2000 Subaru Outback Brakes Problems

EXPERIENCED POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE INCLUDING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE, VIBRATION, AND STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY. INSPECTION OF RIGHT FRONT DISC BRAKES SHOWED INSIDE BRAKE PAD WORN UNEVENLY. BRAKE CALIPER IS TWO-PISTON SYSTEM AND UNEVEN WEAR WAS DUE TO ONE CYLINDER NOT WORKING. SITUATION REPEATED APPROX. EIGHT MONTHS LATER ON LEFT SIDE AND NOW RIGHT SIDE SHOWS REPEAT OF SAME PROBLEM. REPAIR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE CALIPER ASSEMBLY. *TR

1. EMERGENCY BRAKING FROM 50+ MPH ON A FREEWAY BECAUSE THE DRIVER IN FRONT, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, "JUST STOPPED"! 2. 2000 OUTBACK FAILED TO SLOW. HIT REAR OF THE LEXUS SUV. "TORPEDOED" UNDER THE SUV UP TO 1/2 THE HOOD LENGTH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT (AGAIN!) 3. CAR IS TOTALED! THIS IS THE 2ND MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIES ANY PRODUCT DEFECT. *NM

I OWN A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A ROUTINE STOP IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, SO I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES SEEMED TO ENGAGE (I COULD FEEL THE STUTTERING) BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW QUICKLY ENOUGH AT ALL. NOTABLY THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 8DEGREES FAHRENHEIT WITHOUT WINDCHILL. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT SUBARU HAS RECALLED OLDER (1999) AND LATER (2002) MODELS FOR THIS EXACT SITUATION (HYDROLIC MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW TEMPERATURES). I PLAN TO CONTACT SUBARU TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR POSITION IS ON THIS. I DO NOT FEEL THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW.*AK

CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS PULLING TO RIGHT. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/2 WAY DOWN BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE AT ALL. PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO FLOOR WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT BY MY 120LB WIFE. ABS DID NOT ENGAGE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED - IMPACT SPEED WAS 30 TO 35 MPH. DEALER INSISTS BRAKES ARE OK. 2001 MODEL HAS 13 INCH DISCS AND IT STOPS GREAT! (OUR RENTAL IS A 2001 OUTBACK WAGON). WE LOVE THE CAR, IT JUST WORRIES US THAT IT DOESN'T STOPPROPERLY AND THE AIRBAGS DON'T GO OFF - APPARENTLY THE 'COMPUTER' DEEMED IT "UNECESSARY" ALTHOUGH IT WAS A HEAD-ON, SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT, COLLISION!*AK

BRAKES ARE VERY SOFT OR MUSHY AND ARE SLOW TO RESPOND. THEY DO NOT EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE UNTIL THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED VERY CLOSE TO THE FLOOR, THUS REQUIRING AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME AND DISTANCE TO STOP. THE INADEQUACY OF PERFORMACE CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY, IN MY JUDGMENT, TO THE ACCIDENT IN WHICH I WAS INVOLVED BECAUSE THE BRAKES SIMPLY FAILED TO START SLOWING THE CAR DOWN UNTIL THE PEDAL WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. I HAVE JUST REPORTED IT IN WRITING TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I ADVISED MY INSURANCE AGENT AND THE CARRIER OF MY CONCERNS REGARDING THE BRAKES' PERFORMANCE IMMEDIATELY UPON MY REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT ON THE DAY IN WHICH IT OCCURRED.*AK

WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL IS SOFT, AND THERE IS EXCESSIVE FREE PLAY. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ON THIS VEHICLE, THE PEDAL TRAVEL IS SO LONG AND SPONGY THAT WHEN THE PEDAL IS FULLY DEPRESSED IT IS BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE GAS PEDAL. THE INCIDENT I AM REPORTING OCCURRED WHEN I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGANCY STOP. MY FOOT (BEING A WIDE SHOE SIZE) ENDED UP NOT ONLY IN CONTACT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT ALSO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSEQUENTLY, I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A ROAD SIGN. I CONTACTED SUBARU AND MY DEALER AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT ALL OF THE CARS THEY MANUFACTURE HAVE THE SAME BRAKE FEEL AND PEDAL TRAVEL. JUST BECAUSE ALL OF THE VEHICLES ARE LIKE THIS DOSEN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. THE CAR IS FINE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOUR FEET ARE, BUT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IT CAN BE DEADLY. *AK

EXPERENICING BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES.TOO MUCH FORCE IS NEEDED TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP PROPERLY. DEALER /MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK

UNDER NORMAL BRAKING WHEN APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS TOO MUCH PLAY IN THE PEDAL, STOPPING ABLILTY NOT ACCURATE. BRAKE PEDAL MOVES EXCESSIVLEY, MORE THAN THE OWNER MANUEL STATES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. CONSUMER HAS ADJUSTED THE BRAKE PEDAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND FORCE TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKES IN NORMAL USE COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATIONAL AND WITHIN THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATION. *MJS

BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS ADJUSTMENT. YH