Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Sep 3, 2013
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 189 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2
What this page shows
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming brake
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 3, 2013
Crash reported1 injury reported
2013 SUBARU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ALMOST FROM THE MOMENT, HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE AND HIS WIFE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED ON TWO OCCASIONS, HIS WIFE EXPERIENCED A SLOW BRAKE RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL AND WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. HIS WIFE SUFFERED A BACK INJURY. THE SECOND TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AGAIN, AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. CONSEQUENTLY, HIS WIFE HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN EITHER ACCIDENT. UPDATED 04/04/14*LJ
NHTSA ID
10537652
Incident
Sep 9, 2011
Brakes
Filed Sep 24, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE PERFORMING A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS WERE CRACKED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ROTORS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY WEAR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40,000. UPDATED 11/07/07 *TR
NHTSA ID
10203929
Incident
Aug 30, 2007
Mileage
40,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 11, 2006
2003 SUBARU FORESTER PURCHASED MAY 2003 1. BRAKES DID NOT FEEL CORRECT - LOW BRAKE PEDAL 2. MADE APPOINTMENT AT AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER FOR BRAKES TO BE CHECKED 3. AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER PERSON SAID THAT OUR MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OUR VEHICLE MILEAGE - 18046 - AND EVEN THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (36 MONTHS MAXIMUM), THEY CONTACTED THE LOCAL SUBARU BUT SUBARU SAID SEEING THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE 36 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD, SUBARU WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE PART OR REPAIR. 4. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED SO AAA AUTO MARK CAR CARE CENTER PURCHASED THE PARTS NEEDED (1- MASTER CYLINDER, 2 WHEEL CYLINDERS) AND REPLACED THEM. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE OLD PARTS. 5. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER MANY YEARS AND NEVER HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A MASTER CYLINDER EVEN THOUGH THE MILEAGE DRIVEN ON THE CARS WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN 18046 ON THE SUBARU. *NM
NHTSA ID
10162089
Incident
Jul 10, 2006
Mileage
18,046 mi
AirbagsBrakesSeat belts
Filed Feb 28, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON A GRAVEL ROAD A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MISS THE DEER; THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HIT A DOUBLE POST HEAD ON, THEN SLID DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND STOOD ON ITS NOSE. IT THEN FLIPPED ONTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ROLLED ONTO ITS TOP AND THEN RESTED ON ITS WHEELS. SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE, BUT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT. FRONTAL AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONSULTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
10151477
Incident
Feb 26, 2006
Mileage
59,287 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 13, 2005
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETELY CORRECTED. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN A PARKING LOT DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. WHEN BACKING OUT, THE VEHICLE STARTED OUT SLOW BUT WOULD THEN SURGE IN REVERSE. THE BRAKES FELT SPONGY. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE STICKING TO THE SLIDERS. THE PADS WERE REMOVED AND THE CORROSION WAS CLEANED. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED LIKE IT WAS IN CRUISE AND WHEN THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF OF THE GAS, THE SPEED WOULD REMAIN THE SAME. *SC *JB
NHTSA ID
10117512
Incident
Apr 5, 2005
Mileage
11,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 23, 2004
ROTOR PREMATURELY WORN. CAR WAS PURCHASED 10/03. ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE TURNED TWICE SINCE PURCHASE DATE. *JB
NHTSA ID
10100396
Incident
Nov 23, 2004
Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 2004
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AT 15,000 MILES. CONSUMER STATED THAT 2,000 MILES LATER THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK
NHTSA ID
10068644
Incident
Apr 21, 2004
Mileage
15,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 29, 2003
HAD STARTED TO BRAKE IN ORDER SLOW DOWN VEHICLE AND FELT THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP RIGHT AWAY. HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALERSHIP CONCERNING BRAKES. PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED.*AK
NHTSA ID
10041821
Incident
Sep 23, 2003
Mileage
12,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 11, 2003
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND BURNED OTHER PART OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED DRUM AND WHEEL CYLINDER. *AK
NHTSA ID
10022861
Incident
Jun 11, 2003
Brakes
Filed Nov 26, 2002
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES . ALSO STATES THAT WHILE SHE IS DRIVING AND STEPS ON THE BRAKE PAD THE BRAKE PAD FEELS LIKE IF SOMETHING IS ABSORBING THE PAD. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IS NORMAL BECAUSE A NEW BRAKE SYSTEM. TS
NHTSA ID
8023388
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own