Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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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 2006 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
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.
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!!?
MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY FROM 2NS-3RD GEAR WHILE DRIVING, IT JERKS PRETTY HARD IF COLD, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS BRAKE PROBLEMS, TAKES A LONG TIME TO STOP AT SLOW SPEEDS, & I'M HAVING NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH SUSPENSION. BALLJOINTS KEEP CLICKING WHILE REVERSING, (CONTROL ARMS,BALLJOINTS, BUSHINGS, BEARINGS, HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED, ETC.) THIS CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND HAS ALMOST NO MILES. IT IS BECOMING A MONEY-PITT AND NOBODY WANTS TO FIX IT.
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.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V323000 AND 14V311000 (AIR BAGS AND SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING AND SHUT DOWN . WAS TOLD THAT THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND SENSORS STOPPED WORKING. THIS MALFUNCTION CAN KILL PEOPLE. OTHER HAVE HAS LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE THE CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. *TR
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.
FOUR TIMES IN ONE MONTH PRIOR THE ABOVE DATE, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING IN TRAFFIC. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF GEAR AND PUT INTO PARK!! IN ADDITION, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO PROPERLY KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING IN TRAFFIC. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE DRIVER WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A HILL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AGAIN DID NOT PROPERLY HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER HAD TO OPEN HER DOOR, EXIT THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO PHYSICALLY STOP IT FROM ROLLING DOWNHILL IN TRAFFIC AND WAS NEARLY RAN OVER BY A PASSING SEMI TRAILER TRUCK. THIS IS A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE, OFTEN THROUGH THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. DURING THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING CAUSED BY ELECTRONIC COMPUTER PARTS MALFUNCTION. AFTER THESE EXPENSIVE AND POSSIBLY UNNECESSARY REPAIRS THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STOP FOR NO REASON IN TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT RESTART. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF GEAR AND PUT INTO PARK!! I KNOW OF NO OTHER VEHICLE WHERE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. AFTER THE LATEST BREAKDOWN, UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALER LOCATED A SECTION OF WIRE LOOM THAT HAD WORN BARE AND POSSIBLY HAD CAUSED A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS WORN SPOT IN THE WIRE LOOM MAY HAVE TRIPPED UP THE LOGIC IN THE VEHICLE COMPUTER AND BEEN THE REASON THE DRIVER COULD NOT PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AFTER BREAKING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. IF THIS ELECTRICAL WIRE LOOM CAUSED THIS "MALFUNCTION", IT WOULD PUT ANYONE IN THIS VEHICLE IN A POSITION WHERE THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY YOUR DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN TO SOMEONE ELSE. *TR
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
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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