2011 SUBARU OUTBACK Service Brakes Problems

Just lost brakes. Was parked at an atm. In park, foot on brake as i was shifting into drive, brake pedal goes to floor and brake fluid leaks out... I see there was a recall for brake lines in Michigan. I've owned this car since 2020. All Brake pads are new as of 4/2025. This just occurred today on Sunday so I have not got the estimate yet.

The car was being driven down the road, when the brake pedal went soft. At that point the vehicle had lost all braking power. I pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and proceeded to check the vehicle. The vehicle brake reservoir was empty, and the line underneath the car was leaking fluid out. Then I called a tow truck to tow my vehicle to get repaired. The mechanic then told me about the recall WQK47r.

The brake system had a total failure. Driving down the road and the brake pedal went completely soft and was not providing any brakes. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road where the brake fluid resivor was empty and the underneath of the car was wet with brake fluid. The vehicle then was towed to a nearby mechanic to be inspected where they have come to the conclusion that the brake line box has become coroted. During the brake failure there were no warning signs and the only thing that prevented the vehicle from being involved in an accident was the use of engine braking and going up hill. The reason I’m reporting this is because after reviewing the internet to see what the average cost of the repair should be I came across a forum where this issue is become common place in my generation of Outback, as well as the previous generation which has a recall already on this same component. I’m also writing this report because I’m concerned with the amount of this type of vehicle on the road still and having a similar issue.

Going down the road and my breaks went to the floor, further inspection the back passenger 4 way block blew apart due to rust I looked online and there is so many of these cars the same year that this is happening to, would love to have this year and model included in the recall for breaks to get this fixed

Bought vehicle from Carvana, immediately noticed transmission shudder issues when driving near 50 mph. Brought vehicle in to multiple repair facilities. It had warped brakes, bad calipers, needed a new torque converter at least and the repair shop recommended a total transmission replacement. The whole vehicle shakes when driving near that speed or braking.

Rear brake lines at junction block right rear corroded.As is the sane situation with 2009 models and under and impreza models newer with same design cannot understand why this model year was passed by

1. Propulsion, acceleration, brakes, transmission- no longer available for inspection 2. The vehicle went completely out of control; I stood on the brakes as hard as I could but would not stop or slow the car at all. We careened down a hill and head on into a large tree 3. not reproduced or confirmed 4. Vehicle was inspected by insurance company and was declared a total loss 5. no signs of any malfunction prior to wreck

The parking brake actuator has failed. A recall already exists for this exact component but only extends to manual transmission vehicles. The recall for manual transmission vehicles is # 18V626000; the latest version of the part in question is Subaru part #26002AJ01E. The recall refers to a manufacturer defect. The quoted repair price for this issue is over $1300; the part alone is $850. At that price, many people (including me) simply cannot afford the repair and will have to forgo the added layer of safety provided by the parking brake. It is clear Subaru is aware of a manufacturer defect impacting a safety critical part but has minimized their costs by restricting the recall to a small subset of vehicles. Additionally, given that Subaru is charging $850 for a relatively simple component, Subaru may be seeking to profit from their own mistake. I request that NHTSA require Subaru to extend the recall to ALL vehicles with that component, not just the ones with manual transmissions. While automatic transmission vehicles have the parking gear manual transmission vehicles lack, I can think of a number of circumstances in which a parking brake could be critical. Barring that, I request NHTSA order the manufacturer of that component to provide repairs free of charge in the event of a failure.

The emergency brake light and traction symbol have started flashing when I’m driving and now the EB has stopped working. I’ve visiting the Subaru dealership twice and two other mechanics. They’ve all told me different reasons why my car is doing this. I’ve never had an emergency break stop working.

I have maintained my 2011 Outback well, and in August of 2023, while driving the vehicle, I lost the brakes. I had to fully depress the brake pedal to the floor in order to stop, fortunately not hitting the car in front of me . I brought the car to my local mechanic who advised me that the brake line rusted and failed as a result. As he was making the brake line repair, he advised me that there is SEVERE rusting to my underbody of my car and it's not normal. I then contacted Subaru Corporate Customer Service who asked me to bring the car into a Subaru Repair facility to have the car inspected. I brought the car into Ramsey Subaru, and with a charge of $150 to inspect the car, they advised me that the rust is significant and is unsafe to drive. They proceeded to quote me an estimated repair bill of over $6,000 to correct the rust issues. I then contacted Subaru Corporate HQ (Case #231011-1901134) and they advised me that the car is old, and there's nothing that they can do to assist me. However, what I'd like to bring to your attention, is the Outback model up to 2010, had a brake line rusting issue and they had a recall on it. In addition, when you search for 'Rust on Subaru" you can see that previous models years have been identified with Body Frame rusting issues, that prompted a recall on previous models. My ask is? Have you be contacted by other 2011 Subaru Outback owners about severe rust issues, and as a result lost their brakes and were told there car in no longer safe to drive?

