Check a VIN

2011 Subaru Outback brakes problems

78 complaints (12% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 81,000. 11 crashes reported.

owner complaints
78
of this car's complaints
12%
typical mileage
81,000
crashes
11
recalls
1

Which part fails

  • Pedals and linkages
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Subaru Outback brakes problems in other years

1995200020052010201520202026

Specific symptoms reported on the 2011 Subaru Outback brakes

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Brake failure 17ABS 7Grinding brakes 6

Related recalls

Parking brakeReported September 13, 2018 · 27,175 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked.
Risk
A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTV-81.

Recall number 18V626000 · Recall details

What 2011 Subaru Outback owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Aug 3, 2025 · Brakes · MI

Just lost brakes. Was parked at an atm. In park, foot on brake as i was shifting into drive, brake pedal goes to floor and brake fluid leaks out... I see there was a recall for brake lines in Michigan. I've owned this car since 2020. All Brake pads are new as of 4/2025. This just occurred today on Sunday so I have not got the estimate yet.

Filed Jan 16, 2025 · Brakes · ME

The car was being driven down the road, when the brake pedal went soft. At that point the vehicle had lost all braking power. I pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and proceeded to check the vehicle. The vehicle brake reservoir was empty, and the line underneath the car was leaking fluid out. Then I called a tow truck to tow my vehicle to get repaired. The mechanic then told me about the recall WQK47r.

Filed Jan 11, 2025 · Brakes · ME

The brake system had a total failure. Driving down the road and the brake pedal went completely soft and was not providing any brakes. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road where the brake fluid resivor was empty and the underneath of the car was wet with brake fluid. The vehicle then was towed to a nearby mechanic to be inspected where they have come to the conclusion that the brake line box has become coroted. During the brake failure there were no warning signs and the only thing that prevented the vehicle from being involved in an accident was the use of engine braking and going up hill. The reason I’m reporting this is because after reviewing the internet to see what the average cost of the repair should be I came across a forum where this issue is become common place in my generation of Outback, as well as the previous generation which has a recall already on this same component. I’m also writing this report because I’m concerned with the amount of this type of vehicle on the road still and having a similar issue.

Filed Jan 10, 2025 · Brakes · VT

Going down the road and my breaks went to the floor, further inspection the back passenger 4 way block blew apart due to rust I looked online and there is so many of these cars the same year that this is happening to, would love to have this year and model included in the recall for breaks to get this fixed

Filed Sep 24, 2024 · Body, Brakes · FL

Bought vehicle from Carvana, immediately noticed transmission shudder issues when driving near 50 mph. Brought vehicle in to multiple repair facilities. It had warped brakes, bad calipers, needed a new torque converter at least and the repair shop recommended a total transmission replacement. The whole vehicle shakes when driving near that speed or braking.

Filed Aug 10, 2024 · Brakes · MA

Rear brake lines at junction block right rear corroded.As is the sane situation with 2009 models and under and impreza models newer with same design cannot understand why this model year was passed by

Filed Aug 7, 2024 · Brakes · 127,000 miles · CT

The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 MPH and approaching a truck, the brake pedal was depressed and travelled down to the floorboard, causing the vehicle to fail to respond. The contact stated that the truck that was in front of the vehicle made a turn, which prevented the vehicle from crashing into the truck. The contact stated that he was able to pull into a parking lot, where the vehicle rolled until it stopped. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that his wife who had just undergone a spinal surgery was occupying the front passenger's seat when the failure occurred. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake lines had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the VIN was included in an unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Filed Jun 10, 2024 · Acceleration, Brakes · GA · crash · 2 injuries

1. Propulsion, acceleration, brakes, transmission- no longer available for inspection 2. The vehicle went completely out of control; I stood on the brakes as hard as I could but would not stop or slow the car at all. We careened down a hill and head on into a large tree 3. not reproduced or confirmed 4. Vehicle was inspected by insurance company and was declared a total loss 5. no signs of any malfunction prior to wreck

Filed Mar 24, 2024 · Brakes · OH

The parking brake actuator has failed. A recall already exists for this exact component but only extends to manual transmission vehicles. The recall for manual transmission vehicles is # 18V626000; the latest version of the part in question is Subaru part #26002AJ01E. The recall refers to a manufacturer defect. The quoted repair price for this issue is over $1300; the part alone is $850. At that price, many people (including me) simply cannot afford the repair and will have to forgo the added layer of safety provided by the parking brake. It is clear Subaru is aware of a manufacturer defect impacting a safety critical part but has minimized their costs by restricting the recall to a small subset of vehicles. Additionally, given that Subaru is charging $850 for a relatively simple component, Subaru may be seeking to profit from their own mistake. I request that the federal safety agency require Subaru to extend the recall to ALL vehicles with that component, not just the ones with manual transmissions. While automatic transmission vehicles have the parking gear manual transmission vehicles lack, I can think of a number of circumstances in which a parking brake could be critical. Barring that, I request the federal safety agency order the manufacturer of that component to provide repairs free of charge in the event of a failure.

Filed Feb 25, 2024 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TX

The emergency brake light and traction symbol have started flashing when I’m driving and now the EB has stopped working. I’ve visiting the Subaru dealership twice and two other mechanics. They’ve all told me different reasons why my car is doing this. I’ve never had an emergency break stop working.

Questions about the 2011 Subaru Outback brakes

Does the 2011 Subaru Outback have brakes problems?

Owners have filed 78 complaints about the brakes of the 2011 Subaru Outback, 12% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2011 Subaru Outback brakes problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 81,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2011 Subaru Outback brakes?

Yes, 1 recall: 18V626000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Subaru Outback have bad brakes?

The Subaru Outback model years with the most brakes complaints are 2011 (78 complaints), 2010 (40 complaints) and 2012 (40 complaints).

Other 2011 Subaru Outback problems

Transmission 216Lights 117Engine 93Airbags 73Electrical 67Steering 36Acceleration 26Visibility 23Suspension 21Fuel system 16Body 11Driver assistance 10Wheels 10Tires 9Seat belts 4Seats 4

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2011 Subaru Outback?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history