2002 Subaru Impreza: ABS light or ABS activating

44 of the 292 complaints about the 2002 Subaru Impreza describe ABS light or ABS activating.

owner complaints: 44
of this car's complaints: 15%
typical mileage: 13,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 5 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

ABS light or ABS activating by model year

2020
1
2019
1
2017
2
2016
1
2015
2
2013
9
2012
6
2010
1
2009
3
2008
3
2006
1
2005
2
2004
2
2003
11
2002
44
2001
2
2000
1
1997
1
1996
2

What owners say

Filed Dec 2, 2008 · Brakes · 70,000 miles · WI · crash

It was raining. I was turning left at a light, saw another car coming towards me. I applied brakes and there was a hesitation of braking power due to the ABS system. This also happens when driving in low traction conditions or over bumps. I went to the dealer and they said that the same year similar model had problems with the ABS computer and that they replace the ABS computers for that one but they said they wouldn't for my car.

Filed Oct 27, 2008 · Brakes · 98,800 miles · NY

2002 subaru impreza sport - ABS "fires" during routine braking leading to increase stopping distance. Returned car to dealer and advised that "rear wheel bearing was bad" ... Refused repair because there was no other indication of bad bearing (noise, heat, smell, vibration, resistance during free spin). Took car to second independent repair center. No bad bearing found. Turned rotors but this did not completely solve problem. Abs continues to fire during routine braking.

Filed Feb 12, 2007 · Brakes, Engine · 119,330 miles · MD

Tl*- the contact owns a 2002 subaru impreza wr,x and stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel, and there was a raw fuel smell coming from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The fuel smell was stronger when the vehicle was running and the temperature was below 32 degrees. The contact currently has the vehicle at the dealership. The failure and current mileage were 119330.*ak the vehicle also had a coolant lead. The drivers side door regulator was inopertive, the clutch had a judder, there was problem with the ABS. Updated

Filed Mar 10, 2004 · Brakes · 17,350 miles · MO

Abs intermittently kicks in on dry, smooth road at low speeds, with light pedal pressure. Dealer checked and said all is normal. Problem is not readily reproducible, but very disconcerting when it happens, causing prolonged stopping distances. None of my other vehicles with ABS ever acts this way.

Filed Feb 13, 2004 · Brakes · 25,376 miles · NY

Was coming to a stop sign and there was a man hole cover recessed into the road. Had foot on brake, light pressure to come to the stop sign. When the wheel hit the manhole cover, I could feel ABS kick in (vibration in pedal) and the car lost all braking power momentarily. If there had been someone in front of me, I probably would have hit them.

Filed Nov 21, 2003 · Brakes · 5,000 miles · CT

My car's ABS engages when going over bumpy/uneven surfaces resulting in nearly complete braking loss. The pedal goes almost all the way to the floor and doesn't want to stop at all. This can be very scary, especially if you aren't aware that the road is uneven. I've had to get used to this happening and adjust my driving techniques as a result!!! I am very disappointed is this! This has happened many times since I have owned the car.

Filed Nov 18, 2003 · Brakes · 28,000 miles · CA

Abs premature engagement. Happened 11/18/03 and about 10 times since 6/02. Under light to moderate braking, around 35 MPH, the ABS will engage and drastically reduce braking deceleration over minor pavement irregularities. Today it happened when going over botts dots, but it also happens on bumps, washboard pavement, etc. The pedal becomes light and the car basically stops braking for 0.5 to 1.0 seconds. Very scary and dangerous. I am a mechanical engineer, master's degree, with experience in vehicle dynamics, hydraulics, and electronic feedback control. There is something drastically wrong with the ABS tuning on this car. I am going to disable the ABS system until subaru fixes this. Ps I have never used the spare tire.

Filed Oct 31, 2003 · Brakes · 10,000 miles · WA

Problems with ABS activation - right conditions ( brake activation followed by bump on smooth surface) results in significantly reduced braking effort - ABS acts like it is confused and brake pedal drops to floor. Reproducible at a particular intersection with both our wrx's. Multiple events with different tires on vehicle.

Filed Oct 31, 2003 · Brakes · 10,000 miles · WA

Problems with ABS activation - right conditions (brake activation followed by bump on smooth surface) results in significantly reduced braking effort - ABS acts like it is confused and brake pedal drops to floor. Reproducible at a particular intersection with both our wrx's. Multiple events with different tires on vehicle.

Filed Oct 28, 2003 · Brakes · 35,000 miles · FL

I have an 02 subaru impreza wrx. The ABS system activates prematurely and overly-agressively in a variety of conditions. Most often it happens when attempting to stop and driving over bumpy roads. Something as minor as a 1/2 inch dip in the pavement can set off the ABS. Once the system activates the pedal goes to the floor and there is momentarily a complete loss of braking ability. It can extend the braking distance by 1 or 2 full car lengths as compared to without ABS and has caused me to nearly crash into other cars several times.

Filed Sep 15, 2003 · Brakes · 10,000 miles · PA

My antilock brakes go off when I am braking (at any speed) over a bumpy road. Worse, at times when I have enough forward momentum going, when the ABS goes off, the pedal goes to the floor and I lose all braking ability. The first time this happened I was going maybe 20 MPH on a busy (strip mall) road, and almost rear ended the woman who'd braked in front of me to let someone turn. I had to let go of the pedal completely and re-hit the brakes and pump them to get it to stop, and I narrowly missed her. Now, I have to pump the brakes when I must stop short (since the roads these days are wavy from whatever asphalt they're using, it's rare to find a flat one). I don't bother stopping at yellow lights anymore unless I'm decelerating, and I have to drive very carefully on bumpy roads since I know I won't be able to stop. It's not a good thing. I was not aware that I could make a complaint until I read similar stories in a forum, so now I am doing it. I can replicate the ABS going off over bumps at very low speeds, faithfully, by my house. The pedal thing doesn't happen there, because I'm not going fast enough, but the ABS goes off even when I'm going 5 MPH. I drive a 2001 subaru wrx. Thanks, katie (the date is approximate)

Filed Aug 12, 2003 · Brakes · 13,000 miles · MI

Travelling at a low speed (under25) and braking while driving over small bumps in the road: pedal drops nearly to the floor, no typical ABS pulsing, car feels as if it's just rolling straight ahead with no brake control, and no matter how much pressure is applied, it doesn't feel as if it is stopping any faster.