SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2007 Subaru Impreza airbags problems
severe 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
3crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 25 airbags complaints filed for the 2007 Subaru Impreza, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 37% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 7 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 25 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004- 2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Takata Front Passenger Airbag Module / Inflator âLike for Likeâ Recall
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. has determined that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2003-2014 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2003-2006 model year Baja vehicles, 2009-2013 model year Forester vehicles, 2004-2011 model year Impreza vehicles, and 2004-2014 WRX (including STI) vehicles equipped with a non-desiccated Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal air bag containing the propellant Phase Stabilized Ammonium Nitrate (PSAN).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint across 25 narratives is delayed Takata airbag recall remedies. Consumers received recall notices (NHTSA campaigns 16V359000, 16V358000, 17V016000) stating replacement parts were unavailable; many waited 18+ months with no firm repair timeline. Dealers issued interim notices forbidding front-passenger occupancy until parts arrived, which owners found impractical and concerning. One dealership offered rental cars but refused to cover rental insurance. One owner explicitly requested recall work during a service visit; the dealer failed to perform it despite holding the vehicle.
Beyond delays, a handful of crash reports emerged. One owner reported both airbags deployed in a 55 mph head-on collision, burning the driver and passenger's arms; they had to apply water to extinguish the fire. Another reported airbags failed to deploy during a 55 mph off-road crash into trees, resulting in severe injuries. A third reported complete non-deployment in a 60 mph multi-vehicle rear-end collision that injured the driver.
One owner reported a driver-side airbag warning light flickering on and off despite attempted warranty repair; the dealership later became unresponsive.
The core issue remains: the recall has dragged on for years at many dealerships, and while most complaints focus on availability delays, the scattered failure-to-deploy and deployment-injury reports raise safety questions beyond logistics.
Same Subaru Impreza airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2008 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Takata passenger-side frontal airbag delayed recall remedy
Consumer reports indicate Subaru received multiple NHTSA recall notifications (campaigns 16V359000, 16V358000, 17V016000) for Takata-sourced passenger-side frontal airbags, but replacement parts remained unavailable for extended periods—sometimes 18+ months from initial notice. Owners report receiving interim notices instructing them not to allow passengers in the front seat pending parts availability, with no firm timeline for repair completion.
When: 2016–2018 (recall notification period); vehicles at 22,000–140,000 miles at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Parts unavailable after recall notice issued; No estimated delivery date for replacement airbags; Dealer unable to schedule repair; Interim safety instructions limiting vehicle use
Codes mentioned: 16V359000, 16V358000, 17V016000
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement airbag parts not available; one owner noted recall parts eventually expected March 31, 2018; rental-car assistance offered by some dealers but did not cover insurance.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata airbag recall (passenger-side); Subaru indicated parts were 'in the process of being acquired'; interim notices advised against front-passenger occupancy until repair performed.
Takata passenger-side frontal airbag deployment burn injury
One consumer reported a head-on crash at 55 mph in which both frontal airbags deployed. The driver and passenger sustained first and second-degree burns on their arms from airbag deployment and had to apply water to extinguish the fire. Vehicle was destroyed.
When: At approximately 27,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deployed upon impact; Driver and passenger sustained first and second-degree burns; Fire on occupants' arms required water to extinguish; Vehicle destroyed
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed in collision; towed to service shop and later deemed destroyed; insurance company took possession.
Takata passenger-side frontal airbag deployment failure in crash
Consumer reported a crash at approximately 55 mph on a wet road with leaves; vehicle slid off road and struck trees. Both frontal airbags failed to deploy despite impact. Driver and passenger sustained severe injuries. Vehicle was destroyed.
When: At approximately 22,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy in head-on collision with trees; Driver and passenger sustained severe injuries; Vehicle destroyed in crash
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed; towed to collision center.
Frontal airbag non-deployment in multi-vehicle rear-end collision
Consumer reported driving at 60 mph when the vehicle ahead was struck, causing a chain-reaction rear-end collision involving the consumer's vehicle. No airbags deployed despite impact. Consumer sustained injuries requiring medical attention and vehicle was totaled. Consumer did not receive recall notification (campaign 16V359000).
When: At 140,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy in rear-end collision at 60 mph; Consumer sustained injuries requiring medical attention; Vehicle totaled
Codes mentioned: 16V359000
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle totaled and towed; consumer did not contact dealer or manufacturer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Consumer reported not receiving notification of NHTSA campaign 16V359000.
Driver-side airbag warning light intermittent malfunction
Consumer reports the driver-side airbag warning light comes on and off randomly. The issue was discovered under warranty and the vehicle was brought to the dealership for repair, but the light continues to illuminate intermittently. Dealership subsequently stopped returning consumer's phone calls.
When: Discovered during warranty period; ongoing at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side airbag warning light illuminates and extinguishes randomly; Persistent after attempted warranty repair
Repairs/costs cited: Attempted warranty repair at dealership; repair effectiveness questionable; no further service obtained due to dealer unresponsiveness.
Dealer failure to perform airbag recall repair despite vehicle possession
Consumer brought vehicle to Subaru of Santa Cruz for unrelated service in July 2017 and explicitly requested the airbag recall repair. Service advisor stated he would look it up. After several days, consumer received cryptic service paperwork with no mention of recall repair completion, despite the dealer having possession of the vehicle.
When: July 2017
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag recall not performed despite owner request and dealer possession of vehicle; Incomplete or misleading service documentation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership possessed vehicle but did not complete recall repair work.
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2007 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v016000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer (star Subaru, 206-26 northern blvd, bayside, ny 11361) was contacted and a recall repair appointment…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2007 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v359000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 Subaru impreza. While driving at an unknown speed on a wet road covered with leaves, the vehicle unexpectedly slid off the road and crashed into trees. The air bags failed to deploy. The failure occurred without warning. The police and ambulance were called to the scene and a police report was filed. The driver and passenger sustained severe injuries. The vehicle…
I received the notification about the recall in july 2016. It is now 10/31/16 and I am old that the new airbags are not available. I have been told that I will receive a letter when my car can be repaired, but I have not received anything to date. I am concerned that if there is impact or if weather conditions impact the defective airbag that shrapnel can be released and can be fatal to…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2007 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v359000 (air bags). The part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the vehicle would be repaired for an extended…
Takata recall we received the recall at the beginning of august. We were told when we called the dealership that it would be ready to repair in september. It now seems there is no answer as to when the repair can be completed.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2007 Subaru impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v358000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The "airbag" light for drivers side comes on and goes off randomly. This problem was discovered while under warranty and I did take the vehicle in for repair. But if the dealership ever repaired the problem (I suspect they did not repair it) the light still continues to come on and go off randomly. The dealership quit returning my phone calls years ago now.
Takata recall: how long is this going to take? My wife is ready to buy a new car but we are unsure about how this recall hanging over the Subaru impreza is going to affect our ability to sell or trade in the car. We assume the car can't be sold in this condition, and that's a burden. Please advise: auxinn@yahoo.com
Had airbags trouble with your 2007 Subaru Impreza?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2007 Subaru Impreza?
It's a meaningful issue. 25 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 25 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 55,298 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Subaru/Impreza.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.