2006 Subaru Forester Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 7%of 88 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 52,710miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the air bags of the 2006 Subaru Forester, 7% of the 88 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 52,710 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I had a head on collision and no airbags deployed. The crash was at approximately 30 miles an hour. I was hit in the front. The crash was on a main roadway in long island ny.”
NHTSA complaint #11141657, filed 2018-10, 154,500 miles“I arrived at my house on 8/26/2012 at 8:00 pm, parked my car in the garage of my house and went to sleep. At 2:00 am I heard an explosion, went outside of my house to verify what it was and found my Forester in fire. With the help of my neighbors we control the fire within an hour. Serious consequences came out of the fire; the car was declared total loss, another car parked in front of the Forester suffer a lot of damage, the motor of the garage door had to be replaced, the paint of the house, vertical blinds and other belongings of the house were replaced because of the smoke from the fire. …”
NHTSA complaint #10515925, filed 2013-06, 92,000 miles“Since purchasing my vehicle brand new on 7/4/05, the front passenger occupant detection system fails to activate the front airbag for passengers who are both larger and heavier than the purported cutoff of 80-pound children. The passenger is 5'3 , 105lbs, yet the airbag light goes to the off position intermittently despite the passenger sitting straight. The airbag also sometimes fails to arm upon start up of the car, and will remain off for more than 15 minutes while the car is moving. …”
NHTSA complaint #10206940, filed 2007-10, 10,000 miles“The contact owns a 2006 Subaru Forester. The air bag control module fails to activate at least once per week. On each occasion, the passenger side air bag off light illuminates. The occupant detection sensor does not recognize a passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. The passenger side air bag also does not activate when the vehicle is started approximately once out of 20-30 starts. The contact's wife weighs 120 lbs and is 5'5 inches tall. She sits erectly with the seat back nearly vertical. The failures have been reported and investigated by the dealer and manufacturer. …”
NHTSA complaint #10210649, filed 2007-12, 13,421 miles“What idiot determined that a yellow warning light concerning the status of the passenger-seat airbag should be on 100% of the time? What possessed that same idiot to require the color yellow for such light(s)? Why can't the light be dimmed, or even able to be switched off? At night, such a light on the dashboard is a visual distraction. It constantly pulls the driver's attention from the road ahead. The lights are a safety hazard. Once the vehicle is in motion, no one is jumping in. …”
NHTSA complaint #10160630, filed 2006-06Related recalls
- 07V043000Feb 12, 2007On certain vehicles, the wiring harness for the air bag occupant detection system in the front passenger seat may have been pinched during production…Covers: Subaru Forester 2006, Impreza 2006
Related service bulletins
- 11005609Jul 15, 2024This announcement provides information on Takata Recall Escalated Towing Program.
- 10244915Oct 30, 2023SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model…
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 4% |
| 2024 | 7 | 23% |
| 2023 | 6 | 8% |
| 2022 | 4 | 4% |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% |
| 2020 | 11 | 2% |
| 2019 | 17 | 2% |
| 2018 | 99 | 20% |
| 2017 | 167 | 28% |
| 2016 | 100 | 24% |
| 2015 | 102 | 17% |
| 2014 | 57 | 14% |
| 2013 | 13 | 17% |
| 2012 | 20 | 19% |
| 2011 | 29 | 20% |
| 2010 | 42 | 16% |
| 2009 | 40 | 22% |
| 2008 | 6 | 12% |
| 2007 | 6 | 8% |
| 2006 | 6 | 7% |
| 2005 | 5 | 5% |
| 2004 | 21 | 10% |
| 2003 | 25 | 13% |
| 2002 | 10 | 11% |
| 2001 | 12 | 9% |
| 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| 1999 | 2 | 2% |
| 1998 | 6 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2006 Subaru Forester
20 complaintsFuel system
13 complaintsSuspension
12 complaintsEngine
11 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsSteering
9 complaintsElectrical system
7 complaintsBody and structure
7 complaintsExterior lighting
4 complaintsTires
4 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
4 complaintsWheels
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2006 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology