There are 14 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2006 Subaru Outback in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 14 of 14 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I was driving home when my brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Next, I realized I could not stop the vehicle. I was able to pull over and stop. A puddle was pooling under my vehicle by the rear passenger tire. I received no lights or illumination or warning.
My brake warning light came on as I was driving down a steep decline on a narrow road. When I found a safe place to pull over I found I had very little brakes. It was found that once a plastic shield was removed from the rear of the car that the plastic shield was full of mud and water and had corroded the brake lines causing the brake fluid to drain out of the system. It appears there was a recall for this but only in salt belt states. I have only owned the car for a year and it does not show any outstanding recalls.
Was driving approximately 35mph missed my turn went to hit brakes and brakes pedal went straight to the floor.started pumping the brakes to stop the car and had to use emergency brake to stop completely. After getting car home inspected rear brakes and both rear brakes lines are rust covered at connections.The passenger rear brake line had burst where 2 pieces of the line connect before going up and over gas tank.
All the brake lines rusted through where they were unprotected and inserted into body clips resulting in a complete loss of brake fluid and the inability to stop the vehicle.
Rusting brake line recall WQK47 supposedly done to the vehicle June of 2015 with the vehicle having 244,246 miles. No brake lines were replaced at that time and only assume they only sprayed something on them. Car now has 288,500 miles and the right rear brake line rotted out in the clip mount to the body. Luckily wife was able to stop the car and didn't get into an accident.
UPON RETURNING TO MY HOME LAST WEEK I NEARLY WENT THROUGH MY GARAGE AFTER MY BRAKE LINES FAILED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, LUCKY FOR ME I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS I KNEW ONCE DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY I WOULD HAVE SOME REMAINING BRAKING ABILITIES. I DO LIVE IN MICHIGAN WHICH DOES ACCOUNT FOR RUST ON THE UNDER BODIES OF VEHICLES, ALTHOUGH THE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT I AM VERY ANGERED BY WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL TO PREVENT PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LINES IN MY CAR (RECALL WQK47, NHTSA 14V311), WHICH MY CAR TOOK PART IN AND WAS ONLY COATED WITH ANTI-RUST WAX ONLY TO FAIL A YEAR LATER. AT THE TIME OF REPAIR I HAD ASKED IF THE LINES WHERE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE, AND WAS TOLD THEY WHERE ALL GOOD AND JUST HAD TO BE COATED. SINCE I HAVE A MECHANICAL BACKGROUND I DECIDED TO L LOCATE THE BRAKE LINE THAT HAD FAILED ON MY CAR AS WELL AS LOOK INTO THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR THE REPAIRS REQUIRED FOR THE RECALL, AND UNSURPRISINGLY THE EXACT IMAGE ON THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR PROBLEM AREAS TO CLEAN AND COAT WAS THE LOCATION OF THE FAILURE. I FIND IT VERY IRRITATING TO RECEIVE A FALSE SENSE OF HOPE IN RELIANCE OF THE BRAKES ONLY TO BE LET DOWN BY THE ONE PART THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CHECKED AND CORRECTED. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU WITH MY CONCERNS, ONLY TO BE OFFERED A VOUCHER FOR SERVICE THAT WILL COVER TO MY UNDERSTANDING A THIRD OR LESS OF THE REPAIR COST FOR A PART THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED DURING A RECALL! ATTACHED YOU WILL FIND MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUBARU SUPPORT AS WELL AS IMAGES THAT DEPICT THE FAILURE OF NOT ONE BUT 2 JOINTS IN THE SAME AREA ABOVE/IN THE CREVICE OF THE FUEL TANK, AND THE VERY LITTLE SO CALLED PROTECTIVE ANTI-CORROSIVE WAX OVER THESE AREAS THAT WAS APPLIED DURING THE RECALL.
MY SON LOST HIS BRAKES AND NEARLY WRECKED THE OTHER DAY. BRAKE LINE RUPTURED AND THE DEALER WON'T HONOR THE RECALL ON THEM BECAUSE THEY GOT SOME HALF-ASS RECALL TREATMENT BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. SUBARU DID NOT DO A PROPER FIX TO THESE LINES AND THEY KNOW IT! WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSE TO DO WITH A CAR WITH NO BRAKES!!?
BOUGHT CAR FROM PRIVATE OWNER IN OCTOBER 2018. IMMEDIATELY AFTER SALE HAD THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP REPLACE REAR BRAKES IN OCTOBER 2018 AND COMPLETELY INSPECT CAR FOR ANY NEEDED REPAIRS. IN EARLY DECEMBER BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT ON, THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE RESULTING IN INABILITY TO STOP VEHICLE WHILE ENTIRE FAMILY WAS ON BOARD. FOUND OUT FROM DEALERSHIP THAT, DESPITE FINDING CORROSION ON BRAKE LINE UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE CORROSION WAS ENCAPSULATED BY BARRIER SPRAY AND CONTINUED TO CORRODE BRAKE LINE UNTIL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND INABILITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AWAITING DEALERSHIP RESPONSE.
AS I WAS CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR I NOTICED THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LOW. I WENT TO PICK UP A NEW CONTAINER OF BRAKE FLUID. L.P. I NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR BUT I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE WHEN I PUSHED IT TO THE FLOOR. I WENT TO A SHOP THAT SHOWED ME WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM. UNDER THE GAS TANK.
The contact owns a 2006 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V311000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and had the recall repair completed. The contact stated on 11/30/2022 while his wife was driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the low brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The driver continued to depress the brake pedal until the vehicle started to decelerate. The vehicle was parked on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact drove another vehicle to the location and trailered the vehicle back to his residence. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.
FOUND COOLANT BLACK AND POSSIBLE OVERHEATING FROM HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN RESULT RADIATOR WAS EXPOSED TO HIGH HEAT AND CRACKED. COMBUSTION PRESSURE HAD ENTERED COOLING SYSTEM AND CAUSED OVER PRESSURE OF COOLING SYSTEM. RECOMMEND LEAK DOWN AND COMPRESSION CHECK OF ENGINE TO DETERMINE IF INTERNAL DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED. CUSTOMER HAS TWO OPTIONS, REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKETS IF NO OTHER FINDINGS INTERNAL ARE FOUND OR REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE COMPLETE. TURBO MAY ALSO BE DAMAGED AND NEEDS INSPECTION ALSO. REPLACE REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, LUBE BACK OF PADS AND HARDWARE PINS WITH ANTI SQUEAK PASTE. ADJUST EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM TO FACTORY SPEC. ROAD TEST FOR NOISE AND SEAT NEW PADS TO ROTORS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
I HAVE A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I WAGON WITH LESS THAN 16,000 MILES. THE BRAKES GRIND AND SEEM LIKE THEY MAY NOT CATCH. IN FACT, A YEAR AGO WE SLID THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON OUR WAY TO HAVE OUR TAXES DONE WHEN THEY DID NOT HOLD. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO RUST AND THAT SUBARU DOES NOT COVER RUSTED BRAKES ON THEIR WARRANTY. WE CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER 1-800-782-2783 AND TALKED TO MATT AND HE ALSO INDICATED THEY DID NOT WARRANT RUSTED BRAKES BUT THAT HE WOULD CALL THE DEALER. THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE, AND 36 MONTH 36000 BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN STORED IN A GARAGE. THE BRAKES SHOULD NOT FAIL AT LESS THAN 16000 MILES. THIS CAR SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY. ARE THEY USING SUBSTANDARD METAL IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM? SHOULD THIS CAR BE RECALLED FOR FAULTY BRAKES? IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? *TR
AS I PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPACE AT WORK, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. CAR STOPPED ONLY AFTER JUMPING CURB AND PLOWING INTO BRICK WALL OF MY BUILDING. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.