Two problems related to air bag have been reported for the 2002 Subaru Forester. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Subaru Forester based on all problems reported for the 2002 Forester.
The airbag that is in the center of the steering wheel has a design flaw. The cover section under the the words srs airbag is a weak point it develops a large crack line on the weak spot. Should the airbag be deployed with this crack, the sharp broken pieces could cause serious lacerations to victims. If the broken pieces were to become airborne, they could puncture the large blood vessel in the neck or enter the eyes. Also, should any customers attempt to tape or attempt to repair the cover without replacing it, unknown damage or loss of life could occur, as the airbag could not be able to be deployed properly.
6/15/2009 I was headed home at a rate of ~20-25 mph on pisgah church rd as I was approaching where I turn right onto lawndale Ave and I rear ended a vehicle which was pushed forward rear ending a 2nd vehicle to the tune of $16,183. 57 erie insurance charge (claim # 010910179459) and 3 nasty points. I was uninjured and contacted the greensboro police department. The arriving officer and the greensboro fire dept both expressed surprise that the air bag did not operate. I'm a nurse & was coming home from working the night shift. The police officer told me "I'm not going to write you a ticket (a professional courtesy, I think) because your insurance company is going to ream you. ".