Rear brake line rusted through at 4 way connector and again on side of tank. It is visible to inspect when a plastic cover is removed. The brakes failed and the car would not stop. The brake light did not appear until after I applied the brake pedal to stop. This could have caused a serious accident.

The rear brakes lines have rusted out to the point of leaking. Could of loss brakes on the road!

My mechanic tells me my Outback's K frame/engine cradle is rotting out where the control arms are attached. This is obviously a common problem with this run of vehicles, and leads to catastrophic failure. Further, the rear brake lines have rotted, and the geniuses ran them above the fuel tank, which would have to be dropped in order to repair. I believe this is a common enough problem to warrant investigation.

July 2023 badly leaking hard brake lines, apparently at Right Rear underbody 4-way connector. This caused radically diminished braking capability, rendering car not drivable.

When the check engine light is illuminated for any reason, it could be as simple as the gas cap isn't tight. It is designed to disable the cruise control, disable the traction control and what I feel is a safety factor, it disables the electronic hill holder. Being this is a manual transmission vehicle it has an electric parking brake. When the hill holder is activated, if you stop on a steep grade for traffic or traffic light, the electronic parking brake engages until you start to release the clutch. This would not be an issue on an automatic transmission, but on a manual transmission gravity will make the car start to roll backwards. I don't know how the design engineers figured this was a good idea to disable this when the check engine light illuminates. Also the fact that the parking brake is strictly a parking brake, it is not an emergency brake as it cannot be activated while the vehicle is moving. If you lose the service brakes for any reason, it's impossible to bring the car to a stop using the emergency brake as it will only beep because the car is in motion. I do believe that the braking system should in no way be interrupted due to a check engine light, supposedly this is done to get the driver's attention, but it seems a compromises the safety of the driver and passengers as well as any vehicle that could pull up close behind not knowing that it's a manual transmission and could roll backwards on startup. I just feel this is a flaw In the design of the electric parking brake and hill holder assist used on these vehicles with manual transmissions. This is not an isolated issue, this will happen anytime that the service engine light or check engine light if you will becomes illuminated. No specific date, just anytime that the check engine light becomes illuminated while driving.

rear break line failure at the junction box... complete rotten off... all other lines coating and integrity visually ok... defect in coating ..

Brake light came on while driving and brake pedal went to the floor..suddenly...NO brakes at all. Towed into repair facility and was informed the rear brake lines had rusted out and that the repair was major because of the routing of the rear lines under the rear seat and floor panel...a very bad rust area. Location is Maine. It was pointed out to me that there was a tech Bulletin and recall for Subaru Outbacks up to 2009....but the problem remained in the later models. MAJOR expense to access and replace the rear lines and route them properly with rust proofing! HELP!

Upon application of the brakes approaching a stoplight, the vehicle pulled sharply to the right, entering the right lane from the left and was rendered unsafe to operate due to this condition. Had a vehicle been present at this time in the right lane, a collision would have likely occurred. Upon inspection by the mechanic, the front engine frame had broken on the right side. The broken area has two (2) large rust holes on the top and bottom sides of the box frame. Directly above the two (2) rust holes the drain for the air conditioning condenser is located. Illinois, like 22 other states in the U.S., uses road salt to combat icy road conditions. The combination of road salt with the location of the air conditioner drain tube directly above the frame failure point leads ut to reasonably conclude that this model has a design defect that led to the failure. A remedy for this issue would be to simply extend the drain tube approx. 5" so the water dripping from the air conditioning condenser does not drop onto the top, flat portion of the engine frame where road salt may accumulate over time. In addition, 1. I have possession of the original frame for inspection by the NHTSA. 2. At the time of the repair, the mechanic ordered the replacement dram from the local Subaru dealership. Our mechanic was informed that he was ordering the last remaining subframe assembly that Subaru of North America had in stock at that time.

Brakes become soft and sometimes depression of brake pedal to floor to activate brakes. Master cylinder appears to be in need of replacement

I was driving and suddenly loss almost all brake pressure. The brakes just went to the floor. Fortunately I was driving on a 30mph roadway near my home and was able to safely get the vehicle home. The mechanic said is it the brake lines corroded. Sudden loss of brake fluid. I see Subaru has recalls on earlier years for this. You need to get them to recall 2010 and 2011 Subaru Outbacks for this brake line issue. I see all over the internet other folks have the same problem with the 2010 and 2011. This is going to cause a major accident and people could. be killed. Had I been on the highway and this happened, I know this could have caused a terrible accident. Subaru is clearly aware of this brake line problem and you have not informed the customer that this is happening with the 2010 and 2011 Outbacks! Please take action immediately to inform owner of this problem. We have a right to know.

Partial brake failure while driving on Interstate. When applying brakes, the dash light came on and the pedal went to the floor. Car stopped, but braking distance was very long. The problem was caused by the failure of a brake junction on the right rear side, due to rust.

I have being experiencing shuddering and a few stalls on the highway and at red lights. While I have been able no maneuver through this, I find it do be extremely dangerous for myself and others, and in one instance it came really close to be a coalition.

The Brake line on 2011 Subaru Outback are leaking in the rear. This vehicle is not listed under the " WQK-47 – Brake Line Corrosion – 2005-2014 Subaru", recall. But is exhibits the same problems. When Subaru USA was contacted, Customer Service said they was nothing they could do because the vehicle is not listed in the recall, regardless of it showing the same issues. The brake caution light was on. Brake fluid in reservoir was a minimum, I filled it to max level with Dot 3 brake fluid. Two days later the light came on with fluid level at minimum again. This is the family car and I do not want my wife or kids to have brake failure while driving. The above mentioned recall seems to be exactly what I am experiencing. When looking form below the vehicle fluid is leaking form the 2-2way connection area. Onset 5/15/2021. Vehicle is not currently being driven due to safety concerns.

THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. I'M GOING 70 MPH, AND MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT IS FLASHING FOR NO REASON. IT'S WAS NOT ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, JUST SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING 5 MINUTES INTO MY TRIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD AND TRIED RESET MY E BRAKE. IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF NO MATTER WHAT I DID. ONCE IN PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW MY CAR HOME. MY MECHANIC USED A SCANNER TOOL TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY DESCRIBED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, ABOUT A YEAR BEFOREHAND. I WAS ALMOST HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT 50 MPH. TURNS OUT THE E BRAKE HAD ENGAGED WITHOUT IT BEING TOUCHED, AND THE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL SO MUCH DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. MY BREAKS HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOT ONLY WAS THIS A VERY UNEXPECTED AND EXPENSIVE FIX, BUT ALSO PUT ME AND OTHERS IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF MY BEAKS SUDDENLY LOCK ON ME OR GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AGAIN, SOMEBODY COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. PLEASE, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN. I NEED MY CAR TO WORK.

Mileage: 145,000

BRAKES MUSHY, EXCESSIVE PEDAL TRAVEL, HAVE TO PUMP THEM UP TO STOP. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. HAVE HAD NEW ROTORS, NEW PADS, DEALER FLUSH AND REFILL INCLUDING ABS WITH COMPUTER. NO CHANGE. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SUSPECTED, ESPECIALLY AS THERE WAS APPARENTLY A RECALL REGARDING CERTAIN 2012 MODEL OUTBACKS, I BELIEVE THAT ISSUE MAY APPLY HERE TOO. DANGEROUS

Mileage: 70,000

A BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MALFUNCTION. IT CAUSES AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL DISTANCE REQUIRED TO SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE. 2012 SUBARUS WERE RECALLED. IS MY 2011 RECALLED? IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

Mileage: 85,700

ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHILE BRAKING OVER POTHOLES, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED (AND ONCE JUST DRIVING DOWN A HILL TOWARD A STOP SIGN), THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES VERY SOFT AND IS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF TRAVEL DISTANCE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FIRST SEVERAL TIMES THE ISSUE SEEMED TO RESOLVE ITSELF AND I FIGURED IT WAS JUST A RESULT OF THE ROAD CONDITIONS. WHEN IT CONTINUED TO OCCUR I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE ISSUE AGAIN RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND THEREFORE NOTHING WAS DONE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER IT OCCURRED AGAIN, AND AGAIN THE ISSUE RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT IT. HOWEVER, THEY PERFORMED A BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AS A PRECAUTION. THREE MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE ENTERING THE ON-RAMP TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS FINALLY ABLE TO VERIFY THE CONCERN. THEY RE-FLUSHED THE SYSTEM AND ALSO REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER (WHICH WAS A RECALL ISSUE IN OTHER MODELS) AS A FORM OF GOOD WILL. WE ALL ASSUMED THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED AND I ONCE AGAIN TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE. EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT ONCE AGAIN RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE A TECHNICIAN COULD LOOK AT IT, THEREFORE NOTHING MORE WAS TO BE DONE. I AM NOT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ROUGHLY. THERE ARE SOME ROADS IN OUR AREA THAT ARE JUST POORLY MAINTAINED AND THERE WAS ONE OCCASION WHERE SIMPLY PULLING OFF THE ROAD AND INTO THE GRASS TRIGGERED THE ISSUE. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND I'M TOLD THERE ISN'T MUCH ELSE THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME.

Mileage: 80,000

I WAS DRIVING THIS VEHILCE WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULDNT STOP COMPLETLY, I HAD TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK,, PERHAPS CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION, UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THE REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION UNDER FUEL TANK SHIELD. BRAKE LINES HAVE A PROTECTIVE COATING TO HELP PREVENT THIS, HOWEVER WHERE THE LINES EXIT THE BODY OF THE CAR UNDER THE REAR SEAT THEY CONNECT INTO A JUNCTION BLOCK THEN PROCEED TO EACH REAR WHEEL, AT THIS JUNCTION THE PROTECTIVE COATING WAS REMOVED ALLOWING SALT SPRAY FROM OUR WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS TO LEAD TO CORROSION AND FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM.. PREVIOUS MODELS HAD A RECALL WQK-47 THAT EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE, BUT THIS VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED,

Mileage: 140,000

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND FREEWAYS, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, I HAVE NO BRAKES. NO BRAKE LIGHT OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CEL) ON THE DASH. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FIREWALL. THE CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT; A VERY STRESSFUL AND ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING MOMENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, BRAKES ARE NORMAL. THEN, IT HAPPENS AGAIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER. IN TOTAL, IT HAS HAPPENED SEVEN TIMES. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND EXPLAINED MY CONCERNS. THE SERVICE WRITER INITIALLY RESPONDED THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO (THE CONDITION CANNOT BE RECREATED; IT JUST HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING). I ASKED IF HE WOULD INQUIRE WITH OTHER SERVICE WRITERS TO SEE IF THEY WERE AWARE OF SUCH AN ISSUE. IRONICALLY, ANOTHER CUSTOMER'S CAR WAS THERE AT THAT VERY TIME, WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT/PROBLEM BEING DIAGNOSED. AFTER DIAGNOSTICS; IT WAS RECOMMENDED THE MASTER CYLINDER BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM REPLACE IT WITH OEM PART 26401AJ001 AS WELL AS DOING A BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AND FILLING WITH NEW BRAKE FLUID. THIS WAS IN NOVEMBER 2019. SINCE THEN, THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE MORE TIMES (MOST RECENTLY, TWO DAYS AGO). I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2012 OUTBACK MASTER CYLINDERS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. WHY ISN'T THIS RECALL BROADER AND RELATED TO ALL CARS WITH THESE IDENTICAL (SAME PART NUMBER) MASTER CYLINDERS? DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE BAD BRAKE SYSTEMS ARE REPAIRED? I'VE RESEARCHED AND COLLECTIVELY FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF DEALERSHIP SERVICE WRITERS WHEN THEY SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE LOVED MY SUBARU; HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE NEEDS TO STOP WHEN MY BRAKES ARE APPLIED-EVERY TIME; NOT WITH THE FEAR OF; IS TODAY GOING TO BE THE DAY OF FAILURE YET AGAIN?

Mileage: 102,128

ON 2/11/20 AROUND 12:30PM ET, I WAS APPROACHING THE HIGHWAY VIA AN ONRAMP, AND MY SPEED WAS BARELY 25 MPH. SUDDENLY, AS I WAS ON THE APPROACH-ROAD, I SUDDENLY FELT THAT THE STEERING WAS LOCKED AND TURNING ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY (EITHER STEERING OR ANTI-LOCK MALFUNCTION). IT HIT THE FENCE AND THEN TURNED (FLIPPED) ON ITS DRIVER SIDE AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PICTURE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SO PLEASE MAKE A PROPER INVESTIGATION. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. MY DAMAGED CAR IS IN 'COUNTY TOWING' IN 49 FULLERTON AVE, YONKERS, NY 10704, PHONE: (914) 423-1101

Mileage: 180,000

CAR STALLS OUT WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, ESPECIALLY IF I HAVE TO STOP SHORT DUE TO BEING CUT OFF. CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC, SO THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AND IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN CARS ARE COMING BEHIND ME. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND EACH TIME THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THUS NO DIAGNOSIS. AFTER READING ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM TO SUBARU WITH A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER.

Mileage: 78,291

2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE BRAKE PEDAL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING A CRASH. THE BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FAILED CAUSING THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. *JS

THE REAR BRAKE LINES ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED AT THE REAR BLOCK, NECESSITATING A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. IT APPEARS THAT OTHER MODELS OF THIS SAME YEAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE OUTBACK. SURELY THEY HAVE THE SAME BRAKE SYSTEMS.

Mileage: 109,000

BETWEEN 2011 AND 2019 WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS FOR A SECOND TIME. THE ORIGINAL SET OF BRAKES AND ROTORS LASTED ABOUT 31K MILES AND WERE REPLACED IN 2015. NOW IN 2019 THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE FAILED AGAIN AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MILEAGE DRIVEN FROM 2015 TO 2019 IS 19K MILES. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN 5 DAYS A WEEK AND SINCE MAY OF 2019, SIX DAYS A WEEK. THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS. BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, WENT TO THE FLOOR FASTER THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD HAVE. THAT WAS WHEN I SET THE APPOINTMENT TO FIND OUT WHY.

Mileage: 51,174

NOTICED THAT DOME/MAP LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND FRONT TIME CLOCK OUT. THEN WHEN GOING TO PUT IT IN PARK THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND RAN INTO A FENCE CAUSING DAMAGE TO FRONT END OF VEHICLE. PARKING BREAK HAS NOT WORKED FOR SOME TIME EITHER.

