2005 Subaru Forester Brakes Problems

Your brakes suddenly failed while driving on a residential road, making a loud screeching and grinding noise before losing stopping power completely. You went through a stop sign into traffic before the car finally stopped. A repair shop found the front brake calipers, rotors, and pads were corroded and frozen, requiring replacement of all three components on both front wheels at a cost over $950. You've noted there may be a recall for this issue and want to verify coverage before proceeding.

THE REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND FAILED WITHOUT NOTICE. ONE SEVERAL MODEL OF SUBARU, BRAKES LINES WERE REPLACED FOR CORROSION DUE TO A RECALL. WHEN ORDERING THE REPLACEMENT PART I NOTICED IT APPLIED TO SOME OF THE CARS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND SOME THAT WERE NOT. IT SEEMS TO MY THAT MY FORRESTER HAD PRECISELY THE SAME LINES THAT WERE RECALLED ON OTHER MODELS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN YOU ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT WITH SUBARU. WE HAVE MANY OLDER CARS IN THE FAMILY AND NOT ONE OF THEM HAS EVER EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SUBARU IS NEGLIGENT IN SUPPLYING CARS WITH BRAKE LINES THAT CORRODE MORE EASILY FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT AUDI, TOYOTA, LEXUS AND HONDA - JUST FROM OUR EXPERIENCE.

THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON TWO DAYS PRIOR. CHECKED FLUID AND WAS A BIT LOW. I HADN'T NOTICED AND FLUIDS UNDER CAR SO DID NOT GIVE IT A SECOND THOUGHT. I WAS DRIVING ON SUNDAY AND HAD LOSS OF PEDAL AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NURSED IT HOME. I ADDED FLUID AND PUMPED PEDAL IN DRIVEWAY. THE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. I PULLED IT UP ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SOME SUBARU VEHICLES SAME AGE HAD BRAKE LINE ISSUES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN A RECALL. I TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THE SERVICE MANGER TOLD ME IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. I CONTACTED SUBARU AND THAT AS A GOODWILL GESTURE THAT THEY WOULD CREDIT $500 TOWARD THE $1850 BILL WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GRACIOUS. THE DEALER SAID THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THE BRAKE LINES, BUT IT DID. I DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO FOR ME, BUT COULD OF BEEN A SCARY EVENT. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN MICHIGAN AND TOOK IT TO NORTH CAROLINA. I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO YOUR BRAKE LINE RECALL AND SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. THANKS *TR

SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE - SHOP EVALUATION SHOWS MASTER CYLINDER FAILING - ORIGINAL MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED WITH NEW PART AT 31858 MILES DUE TO FAILURE (BRAKE FLUID BLEEDING BACK INTO RESERVOIR). WILL HAVE TO REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER AGAIN. [NOTE : VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALER]

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON ANY ROAD CONDITION, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

DT: THE ABS STUCK ON THE VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN HILL SLOWLY AND HAD TO STOP TO WAIT ON ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT TOOK A WHILE, SHE PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLE MOVED THE CONSUMER STARTED THE ENGINE, THEN PUT VEHICLE IN FIRST GEAR, AND RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN STARTING TO GO DOWN HILL AND TRYING TO USE THE BRAKE IT WOULD NOT WORK. IT WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION. SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST SAFELY TO A PARKING LOT. SHE HAD TURNED THE ENGINE OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN IT WORKED FINE. THE TRANSMISSION IS MANUAL. THE VEHICLE HAS A HILL HOLD. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED, THE CONSUMER HASN'T BEEN IN THE SAME SITUATION SINCE THE DAY OF THE INITIAL INCIDENT. *NM