2016 Subaru Forester Seats Problems
- Complaints
- 24about this part
- Share
- 6%of 416 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 44,300miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 24 complaints about the seats of the 2016 Subaru Forester, 6% of the 416 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 44,300 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“On november 7, 2020 around 630pm, I was driving on city street going nw on sunset in fair oaks, ca in a far right lane. I was driving about 35 to 40 MPH with one other cars infront or besides me. Certainly while I was driving, I heard a loud boom. Immediately after the loud boom, I could not see and realized my steering wheel airbag deployed. Then I looked to my right I saw a deer limping. So I immediately knew I just hit a deer from my front left corner bumper after I pulled over to the side street. …”
NHTSA complaint #11384981, filed 2020-12, 100,000 miles“In early may 2019, the vehicle started giving airbag warnings and disabling the front passenger airbag when the front passenger seat was occupied. I reported the problem to my Subaru dealer's service department when I took it in for routine service a couple weeks later. It took a month to get an appointment to have the warning diagnosed. Finally they did the analysis and told me the passenger seat sensor had failed, and claimed it was because the seat got wet (it didn't). After I complained to management they comp'd the repair and replaced the front passenger seat cushion at the end of june. …”
NHTSA complaint #11243035, filed 2019-08, 12,000 miles“Intermittent dash light saying the passenger seat belt and air bag is turned off with passenger in the seat and when car is being driven. Comes on in city and highway driving both..”
NHTSA complaint #11252254, filed 2019-08, 48,600 miles“Subaru is knowingly building its cars with faulty passenger side air bag sensors which will randomly turn off the air bag while the passenger seat is occupied under normal life driving conditions. It is in the 2016 and 2017 owners manual that if there is a cell phone or electrical device in the front area of the car then the air bag sensors could malfunction. It also states that if your passenger is wearing a jacket or sweater this could cause the sensors to turn the life saving air bag off. My 17 teenager had no electronics but a sweater on and it shut off air bag while traveling on highway. …”
NHTSA complaint #11124557, filed 2018-09, 40,000 miles“The Driver Seat Lumbar suddenly broke while driving, which caused a sudden unplanned shit of my driving position. There was also a loud hardware breaking or snapping apart, which caused a certain degree of panic and distraction while driving. I fixed the broken lumbar seat approximately less than two years ago and now the incident I mentioned previously, has happened again. …”
NHTSA complaint #11531951, filed 2023-07Related service bulletins
- 10252544Mar 28, 2024Due to limited part supply, the availability of the passenger front seat cushion may not satisfy demand. To reduce extended downtime for the customer, this bulletin announces the…
- 10213197May 23, 2022This bulletin announces a design change made to the Slide Rail components of the left and right front power seat frame / track assembliesd.
- 10201027Aug 4, 2021This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of a squeaking sound originating from where the front seat belt buckle assembly attaches to the seat frame.
Seats: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% |
| 2023 | 3 | 4% |
| 2022 | 1 | 1% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0% |
| 2020 | 4 | 1% |
| 2019 | 4 | 0% |
| 2018 | 30 | 6% |
| 2017 | 34 | 6% |
| 2016 | 24 | 6% |
| 2015 | 22 | 4% |
| 2014 | 14 | 3% |
| 2012 | 2 | 2% |
| 2011 | 4 | 3% |
| 2010 | 76 | 29% |
| 2009 | 16 | 9% |
| 2008 | 2 | 4% |
| 2007 | 2 | 3% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2004 | 1 | 0% |
| 2003 | 3 | 2% |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% |
| 2000 | 2 | 3% |
| 1999 | 1 | 1% |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2016 Subaru Forester
100 complaintsElectrical system
93 complaintsOther or unknown
70 complaintsEngine
60 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
51 complaintsVehicle speed control
37 complaintsBrakes
29 complaintsFuel system
24 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
23 complaintsSteering
19 complaintsWheels
17 complaintsSuspension
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2016 Subaru Forester
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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