Need Help, Name That Subie Brake Issue!

"Money Hustard" (moneyhustard)
07/27/2014 at 17:06 • Filed to: Subaru

My wife's 2011 Subaru Outback has developed a brake issue. The symptoms are soft brake feel (brake pedal travels farther than usual until brakes actually kick in) and when I get in the car after it's been off for a while, the brake pedal is firm as if the car didn't have power brakes at all.

The problem is, we currently live in Central Florida, and the local Subaru dealer has been REALLY bad with this car, so it'd help to know what I may be looking at when I take it to get it fixed. They are just going to start replacing parts until the problem goes away. The extended warranty is coming in handy. It's actually paid for itself in tires alone, which the this warranty covers for some reason.

DISCUSSION (16)

jkm7680 > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:09

To be honest, I'd bring it to an independent shop or travel to another Subaru dealer.

E92M3 > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:09

Does it have enough fluid? When the pads wear down you'll have to add brake fluid.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:09

Sounds like you have air in your brake system. Did you have it serviced recently?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:10

I'd go with master cylinder problem myself.

Money Hustard > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
07/27/2014 at 17:11

had it's 30K (i forget the exact interval, but around there) about 2 months ago, my wife says it started happening around then. Of course she didn't volunteer this information until I drove her car and asked her about it.

Money Hustard > E92M3
07/27/2014 at 17:13

I didn't know that, but the front ones were actually replaced about 6K miles ago, in one of their "replace everything to find the problem" fits they are prone to.

Money Hustard > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/27/2014 at 17:14

Thanks, if they mention it I won't give them my default "you're incredibly full of shit" face.

Money Hustard > jkm7680
07/27/2014 at 17:16

I'm very close to that. I've done that before with this car and my Maxima, it's the same shop all of my family's work/classic vehicles go. They're so honest though, they identify the problem, charge me nothing, and implore me to go get it serviced under warranty.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:17

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if it's that. Will likely need a new one and new brake fluid then bleeding. An old Citroen Xsara we had used to have similar symptoms and that solved it.

jkm7680 > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:22

That sounds like a good idea. Honest, down to earth shops are the things that keep the automotive repair industry alive in some respsects.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:25

Okay if they changed the brake fluid, they probably eff'ed up and got air into the system. Take it to a local independent shop and have them bleed the brakes. If they find air in the system haven them document it and write a complaint letter to Subaru.

E92M3 > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:25

Honestly if it's under warranty keep taking it there. You'll end up with a whole new brake system before the warranty runs out from the sound of it.

DrJohannVegas > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:44

Vacuum booster problems.

lonestranger > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 17:54

The fact that the brakes are hard after it's been sitting suggests that the brake booster is losing vacuum.

Squid > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 19:23

If you have a hard pedal after you shut off the car you have a brake booster issue. But really it could be a couple of issues causing your trouble, there could be air trapped in the system or the master could be failing and leaking fluid into to booster causing the booster issues.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Money Hustard
07/27/2014 at 20:30

Full bleed at an independent shop should not be expensive. If it comes back, take it back to the dealer for the vacuum booster. I really doubt it is a master cylinder or a leak at the caliper. Usually that is pretty easy to detect and it goes bad, stays bad and never gets better.