There are 3 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2008 Subaru Foresterin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The airbag on driver’s side deployed (malfunctioned)without incident while parked in my garage. It is currently at local Subaru dealer. Mechanics cannot determine what caused the malfunction. An engineer from Corporate Subaru inspected. Another team of engineers from Corporate is going to conduct a more thorough investigation once more photos of interior and exterior are provided by retailer. It is, of course, available for inspection. Fortunately, I was not driving the vehicle at the time of deployment. No one was in the car at the time of deployment. Vehicle was parked in my garage and deployed overnight. The dealer has confirmed deployment, but as stated above, has not been able to determine cause of deployment. Dealer’s mechanics and a Corporate engineer are only ones to my knowledge that have inspected the vehicle. As there was no accident, police and insurance representatives were not notified. No warning lights, messages or symptoms that I’m aware of. I, as stated, was not in the car at the time of deployment. Did not discover the deployment until the following morning when I went to garage to move the vehicle. I was shocked when I saw the airbag draped over the steering wheel and called dealership immediately. Car was towed to dealership and has been there for a month as of December 10, 2022.
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH-SPEED CRASH ON I-35 IN DENTON TX. THE CAR WAS REAR-ENDED. BOTH CARS WERE TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-60 MPH). THE DRIVER AND THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS WERE RESTRAINED AND BOTH SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. THEY WERE TAKEN FROM THE SCENE IN AN AMBULANCE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG DEACTIVATION LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE SENSORS AND STATED THAT IT WAS SET TO THE APPROPRIATE WEIGHT ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND SUGGESTED THAT THE CONTACT SIT IN THE BACK SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO PLACE WEIGHTS ON THE SEAT IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAG TO BE ACTIVATED WHENEVER SHE RIDES IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026