2009 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

39Air Bags complaints

21.9%Of all 178 complaints

#1Most-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

AIR BAGS39 · 21.9%

ENGINE27 · 15.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22 · 12.4%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL19 · 10.7%

SEATS15 · 8.4%

Share of the 178 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V026000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE…”NHTSA complaint 10983138 — filed 05/02/2017

“TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V026000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED…”NHTSA complaint 10970764 — filed 04/05/2017

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V026000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED…”NHTSA complaint 10969332 — filed 03/29/2017

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Subaru Forester have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the most-reported problem area on the 2009 Subaru Forester: 39 of 178 complaints on file (21.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Subaru Forester have in total?

178 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 5 reported injuries, and 1 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 07/12/2026.