2012 Subaru Outback seats problems

Jul 21, 2026 · failed Jun 28, 2026 · NJ · crash · 1 injured

Driving on the highway was side swiped then rearended at high speed causing my driver seat to fly backwards. So the locking mechanism on the manual seat adjuster either failed or never locked

Sep 16, 2020 · failed Sep 16, 2020 · 146,000 miles · VA

Air bag light is on (a02) faulty occupancy detection sensors in right front seat. Bottom seat frame would have to be replaced to resolve issues

Dec 23, 2017 · failed Dec 10, 2017 · 130,000 miles · TX

Cold rainy morning, I started the car for the first time with no one in the passenger seat. The airbag light came on and stayed on, the passenger seatbelt light is on and car is dinging like someone in the passenger seat is not wearing a seat belt. Does not turn off when seat belt is clipped. I take it to the dealership and they say it's a bad electrostatic capacitance sensor ods. The 'part' aka replacing the whole seat is $900. Same year of subaru that they recalled this part in the impreza. Nhtsa recall no. : 15V-419

Apr 26, 2013 · failed Apr 2, 2012 · 250 miles · WA · 1 injured

We owned the car only 2 days and was out for our first drive owning our first brand new car. Things seemed all good until we stopped at a bank and I put my left foot on the foot rest and pressed my back into the seat to release the tension in my pants so I could pull out my wallet when all the sudden catching me by total surprise the seat gave way. A shock went up and down my spine as I got out of the car in awe of what just happened an the condition I was in I had to sit in the passenger seat to see if it was just a fluke or is this a real problem and I just got the worst of it. With a little pressure leaning back in the seat for a few moments and snap all these seats can be broken. I was doing great and now everyday I have nerve problems and back issues I have never experienced in my life. I am height weight proportional and actually a little on the thin side. The dealership and subaru of america swore this never happened before. Google and youtube "subaru outback lumbar support broke" I found problems going back to 2008!! I asked them to buy the car back but they "bent the clip a little extra" as a fix and insisted I take it home. It broke again while just driving 40mph down the road normally so I convinced them by talking to the owner to give me a trade up to the electric seat. Little to know the passenger seat is the same seat as in the basic model. I own the premium now and I will do a report on it as well as I have owned many foreign cars and not one seat has ever broke on me. Toyota seat holds up to anything I put it through and I have 300K miles on it!!! Same with my honda civic. Both bought used... Please make them fix this problem! I beg you. I hope no one else ever has to deal with the pains I have had from this along with stress explaining the situation to the dealer and due to such a simple little clip and stupidity. *tr