2011 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

29Air Bags complaints

19.7%Of all 147 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE60 · 40.8%

AIR BAGS29 · 19.7%

SERVICE BRAKES17 · 11.6%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13 · 8.8%

Unspecified / other12 · 8.2%

Share of the 147 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“I have received multiple letters to fix my Subarus air bag. It was fixed once after a long wait for parts. The second required fix…”NHTSA complaint 11418892 — filed 05/28/2021

“THIS IS AN OLDER CAR BUT STILL SERVICEABLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON SOMETIMES ACCOMPANIED BY A SEATBELT WARMING, WHENEVER A PASSENGER…”NHTSA complaint 11301541 — filed 01/24/2020

“TAKATA RECALL HAVE NOT FOUND A DEALERSHIP WILLING TO REPLACE. IF THEY WILL NOT FIX WILL THEY BUY BACK MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE…”NHTSA complaint 11231500 — filed 07/12/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Subaru Forester have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2011 Subaru Forester: 29 of 147 complaints on file (19.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Subaru Forester have in total?

147 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 4 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.