defective automotive part. Weeks later I received a phone call from the dealer that they had run out of parts and would reschedule by calling me when the defective part was back in stock. I then received an email, dated 9/9/2015, from the dealer bill rapp Subaru, syracuse, NY, that the appointment had been cancelled but no indication regarding the recall or in writing the they would call me when the part was back in stock. Please advise.

- Fayetteville, NY, USA

problem #51

Jul 202015

Impreza

  • 32,000 miles
When a passenger of 215lbs or more sits in my 2012 Subaru Impreza passenger seat for more than 10miles the airbag light comes on and the passenger airbag is turned off.

- Massena, NY, USA

problem #50

Sep 102013

Impreza

  • 47,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician reset the air bag light and performed an unknown repair; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was repaired. The contact recently received a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 15V419000 (air bags). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,000.

- Rio Vista, CA, USA

problem #49

Jun 012012

Impreza 4-cyl

  • 1,000 miles
Finally, after 3 years of Subaru stonewalling to admitting to a problem with the passenger airbag, NHTSA intervention resulted in recall wqt55. I received the recall notice earlier this week. However, none of the Subaru dealers in the san francisco bay area that I contacted had the necessary replacement part and said it back ordered with no estimated delivery date available. I believe Subaru has consistently acted in bad faith since the problem was brought to their attention and is continuing to do so. I strongly encourage the NHTSA to fine Subaru the maximum amount for delaying and now misleading vehicle owners on a recall that misrepresents their ability to fix the problem since the replacement part is unavailable. Subaru is knowingly acting in bad faith. I have been enduring this safety issue for more than three years by avoiding using the passenger seat whenever feasible. It's not right that Subaru continues to get away with their behavior. Please take action. Thank you.

- Walnut Creek, CA, USA

problem #47

Jul 162014

Impreza

  • 45,000 miles
Warning lamps for stability control air bag randomly light up on my dash board panel. The passenger air bag will also switch to off even when a passer is sitting in the seat or the passenger seat belt warning sound will go off if a small object is placed on the seat. My mechanic can't find the issue as I cannot recreate the circumstances that cause the lamps to switch on or the warning siren to chime. Computer readings do not return any "codes" if the lamps aren't on.

- Hoboken, NJ, USA

problem #46

Jul 312015

Impreza

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. While driving at 10 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the contact crashed into a metal power box and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.

- Renton, WA, USA

problem #45

Jul 122012

Impreza

  • 5,000 miles
The first time this happened, I was driving along a Suburban road with a passenger. The passenger airbag was on for the first ~20 minutes of the trip, then randomly turned off. I pulled over, turned off the car, then turned it back on. The passenger airbag went on again, but then went back off after a few minutes of driving. This airbag issue has happened sporadically since then, both on highways and city/Suburban roads, and after 15 minutes-2 hours of driving. All passengers have been over 130 pounds and have been sitting up straight.

- Silver Spring, MD, USA

problem #44

Jul 012015

Impreza

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that the frontal side passenger air bag light would turn off after approximately 20 minutes when a passenger was occupying the seat. Also, the contact mentioned that the frontal driver side air bag warning indicator illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was not available.

- Conway, AR, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »