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Problems with 2010 Subaru Forester SEATS

On average, the 2010 Subaru Forester starts to “feel” problems with the SEATS and its various aspects after 74 403 miles.

Recently reported SEATS problems on 2010 Subaru Forester

Weld broke on power seat; left side. audible pop was heard when in motion, after having backed out of parking space and driving forward to exit parking lot.

Driver seat front right side collapsed. it's completely unsupported. welds appear to be broken. huge safety issue. i first noticed it a couple of weeks ago when i sat on it and it leaned to the right.

Driver's seat front left corner bracket appears to have broken. when power seat is movers to front of seat raised, the left side sags and is unsupported; will not stay in up position when any pressure/weight is applied to seat. unsure when this occurred, noticed it for first time 2 weeks ago. on-line reviews indicate several hundred othweer forester owners experiencing identical problem with seat. don't see any recall notice for this obvious safety issue from subaru -why not?

About one year ago i had the left side of my drivers seat collapse from bad welds. now this february 2019 the right side of the same seat collapsed ,there seems to be other 2010 subaru owners with the same problem but just do nothing about it. the collapse happened while driving.

While seating in the driver seat of the parked car, i heard a noise from the seat base. i went back out of the car to check the seat, and looking underneath, i saw a two-inch piece of metal hanging, attached to a rod at the front of the seat base. the seat cushion was no longer attached to the seat base and moved up when lifted. i went to the dealership to have it checked and they said the seat frame and the rail are broken and the seat base and rails need replacing. the car has less than 50k miles and drivers are under 200lbs. it looks like welds gave out, disconnecting the seat base from the frame.

Driver's seat collapsed on the front part while i was driving. lumbar adjustment also failed.

While sitting in my garage with engine running the drivers seat gave way on the left (door) site and dropped several inches. the welding points on the bracket that lifts and lowers the seat have failed. a driver can only sit with both sides even at its lowest setting. this is a safety issue due to drivers' height. local dealer would not even investigate without charging the labor to diagnose. i have and extended warranty but they have declined to cover the charges to fix or replace.

While in operation, during a left hand turn, the front left corner of the driver seat made an audible 'pop' and collapsed several inches. the seat is an electric adjustable, which does not appear to be effected by the seat base breaking. the seat is able to be lifted and pressed up and down 5 or so inches, and the corner which is broken sags under weight.

Bracket on door side of driver's seat is no longer supporting left front corner of seat. apparently, 2 small spot welds have failed. they can be seen straddling threads of a bolt towards the bottom of the attached photo. i contacted subaru of america (soa) and they claim they haven't heard of this issue despite the relatively large number of complaints filed with nhtsa for 2010 foresters. additionally, no recall has been issued and there was no offer from soa to make a good will repair at no charge to the customer. it would seem this would be considered a safety issue since it directly involves the driver's seat. i first noticed issue while i was driving and couldn't adjust my seat properly.

The driver's seat bottom frame came unwelded at the front left side of the frame. the part broke when the car was stationary. the driver's left leg is now unsupported and the seat bottom moves freely. numerous other reports of the same problem have been documented on other websites.

Front left seat has fallen and from research here and on internet, it appears weld has broken on seat. vehicle only has 80k miles. this is a safety issue and repairs should be covered on recall. we were driving on city streets and left front seat just fell.

I own a 2010 subaru forester. the driver seat bracket weld failed while under low mileage. thinking that this was a safety concern, i came in to talk about options. i was told i was wrong by thinking it was a common issue and that it wouldn't be covered, and was presented with a bit of a combative tone. i understand this, they can't go around saying yes to everyone that walks in the door. while they did offer to take a look, it was with hesitation. at the very least, i was hoping they would have offered to submit a claim to subaru of america, but no offer was given. many people from these threads went to their local dealers and seemed to have it covered, and if not, at least a claim submitted to subaru of america. this is of great concern to me because of the fact that this is a safety issue putting my family at risk. even if there was no potential for monetary coverage of the repair, i would have appreciated some sign of concern for my safety while in a vehicle brand this dealership represents. https://www.carcomplaints.com/subaru/forester/2010/accessories-interior/seats.shtml http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/driver-s-seat-collapse-126336/index3.html

Front drivers seat collapse on right side of seat towards the passenger side. its very uncomfortable to drive the car. i looked in der seat and appears a bracket holding the seat has broken , very unsafe, subaru needs to recall this car for repairs. car has about 46,000 thousand miles.

Drivers seat - forward left side of seat base attachment bracket - broken from seat pan. this causes the seat to collapse down to the left

The left side weld on the driver's seat broke while driving straight at about 30 mph. there was a snap and then my left leg seat support dropped by a few inches making the seat cushion go on an angle. the forester had slightly less than 90,000 miles at the time this happened. since the local dealership didn't have any open appointments for the next couple weeks i went to a local independent shop to have the seat repaired. the cost was a little under $200 and they confirmed it was a faulty weld which caused the seat to drop.

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 subaru forester. the contact stated that the driver's seat collapsed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact called an unknown dealer, but no repair appointment was scheduled. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of failure. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000. the vin was not available.

Broken seat welds drivers side power seat side nearest drivers door.seat leans considerably towards door. seat can be moved up and down several inches.this needs to be a recall.it is very common on the 2010 model.subaru needs to back quality.seat welds should never break.

Driver's side seat frame became detached from seat base while vehicle was stationary. the dealer confirmed that there are two welds that failed. the seat slopes sharply towards the door and the driver must sit at an awkward and unsafe angle. the dealer is concerned about this very dangerous situation should the vehicle be involved in an accident.

127k miles. driver side seat collapsed on driver side. when seated, driver slanted to left due to what i believe to be welding issue on this year and model. right side of seat still holds weight, but left side does not feel connected to seat frame. no accidents on vehicle. noticed after wife adjusted seat when she used for car for day.

The welds on the bottom front left side of the driver seat broke while car was not in motion or under abnormal stress. bottom of driver seat is not securely fastened to the frame. this appears to be a significant safety issue.

Failure of welding point on drivers side seat resulting in structural failure of seat. please see attached photo. this happened with normal use of the car without an accident.

The lower driver's seat frame snapped apart and now sags heavily on the left, making it far less safe in an accident. this forum is super full of people experiencing the exact same symptom: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/driver-s-seat-collapse-126336/index2.html#/topics/126336

The power driver's seat is not attached at the front of the seat on either side. it is only attached on the back side. both front welds appear to be broken. it does not respond correctly when using power controls. it shifts when entering the vehicle from side to side. does not seem safe at all. there are no loose parts apparent in the vehicle. i am not aware of exactly when the welds broke. it occurred at around 74,000 miles.

Front driver seat -- while driving heard a metal pop sound from the seat. after investigation the right side of the driver seat has separated from the seat tracks. seat has not been abused as drivers weight using this vehicle is < 225lbs. have seen several posts on subaru sites indicating left side of seat failure. this is right side of seat. the seat no sits lower on the right side causing awkward seating position, leaning toward center of vehicle for the driver. should vehicle be involved in crash i suspect the driver will not be properly positioned for proper restraint with seat belt and not center with the airbag potential deployment. all resulting in unnecessary driver injury. the vehicle has less than 90,000 miles.

There is an issue with the driver side power seat that collapses due to faulty welds particularly on the left side of the seat. in which the lower seat pad can become loose and potentially detach from the chair. a number of owners own forums have reported the same occurrences between typically between 60k and 80k miles of driving. depending on the degree of the collapse and the detachment it can present a safety risk to the driver. investigation should be conducted into this issue.

The front left weld on the driver's seat broke around 90,000 miles. this is a problem that at least 40 other drivers have bothered to report on this website. i was driving about 35 mph at the time the front left side of my seat sunk down and it's been stuck like that ever since.

Driver seat sagging due to broken seat frame. the spot weld, where the cushion attaches, is broken. the dealer wants $350 to replace.

Drivers seat support failure. my 2010 subaru forester limited has what appears to be a broken weld or support in the drivers seat. while the power seat still functions, the left side of the seat cushion/seat frame has collapsed. if the power seat is raised, only the right side rises creating an uneven seating surface and very uncomfortable and not particularly safe since the integrity of the seat is now in question. from looking at the www.subaruforester.org web site, this appears to be a problem that has happened to a number of other 2010 forester owners as well. the dealer feedback included on this website concludes that faulty/inadequate welds is the cause of the seat/seat support failures.

About 2 weeks ago the drivers seat started making a squeaking noise when would sit down. after 2 weeks of this squeaking noise, part of the drivers seat frame broke, seems to be a bad weld. when sitting on the seat, the front left side of the seat bottom sinks down. this seems incredibly unsafe and it's something that should never break in the first place. i am the original owner and weigh about 170 lbs. i'm not putting any unusual stress on the seat. looking online and doing some quick research, i see a lot of fellow 2010 owners who are starting to have the same problem. i will contact soa shortly because i expect them to pay for the repair. a recall would help, there are a lot of people who are having this issue. i can't trust the structural integrity of the drivers seat in a crash at the moment. the collapse of the seat happened when the vehicle was stationary.

As i got in my 2010 subaru forester the driver's seat with less than 60,000 miles snapped. the car was stationary at the time, and i weigh 180 pounds. the welding on the left side of the seat snapped and the seat then sat on the metal bracket underneath. if this had happened while i was driving it could have been very dangerous. *tr

It appears seat weld broke on driver's seat where it attaches to bracket. after searching online i found this is very common. it could pose a hazard to the safe operation of the vehicle and potentially come loose in an accident.

The driver's seat collapses on the left side when driver gets in. based on internet seaches this is a known issue with subaru forester seats.

Entered vehicle and sat down on drivers seat and there was a loud pop and the left front corner of the driver seat dropped. removed side cover and found two welds broken from bracket that goes to the seat bottom. after looking on safercar.gov found same issue with other foresters. the car was bought new and was never abused. never had a problem with it until now.

Sat down in drivers seat to drive, everything normal. approx 1.5-2 minutes later while driving straight, approx. 10-15 mph over a slightly bumpy neighborhood street, i hear a small "snap" underneath seat and front left part of driver seat collapses. seat feels very unstable and off center, almost to the point of being unsafe while turning and using pedals. upon looking underneath the seat; the front bracket had snapped from the 2 spot welds holding it upright. can not fix on my own, must be welded.

Driver side seat collapsed on front left side offering no support. awkward seating position. after doing research it seems to be common and is a welding issue. it happens while i was driving making a turn almost causing an accident.

The driver's side power seat collapsed for the second time. a few months ago the right side collapsed. i found that the toggle bracket on the upper right seat frame broke loose from the lower scissor assembly that raises and lowers the seat. the toggle bracket is held the the scissor assembly by two spot welds. the spot welds broke loose causing the seat to fail. there was no subaru tsb or warranty coverage so i removed the seat and rewelded it. today i noticed that the left side toggle has broken loose at the same two spot welds. these welds are too weak for the application and subaru corp should issue a recall. i ask you: where's the love from subaru for their customers. there are many complaints for this problem on this govt website and a search on-line will reveal a lot more instances of this problem!

While sitting on the driver's seat, the front left portion of the seat collapsed downward, and now has no support from the frame of the seat. dealer has confirmed that the welds on the seat bracket have failed. this seems likely to be the result of a factory defect, as this seat has not been abused or had an abnormal amount of weight supported on it. my concern now is in the safety of the restraint system.

While fastening seatbelt, drivers seat, front left corner, made a "snap" noise and dropped slightly under driver's leg; now is unstable, does not support driver's left leg properly, feels uneven and off balance. vehicle was stationary, in parking lot.

The base of the driver's seat has broken loose at the left front corner

While sitting stationary in parking lot, drivers power seat suddenly dropped a few inches. upon inspection i noticed the front bracket which attaches to the underside of the seat had snapped (weld broke on the left side).

Failed spot weld on driver's seat left support bracket. left side of driver's seat collapses down without support.

I was driving when suddenly i felt a crack or snap in the lower front left portion of my driver's seat. the front left portion of the seat felt soft, when getting out of the car the seat sagging and shifting (unlike the right side of the seat). according to the dealer, it was due to the failure of a broken bracket or bolt and they will have to replace the front seat frame bracket for 381.00. there have been many reports of this defect in 2010 foresters on the internet and on this safety complaint log.

Drivers side seat cushion collapsed on left side and became loose due to a weld failure on the seat frame. i believe that the loose seat cushion compromises the integrity of the restraint system and warrants a safety recall.

Front left corner of driver seat fell/collapsed. bracket connected to frame of seat broke away. will have to be re-welded back to frame.

The front left corner of the driver's seat has broken and no longer provides support for your left leg. this corner of the seat collapses towards the floor when minimal force is applied. after investigating, two spot welds underneath the front left corner of the driver's seat have failed and have detached.

The spot weld that secures the front right of the driver's seat broke.

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 subaru forester. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, the front driver side seat fractured causing the contact to slide downward. the contact stated that he had to hold himself up using the steering wheel in order to drive. the failure recurred continuously. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 86,000. the vin was unavailable.

Noticed driver's seat (power) was not providing normal support on left side. assumed it was just age related deterioration at first, but when i investigated i found two welds on the seat frame assembly (pn 64100sc001) had failed. i was concerned that this might have an impact on the performance of the restraint systems and contacted dealer and subaru to seek assistance in a repair. none was offered. i ordered a replacement factory part from my dealer and notice that the replacement part had been modified by adding a screw to the welds holding the bracket on. checking on the internet, it appears that this is not an uncommon problem. i was able to replace the seat frame, but this requires removal and disassembly of the seat which is a fairly advanced diy job.

I got in my car and sat on the drivers seat and the left side of the seat dropped down. it appears that whatever was holding it up let go and now the support is not there. my left leg has no support, it's just resting very low. not good on my leg or back. *tr

When getting into the driver's seat i noticed the left side of my seat was 1-2 inches lower than the right side. when trying to adjust the seat, the controls moved the right side up and down, but the left side remains stationary at the bottom. also the lumbar support controls no longer function.

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