Subaru is recalling 32,400 Imprezas to replace the passenger-airbag occupancy sensor, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
On 2012 Impreza models (but not the WRX or WRX STI), the sensor in the passenger seat can switch the airbag off when an adult is seated or switch it on when no one is present. The problem has to do with a capacitance sensor Subaru introduced for that model year that gets tripped up if someone uses a cell phone or other electronic device while seated, if their clothes are damp, or if they touch a grounded part of the vehicle such as the seat adjustment lever. Even a cell phone left on the seat can cause the airbag to activate improperly. Water on the seat can also cause the airbag to be disabled, even after an adult sits down.
Most occupancy sensors detect weight, not electrical capacitance, and Subaru said its sensor was not programmed properly to filter out such conditions. It has since been reprogrammed for later model years after a technical service bulletin was issued in May 2012. This recall is not related to the airbag itself or the Takata recall, which includes older Imprezas from 2004-2005. The 2013 BRZ is equipped with the same sensor, but there have been no disclosed complaints by either NHTSA or Subaru and that car is not part of this recall.
Subaru only agreed to the recall after NHTSA opened an investigation in June following 26 owner complaints. Since May, Subaru said it had paid more than 2500 warranty claims related to the sensor problem. Dealers will replace the sensor with a new one at a later date.
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