Mileage: 120,000

DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN AROUND IN A DRIVEWAY AND NEEDED TO STOP AND SWITCH REVERSE. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO SWITCH GEARS AND HIT GARAGE WALL.

Mileage: 130,000

MY 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A TIRE CHANGE AND UPON RETURN, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND LEAKING FLUID. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS FOUND OUT AFTER I DROVE IT OUT OF THE SHOP AND I HAD NO ABILITY TO STOP WHATSOEVER. LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED BEYOND BELIEF IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR. COINCIDENTLY THIS ISSUE IS KNOWN AND RECALLS ALREADY OCCURRED IN 2014 WITH 660,000 SUBARUS. HOWEVER, MY SPECIFIC YEAR WAS NOT A PART OF THIS RECALL. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD MINIMAL CORROSIONS OR AT LEAST THE EXPECTED LEVEL AFTER 8 YEARS OF SERVICE. THE BRAKE LINES THEMSELVES HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CORROSION AND THIS COULD HAVE EASILY LEAD TO AN AWFUL ACCIDENT. THIS IS POOR ENGINEERING AND I BELIEVE THAT SUBARU IS TO BLAME. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE AND SUBARU SEEMS UNSYMPATHETIC. THERE IS NO WAY A BRAKE LINE IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR SHOULD BECOME CORRODED SO QUICKLY. IT'S REASONABLE TO SAY THAT THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT OR BACK LEFT AND RIGHT LINES COULD HAVE BEEN PINCHED WHEN THE CAR TURNS, CREATING A LEAK OF SOME KIND. HOWEVER, THE CENTER OF THE CAR AND THE FITMENTS THAT PIECE THE BRAKE LINE TOGETHER WERE BEYOND SHOT. I FIND IT STRANGE THAT 2005-2009 OUTBACKS WERE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT WHAT CHANGED WITH 2010 AND BEYOND? MY GUESS IS THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHOS RAN INTO THE SAME ISSUE. THE POOR ENGINEERING WITH THIS MODEL IS MOST CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN.

Mileage: 126,000

ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE DEFECTIVE. NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN PUSHING IN THE BUTTON OR PULLING. THE BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH. THIS FEATURE NO LONGER WORKS, AND APPEARS TO ALSO EFFECT THE HILL HOLDER AS THIS NO LONGER WORKS EITHER. ISN'T SAFE TO PUT ONTO A JACK WHILE CHANGING A TIRE WITH THIS FUNCTION NOT WORKING AS IT WILL ROLL OFF THE JACK.

THE TRACTION, OIL TEMP, BRAKE SIGN TURNS ON IN MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BRAKE SIGN IS A SAFETY ISSSUE.

Mileage: 100

I WAS DRIVING HOME TONIGHT AND THE CAR STALLED EVERYTHING QUIT WORKING, THE CAR JUMPED A FEW TIMES AND TURNED BACK ON. I LOST BRAKES AND NO STEERING COMING DOWN A 8 % GRADE. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND IT KEPT DOING IT. I WAS OUT OF CELL SERVICE RANGE SO I COULD NOT CALL FOR HELP. IT WAS SCARY. I GOT HOME AND I SEE THERE WAS A RECALL BUT MY CAR IS OUT OF THAT RECALL RANGE AT 100000 MILES. I JUST PAID 11,000 FOR THIS CAR. I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS KNOWN ISSUE.

Mileage: 150,930

IN OCT. 2018 SUBARU SENT ME A LETTER REGARDING THE SAFETY RECALL WTV-81 (NHTSA ID 18V-626). THIS RECALL STATES THAT THE MY VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE (EPB) MAY CRACK OVER TIME AND THAT REMEDY PARTS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. IT IS NOW MARCH, 2019 AND A REMEDY STILL HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND IF MY EPB FAILS, THIS WILL CAUSE MY CALL TO ROLL AWAY AND CRASH. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE REPEATEDLY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR ME. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT IT WILL PUSH SUBARU TO ACTIVELY FIND A REMEDY FOR THIS RECALL.

BRAKES FADE AND FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION CAUSING NEAR COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VEHICLES.

Mileage: 90,000

THE GREEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK . I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO RELEASE THE GREEN LIGHT IT CAME OFF ON ITS OW. THE SAME THING HAS OCCURRED, BOTH THE RED AND GREEN LIGHT ARE ON AND NOT GOING OFF.

Mileage: 71,440

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP, EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE INTERMITTENTLY OCCURRED. THE CRUISE CONTROL, OVERHEAT, BRAKE AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN AT A STOP SIGN IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT STEADILY BEING DEPRESSED THE BRAKE WOULD DISENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED CONTINENTAL SUBARU DEALER (907) 562-2722, 4900 OLD SEWARD HWY, ANCHORAGE, AK 99503) WHERE IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HWY. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON BRAKES, SO I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES, CAR TURKED TO A STOP WHILE ENGINE STALLED. DEAD STOP ON INTERSTATE. NOT A GOOD THING. I STARTED IT BACK UP, KEPT DRIVING, WHEN , I CAME TO A SAFER STOP SIGN. I TRIED TO STEP ON BRAKES LIKE I HAD DONE ON INTERSTATE AND IT TURKED TO A STOP AGAIN STALLING. IT DOESN'T SEEM SAFE TO ME. I AM GLAD NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME ON INTERSTATE OR I AM AFRAID IT WOULD NOT HAVE ENDED WELL.

Mileage: 100,000

WHILE BRAKING AT INTERSECTIONS, ENGINE STALLS CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR MY WIFE AND SELF. WE ARE BEGINNING TO FEAR DRIVING OUR SUBARU.

Mileage: 130,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT POWER DOWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE FAILURE, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Mileage: 40,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ABS, BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE, AND CRUISE CONTROL INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME AND CONTACTED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A FUNCTION TEST OF THE ABS PUMP/MODULE AND WAS ABLE TO CLEAR ALL THE CODES. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER ONE YEAR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,986.

Mileage: 61,986

I HAVE 103.5K MILES AND MY MASTER CYLINDER IS GOING OUT. I WAS TOLD THE 2012 OUTBACK HAD ISSUES ALSO. WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR.

Mileage: 103,500

WHILE DRIVING, IF YOU HAVE TO STOP QUICKLY AND STEP ON THE BRAKES HARD THE CAR ENGINE STALLS. THIS PUTS THE CAR IN JEOPARDY OF BEING HIT FROM BEHIND AND INJURY TO THE PASSENGERS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS - BOTH LOW SPEED AND HIGHWAY SPEED.

Mileage: 81,000

TWICE IN JULY THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT THE TIME. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD RELEASE. AFTER THE SECOND OCCURRENCE THE DASH WARNING LIGHT FOR BRAKES FLASHED FOR ABOUT 50 MILES. MY LOCAL DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED ELECTRONIC PARKING CONTROL MODULE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEMATIC DESIGN IF THIS WERE TO ENGAGE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION.

Mileage: 83,000

ON 06/12/2016, I ATTEMPTED TO ACTUATE THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE, TO NO AVAIL ONCE AGAIN. PARKING ON A HILL IS RATHER RISKY WITH THIS VEHICLE AS THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION MOST OF THE TIME, SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN 50 YRS OF DRIVING USING A MANUAL PARKING BRAKE. SO I HAVE MADE MY OWN PARKING BRAKE (SEE ATTACHED).

Mileage: 46,745

ONCE AGAIN THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE IS NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE 'BRAKE' LIGHT IS FLASHING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE [XXX] PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION. MY WIFE SAYS "I NEED A DEPENDABLE VEHICLE". OBVIOUSLY THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY. THE AUSTRALIANS AND RECALLED THIS BRAKE FOR YEAR 2015 AND WILL PROBABLY DO SAME FOR OTHER YEARS. ATTACHED YOU WILL SEE A LIST OF THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A LONG LIST. THIS IS FAULTY DESIGN, PURE AND SIMPLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 46,700

ON 5/30/16 THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL AGAIN. IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE "BRAKE" LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS PARKED ON A HILL AND COULD NOT ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE DUE TO MALFUNCTION. WHAT IF THE TRANSMISSION COG COULD NOT HOLD THE CAR? IT WOULD HAVE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND DONE UNTOLD DAMAGE. THIS ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT IS DANGEROUS AS A CRITICAL SAFETY ELEMENT OF THE CAR. THE 2015 OUTBACK HAS BEEN RECALLED IN AUSTRALIA FOR THIS VERY ISSUE.

Mileage: 46,705

THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ON THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. LAST EVENING IS AN EXAMPLE. PARKED ON SLOPE IN DRIVEWAY AND ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. WHEN TIME TO LEAVE THE BRAKE COULD NOT BE DISENGAGED. IT WAS LOCKED UP. HAD TO MANUALLY DECOUPLE THE PARKING BRAKE WITH SPECIAL TOOL. MOST OF THE TIME THIS BRAKE CANNOT BE ENGAGED AS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS UNRESPONSIVE. THE "BRAKE" DASH LIGHT JUST FLASHES AND A 'CHIRP' IS HEARD WHEN THE BUTTON IS PUSHED. PARKING BRAKES ARE TERRIBLY IMPORTANT IN HILLY ENVIRONS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE THUS RECALLED/REDESIGNED TO A MORE DEPENDABLE SYSTEM (IE. MANUAL LEVER/CABLE BRAKE).

Mileage: 46,700

70% OF THE TIME I TRY TO ACTIVATE THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE, THE COMPUTER JUST 'CHIRPS' AND THE 'BRAKE' LIGHT ON THE DASH BLINKS. THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ACTUATED THUS THE VEHICLE IS AT RISK OF ROLLING DOWN A HILL WITH NOONE AT THE WHEEL. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE RECALLED AT LEAST AND REDESIGNED TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF DEPENDABILITY. IT IS A BRAKE FOR GOD'S SAKE!!

Mileage: 46,600

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, BRAKES APPLIED, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. VEHICLE PULLED OFF ROAD INTO PARKING LOT. VEHICLE TOWED TO SUBARU DEALER. VEHICLE INSPECTED, DEALER STATES REAR BRAKE LINE SEPARATED FROM COUPLING, DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. DEALER FURTHER STATES THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT BRAKE LINES AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN NORTH AMERICA, NOR DO DEALERS HAVE ANY INVENTORY. D3ALER IS FORCED TO CRAFT BRAKE LINE TO RETURN VEHICLE TO SERVICE.

Mileage: 86,000

THE BATTERY WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AFTER 4 YRS. SERVICE. REPLACED BATTERY WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATIONS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE IS NONFUNCTIONAL. SEARCH FOR ERROR CODES USING OBDII WAS NON-PRODUCTIVE. A BRAKE SHOULD WORK WHENEVER NEEDED, NOT WHEN THE COMPUTER (OR OTHER PERIPHERAL DEVICE) DECIDES WHEN IT SHOULD WORK. THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM AUTOMOBILE DESIGN. THIS SHOULD BE A HIGH PRIORITY SAFETY CONCERN AS PROPERTY AND PEOPLE ARE AT RISK FROM NON-FUNCTIONAL BRAKES.

Mileage: 44,620

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD AT THE A STOPPING POINT OF THE CAR IT KILLS THE ENGINE LEAVING YOU DEAD IN THE STREET. EMERGENCY PRESSURE HARD! OTHER THAN THAT THE BRAKES WORK GREAT. NOW IF YOU PUSH TRANS INTO NEUTRAL AND BRAKE HARD AS YOU WILL THE ENGINE IS NOT EFFECTED AND KEEPS ON RUNNING. THIS IS A AUTOMATIC BUT IT FEELS LIKE YOU DID NOT DEPRESS THE CLUTCH ON STOPPING THE CAR IF IT WERE A STANDARD STICK SHIFT TRANS. THERE IS A BUCKING AT STOPPING THEN THE ENGINE IS DEAD IN THE STREET. IF YOU LET UP THE BRAKE BEFORE THIS KILLS THE MOTOR THEN IT KEEPS RUNNING OR IF JUST LIGHT BRAKING THAT IS NORMAL NEEDED NO PROBLEM. OTHER THAN THAT DANGEROUS CONDITION IN CITY TRAFFIC THE CAR RUNS GREAT. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM NEVER IN 30+ YEARS OF AUTO MECH TRADE HAVE I RUN ACROSS THIS IN ANY WORLD BRAND NAME CARS. *TR

Mileage: 107,000

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS BRAKE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL (ALL WHEEL DRIVE) LIGHT AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING ALL AT ONCE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL THE LIGHTS FLASH BECAUSE MOST DRIVERS IGNORE JUST THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AT THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD THE SAME THING WITH THE ADDITION OF THE FACTS THAT THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS WERE ACTUALLY DISABLED DURING THIS INCIDENT. DURING THE CONVERSATION IT WAS SAID THAT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, A "REFLASH " OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS NEEDED AND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON SOME OUTBACKS. I ASKED WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL IF THE PROBLEM WAS KNOWN AND WAS TOLD THEY JUST FIXED THE PROBLEM WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE IF THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ON ICE OR SNOW OR WET ROAD , VEHICLE STABILITY WOULD BE COMPROMISED. I THINK SUBARU SHOULD AT LEAST BE MADE TO RECALL THE SUSPECTED VEHICLES AND FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH IT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN TO ALL VEHICLES. *TR

Mileage: 57,000

I PULLED UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY COMING HOME FROM SHOPPING AS USUAL, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5:45PM ON JAN 7, 2014. THE ROAD TO MY HOUSE AND MY DRIVEWAY HAVE AN INCLINE. I PULLED IN MY DRIVEWAY WHICH WAS DRY (THE STREET WAS ICY) STOPPED, TURNED OFF CAR, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. MY FOOT BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO TENSION, I TRIED IT OVER AND OVER AS MY CAR WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT TO HIT THE ELECTRONIC EMERGENCY BRAKE, NOTHING HAPPENED MY CAR WAS OFF ROLLING BACKWARDS OUT OF CONTROL PICKING UP SPEED, I THOUGHT THE ONLY THING THAT WILL STOP THIS CAR IS WHEN IT HITS SOMETHING, AND THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT! IT HIT THE ELECTRICAL BOX AND MAILBOX AND KNOCKED POWER OUT IN MY CUL-DE-SAC. THE ELECTRIC BOX FLIPPED OVER AND CAUGHT MY REAR TIRE AND STOPPED THE CAR! THIS WAS A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, NO WAY TO STOP THE CAR!! VERY SCARY! I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER AND I AM 59. I HAVE VIDEO OF THE OFFICER PUSHING THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE NOT ENGAGING! *TR

