2001 Subaru Forester Air Bags & Restraints Problems

WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 SUBARU FORESTER. SHE GOT TOO CLOSE TO EDGE OF PAVED SURFACE ON NARROW SECONDARY ROAD AND TIRES DROPPED OFF EDGE. INSTEAD OF THERE BEING THE REQUIRED FLAT SHOULDER OR BERM, THERE IS A 4+ INCH DROP AT THAT POINT. THE DROP AND CORRECTING TO THE ROADWAY CAUSED HER TO LOSE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE ENDED UP ROLLING TWO OR THREE (WITNESS ACCOUNTS VARIED) TIMES AND ENDING UPRIGHT IN A FIELD. DURING THE VERY FIRST ROLLOVER MY WIFE WAS AWARE OF THE SEAT BELT COMING UNLATCHED. OBVIOUSLY, SHE THEN BECAME AN OBJECT BEING TOSSED ABOUT IN THE VEHICLE DURING THE REST OF THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THERE IS NO EVIDENT, PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE BELT OR BUCKLE MECHANISM. THE INERTIA LOCK STILL FUNCTIONS; THE BELT WILL CLICK INTO THE BUCKLE AND REMAIN THERE WITH A TUGGING MOTION IS APPLIED. OBVIOUSLY I CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE TYPE OF FORCES THAT WERE APPLIED DURING THE CRASH. I CONTACTED SUBARA OF AMERICA AT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT WITH THIS INFORMATION AND THEY WOULD ONLY LOOK INTO THIS IN THE EVENT THE INSURANCE COMPANY SEEKS TO SUBROGATE THE CLAIM TO THEM. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AS THE SEATBELT DID NOT CAUSE THE ACCIDENT (FOR COLLISION LOSS PART OF CLAIM) AND PENNSYLVANIA LAW DOES NOT ALLOW SUBROGATION FOR MEDICAL CLAIMS. I WAS NOT SEEKING A LITIGATION SETTLEMENT IN CONTACTING SUBARU... I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY WOULD WANT TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE WAS KILLED. *JB

(EVENT)MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 SUBARU FORESTER AT 55MPH WHEN SHE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, CAUSING OUR CAR TO SWERVE. SHE HIT A LAMPOST WITH THE FRONT OF THE FORESTER HARD ENOUGH TO KNOCK THE POST DOWN, STOPPING OUR CAR. NOBODY WAS CRITICALLY INJURED. (FAILURE) THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. (FOLLOWUP) THE CAR HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. WE ARE WORKING OUT COMPENSATION WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE CAR THAT HIT OURS. I AM CALLING SUBARU TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE.

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. THEN IT GETS CLOSED IN THE DOOR BECAUSE IT HANGS LOOSE. IN THE BACK SEAT, THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT HAS THE WRONG PART SO IT CANNOT BE LATCHED. BECAUSE OF THIS, I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE WITH MORE THAN 2 PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEAT.

WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, OWNER SAW A DEAD COW LEFT IN THE ROADWAY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANUEVER DRIVER STRUCK THE COW AND VEHICLE BECAME AIR-BORN. VEHICLE HIT THE GROUND WITH NOSE/FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON AND FRONT AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS GOING 35MPH. CONSUMER HAD NO IDEA IF SUBARU DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER LISTED THERE WERE 3 INJURIES AND 3 FATALITIES, HOWEVER DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION IN THE STATEMENT OF ANY DEATHS. *SLC

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT HEAD ON DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TOTALED OVER 8000.00 . DAMAGE INCLUDED THE FRONT HOOD, RIGHT FRONT FENDER, FRONT BUMPER COVER AND REINFORCEMENT , RADIATOR SUPPORT AND THE RADIATOR. ALSO, THE AC CONDENSOR, THE WHOLE FRONT WAS BENT TO THE LEFT RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHASSIS. THE ENGINE WAS TILTED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, AND THE SUB RAIL , WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS, CRACKED IN TWO. THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DAMAGEALSO. WITH ALL THIS DAMAGE, THE AIRBAGS, FAILED TO DEPLOY, SHOCKING THE POLICE , THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE REPAIR SHOP. I CONTACTED SUBARU TO INFORM THEM THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND ENGINEERS TO INSPECT THE CAR WITHIN 72 HOURS. A WEEK LATER,I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY REQUESTED COPIES OF THE POLICE REPORT AND INSURANCE INFORMATION. I COMPLIED AND FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS , I WAITED FOR AN ANSWER. FINALLY, AN EMPLOYEE OF SUBARU CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR TO A DEALER TO CHECK IF THE AIR BAGS ARE WORKING. I TOLD THEM OBVIOUSLY, THEY DIDN'T WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM TOO, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE IMPACT WAS RIGHT OVER THE SENSOR. HE THEN SAID WHY WAS I WORRYING , THAT THE DAMAGE WAS PAID. I EXPLAINED THAT I NO LONGER FELT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. TO DATE, I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR AND INCURRING EXPENSES FOR THE RENTAL AND ALSO STORAGE FEES OF MY DAMAGED VEHICLE. ON A TV PROGRAM, FEATURING BRIAN O'NEILL, FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAYTEST SAFETY, AIR BAGS SHOULD DEPLOY AT AN IMPACT OF 12-25 MPH, RESULTING IN DAMAGE COST OF $585. MY QUESTION TO SUBARU WAS, WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY IN A IMPACT THE RESULTED IN $8000 IN DAMAGE?*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WAS HIT ON FRONT QUARTER, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAS SIDE AIRBAGS. LIKELY TO BE TOTALLED. *AK

AOTOMOBILE SKIDDED OF ROAD D/T SNOW/SLUSH STOPPING IN CULVERT. DAMAGE TO FRONT END CONSIDERED SUBSTANTIAL. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELT APPARENTLY DID NOT HOLD OCCUPANT SINCE HER HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL ER. THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPOLY IMPRESSED THE POLICE AND EMTS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER RAN HEAD-ON INTO A POLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

SEATBELT IS FASTENED UNDER THE HIP, AND IT'S LIKE T SHAPE DESIGN. SEAT BELT PINCHES CONSUMER IN THE SIDE, TO THE POINT THAT IS REALLY HARD TO GET BUCKLE UNLOOSENED. IN AN ACCIDENT IT MAY BE HARD TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON SNOW WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN CONSUMER RAN OFF ROAD .AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITH FRONT END DAMAGE. *AK THE SEAT BELT NOT ADQUATELY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *YH

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK