There are 8 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2022 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I have multiple malfunction codes on my car. without any incident in the car I have 4 separate codes of airbag ECU malfunction (3) and airbag ECU power supply voltage. B1149 Airbag ECU Power Supply Voltage History B1195 Airbag ECU Malfunction Current B1196 Airbag ECU Malfunction Current B1185 Airbag ECU Malfunction Current This has caused failure of safety components in my car. Warning lights caused me to pull the codes and evaluate the problems. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Seems to be a problem with these components in older vehicles as well.
My Subaru Outback 2022 experienced a failure of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) sensors, resulting in the airbag warning light turning on and the airbags being disabled. The nature of the defect, the diagnostic trouble codes, and the location of the failed component are identical to Subaru Recall 24V227000 recently issued for the same model and year range. However, my VIN is not included in the recall. This is a safety-critical defect that prevents the airbags from deploying in a crash. The failure occurred under normal driving conditions and with all required maintenance performed. I believe my vehicle should be included in the existing recall, or a new recall should be issued to address this broader production issue. The defect puts occupants at risk of injury or death in the event of a collision. Please investigate this matter and require Subaru to expand the recall coverage to all affected VINs.
When I sit in the front passenger seat, the airbag sensor icon sometimes says off and sometimes says on--even during the same trip. and even if I have not changed positions. This means I am at risk of bodily injury when the system does not recognize that I am in the seat because the airbag is not operative while I was in the seat. On 7/22/24 the Subaru technician found "no active or stored codes and "recalibrated passenger side front seat. Rechecked to verify air bag warning system is operating as designed." Nevertheless, the sensor does not always recognize that I am in the seat so I am still at risk. I am, by the way, an adult who is over 5 Ft but weighs 90 pounds. I bought the car for safety because Subaru touts safety in advertisements. I find that I am not safe because there is no airbag working much of the time. We have owned the car since mid-June 2024 and this happens multiple times in the car when I am in the passenger seat (I am adding a date for only one date below) but this happens multiple times--the majority of times I am in the passenger seat.
I am reporting a critical safety failure involving an improperly installed (wrong year) passenger-side airbag in my 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, which was negligently missed for nearly two years by multiple Subaru service departments. This is a pervasive life-safety defect and an extensive failure in manufacturer inspection protocols. Chain of Negligence: 1. Initial Misleading Certification: Shortly after my purchase, the vehicle underwent a "certified" multi-point safety inspection at a Subaru retailer in Ohio, which negligently certified the vehicle as safe with a critical safety defect present. 2. Systemic Dealer Misdiagnosis: Over the subsequent nearly two years, I took my vehicle to multiple other Subaru dealership service departments, actively showing them a persistent visual misalignment of the passenger-side trim. Despite active complaints, no dealership took the proper time to diagnose the underlying cause, and they missed the critical safety defect. 3. Discovery by Chance: Critically, there were no warning lights, messages, or other electronic indicators. The only symptom was the visual misalignment. The true cause was only traced back to the wrong part after I personally spoke with a Subaru parts department team member who was resourceful enough to figure it out. This finding was subsequently officially certified as correct by the service team at Mike Shaw Subaru, which finally provided documentation that the component was incorrect. Safety Risk: The incorrect airbag component poses an immediate and incalculable life-safety risk, as its deployment behavior is unknown and potentially compromised. This unaddressed safety risk was allowed to continue for nearly two years due to repeated inspection failures. Manufacturer Response Failure: Subaru of America has been formally notified of this systemic safety defect and the complete failure of their retailer network’s inspection protocols. After missing multiple self-imposed deadlines, they continue t
No component failed or malfunction. It is working as designed but it is a serious safety concern that can not be addressed except by purposely bypassing the safety system or systems. For whatever reason Subaru added rear seat belt chime alarms to the rear seats. Three in total it appears. Driver, passenger, and center. The chimes will continue to grow louder until it blocks all radio and becomes a distraction. In theory this is not a bad idea. In practice it is a safety concern. Subaru markets their vehicles as being pet friendly. The issue is when I have my dog in the back seat the seat beat alarm continues to go of sporadically and she is not done growing yet. I don't use harness/restraints but even if I did there would be no way to keep her in the correct position to not make the adjacent seat chime. This is a major distraction while driving because I have to constantly take my eyes off the road and try to reposition her to stop the chime/alarm. It is also putting others at risk as I am not focused on driving. Problem confirmed by the dealer and Subaru (SOA) with no plan to fix except cut wires, buy seat belt buckles from Ebay to stick in holder, or clip seatbelts when not in use. Concern is this will cause passengers to not buckle up due to the hassle. Safety can't be an inconvenience or there is less chance it will be followed. No police have been involved. Dealer and SOA have confirmed it is a problem with no solution. Possible software update in the future. Not a failure but a design flaw.
My wife was driving and was involved in traffic accident when the airbags deployed. She is a small person and has the driver's seat pulled all the way forward so she operate the vehicle. I was concern about her seating so close the steering wheel and the airbag, but told by the dealer personnel that airbags where mandatory and any tampering voids warranty, etc. She was in an accident and the airbag deployed, she suffered substantial injuries to her upper body including fractures of the clavicule, breastbone, numerous ribs and her T12. Doctors said it was almost miraculous she survived. The is significant data available on the impact of airbags. The forces expended and the bodily damages that can occur. It must be known the a body so close to the activation of the airbag could have fatal consequence but so little has been made public about this danger. We've heard about devices exploding and causing injuries and fatalities but from sitting so close to the steering wheel. And a simple fix, if the seat is fully forward, the airbag is deactivated or test to find a place where it would not be a dangerous weapon. To be injured severely or even killed by safety equipment is the height of stupidity especially when it worked as designed.
My wife who is a small statured woman was leaving parking lot of church onto a narrow 2 lane street. As she made a left turn, the right front tire climbed the curb and dropped back onto the street. The car suddenly accelerated to top speed and crushed into a tree about 50 yards down the street. Airbags deployed causing bone breaks in left cavalcule, fractured ribs and T12. The driver is short and must sit almost against the steering wheel to drive. Without much effort to stretch her toes, she is unable to push the accelerator to the floor. she said she tried to push on the brake with no results. Eyewitnesses said they watch as she was leaving, they noted the car "jumping the curb" and said the car suddenly accelerated to a very high speed and crashed into a tree. There were no distinctive marks to show any stopping action.
I discovered substantial seat belt fraying on the rear center seatbelt on my Outback Wilderness, mileage less than 3,600, on May 12, 2022. Photos will be attached. One fray is 1/4" x 1/4", is 30" from the tip end of the connector tongue, and has separated the belt. The second fray is 1/4" x 11/4" and is 34" from the tip end of the connector tongue. Both frays are on the same side or edge of the belt. Other than the frays, the belt was in new condition. I believe the belt to have been furnished in a defective condition or there is a defect in the retracting apparatus. There is no external cause of the fraying that I could determine. The belt has been replaced by the dealer, Adventure Subaru, of Fayetteville, Arkansas. A separate complaint will be submitted related to a 2019 Ascent we own that had three belts replaced with nearly identical fraying patterns.
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