Mileage: 31,000

MY 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK EXHIBITS BRAKE FAILURE INTERMITTENTLY UPON FIRST START OF THE ENGINE. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHILE I WAS APPLYING HEAVY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. AFTER A SERIES OF ACTUATIONS, THE BRAKES BEGIN TO WORK NORMALLY. TO DATE, THIS HAS NOT LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE AND AS A RESULT, HAVE INDICATED THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE FAILURE DOES NOT OCCUR EVERYDAY, SO IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE. DURING THE FIRST VISIT, THEY INDICATED THEY FOUND A LEAKING HOSE THAT WAS THE CAUSE, BUT THEN THE ISSUE RETURNED. AT MY REQUEST, THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE FLUID, BUT THIS ISSUE RETURNED ONCE AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU USA WHO ALSO STATED THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. *TR

Mileage: 31,792

WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON I-65 THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN, THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHTS BEGAN BLINKING. AND AS WE PULLED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKES HAVING SEIZED. THE CAR WAS STARTED AGAIN BUT COULD NOT MOVE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHT KEPT BLINKING. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE BRAKES UNLOCKED AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE TOWED TO THE SUBARU DEALER IN NASHVILLE. THE SERVICE DEPT. TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. WHILE THE TEST SHOWED THAT A "BRAKING EVENT" HAD OCCURRED, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A CURRENT PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN DROVE THE CAR 50 MILES WITH A MONITOR, BUT EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. WE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE SINCE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETECTED, AND BOUGHT A NEW OUTBACK TO DRIVE HOME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IF OUR CAR HAD STOPPED IN A MIDDLE OR LEFT LANE OF THE EXPRESSWAY, WITH LARGE TRUCK TRAFFIC GOING 70 MPH., A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

Mileage: 30,746

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED THAT WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE A FAILURE CODE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION DRIVE BELT HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 55,000

I PURCHASED A SUBARU OUTBACK (2011). SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER OF "SOFT BRAKES." THE CAR DOES NOT STOP IN A TIMELY, OR EFFECTIVE MANNER. I HAVE TO OVERCOMPENSATE FOR ROUTINE STOPPING DISTANCES; AND, YOU CANNOT PANIC STOP. THERE IS AT LEAST 2 INCHES OF PLAY IN THE BRAKE; IT FAILS TO STOP ADEQUATELY IN A SAFE MANNER; AND THE BRAKES ARE SIMPLY UNRESPONSIVE IN AN EMERGENCY STOP. *TR

I BELIEVE MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED ON MY 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK AND IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN SOMEONE IN AUTO SAFETY DATA COLLECTION NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN AN OFF RAMP DURING SNOWY CONDITIONS. I APPLIED MY BRAKES AT AROUND 35 MPH AND THEY ABRUPTLY LOCKED UP. THERE WAS NO SHUTTER/SHIMMER EFFECT THAT I MIGHT EXPECT WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AS THEY GO ON AND OFF WHILE TRYING TO GRIP THE ROAD. I APPLIED THEM AGAIN WITH THE SAME JOLT FOLLOWED BY SLIDING. I TRIED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION. THOUGH THE LONG OFF RAMP DID SLOW ME DOWN, AT ABOUT 15 MPH (I THINK) I PLOWED THE LEFT FRONT OF MY CAR INTO THE FORD RANGER IN FRONT OF ME. THIS IMPRESSIVELY CRUSHED THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF MY CAR AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRONT BUMPER, BUT IT HIT AT THE UPPER 2-3 INCHES OF THE BUMPER. I'M NOT SURE IF THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED WITH THIS TYPE OF IMPACT, BUT IF THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY THEN SOMEONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT TOO. *TR

AS BRAKES WERE STEPPED ON CAR WAS SLOW TO RESPOND TO BRAKING PRESSURE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BUT FINALLY CAME TO A STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ON SUBSEQUENTLY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL I HAD BRAKE RESPONSE, BUT IF I KEPT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. THIS IS UNUSUAL AS UP UNTIL THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS A VERY SOLID BRAKE FEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD STOP AND HOLD ABOUT HALFWAY TO THE FLOOR. ALSO OF NOTE AND REPORTED IS THAT AT 1500 MILE THIS CAR HAD STEERING VIBRATION AND STEERING CONTROL ISSUES, WHICH WERE FINALLY ADDRESSED AT 11,500 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 33,000