2014 Subaru Outback brakes problems

Filed Oct 30, 2023 · Brakes · AZ

My 2014 Subaru Outback, with only 42,000 miles on it, is unfortunately among the 3% (per Consumer Reports) with undiagnosable, therefore, unrepairable, brake failure issues. The brake failures began in April 2023 as I pulled out of my driveway in the Tucson Mountains, headed into town. On the downhill, I pressed my brakes to slow down. My foot went to the floor - no brakes. Terror! I pumped the brakes and gradually they came back. Luckily, no one was ahead of me. The brake fluid was down a very slight bit, so I brought it back up. No problem for two weeks, until the exact same thing happened again. Tucson Subaru has an excellent Service Center. I've kept the service on my Subaru up, so I booked in for a regular tuneup, plus advised them of the brake issue. The shop mechanic flushed the brake cylinder along with the usual tuneup: brake pads, etc. There was no problem for about two more weeks when brakes failed again. Took back to Subaru on a Friday. They kept over the weekend, but by Monday afternoon, brakes were still working "fine". They Ubered me to test, but I didn't need to even pull out of parking lot, everything seemed okay. Took my Outback home and all okay until brakes failed again. Took on AAA's and my friends' recommendations to Tucson's Primarily Japanese auto shop. The brakes failed once more in the interim, but worked fine at the shop. The owner thought possible a failing ABS unit. However, both Tucson Subaru/Primarily Japanese were reluctant to try replacing either the brake cylinder or the ABS unit as both are expensive fixes and they were unable to duplicate the failure. In the meantime, I went online and found that other owners of Outbacks across a range of years/mileage had the same problem - and the same results, none of fixes reliably worked. That included flushing/replacing the brake cylinder, the ABS unit, cleaning/replacing brake pads, etcs. Some owners were not as "lucky" as I was. The car is parked.

Filed Aug 27, 2022 · Acceleration, Brakes · NY · crash

I was driving home on a road I drive on regularly at 40 mph. The car unexpectedly accelerated to a high rate of speed causing me to go off the road. I was unable to stop. The brake pedal went to the floor. The car went airborne, just missing a huge tree. It slammed into the ground & continued on to crash into 3 cars & someone’s garage! The car continued to rev & was bouncing back & forth between the 2 vehicles in the garage. The engine continued to rev after I got out. The homeowner shut it off. He said my brake lights were flashing on and off on the dash. The air bags never deployed. I have a witness. I wasn’t able to do anything!! I’ve since learned there’s a class action lawsuit against Subaru for this problem. Please do something about this. I could be dead, that homeowner that was in his garage could be dead right now. All I want is for people to be aware of this & for Subaru to get held accountable. It’s not right that they are aware of this and doing nothing about it!!

Filed Jan 27, 2022 · Brakes · CO

Parking break did not disengage. It also blocked the key hole and car could not be moved. I called AAA and they could not even tow it because the gears would not switch from parking to neutral. While manipulating the car, the AAA technician does not know how, but was able to move the key and the gear, and then the car could start. After some online research, there has been recalls for this problem in Australia in Subaru Outbacks of around this year. Since AAA technician did not have to move in the end the car, there is no receipt of this event. It has happened twice by now.

Filed Jan 19, 2021 · Brakes · WI

Original front brake pads hardly warn after 100000 miles. Rear brake pads ware out at about 30000 miles. Checked temperature of front rotors after driving barely warm, rear brake rotors extremely hot.

Filed Jul 8, 2020 · Brakes · 80,000 miles · VA

I have change my emergency breaks. However.keep the light on.idid take to subaru dealer and they toll me not uses the emergency break..samething is wrong..

Filed Oct 3, 2019 · Brakes · 120,000 miles · CT

Ebrake comes on intermittently while driving in town.

Filed Jul 23, 2019 · Brakes · 57,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 subaru outback. The contact stated that the brake indicator illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to subaru napletons schaumburg subaru (911 west higgins road, schaumburg, il 60195, (847) 884-6000) where it was diagnosed that the brake modulator failed. The modulator was not replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: n1-45447123655. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 57,000.

Filed Nov 5, 2018 · Brakes, Electrical · 47,000 miles · WA

Electronic parking brake actuator failed. When this occurs you can't use the parking brake and the eyesight safety equipment does not work. This occurs at startup, when the vehicle goes through it's diagnostic checks. Car has stranded us twice with the brake not allowing us to disengage. Eventually, after starting car multiple times or removing battery, it will work briefly to allow to disengage. Now we don't set the parking brake, or use the eyesight. Subaru has recalled their manual transmission models with this issue, but not the automatic transmission models.

Filed Aug 1, 2018 · Brakes · 40,000 miles · MA

My e-brake has not been working for the past year. The red brake light comes on at random times when parked and in motion and I cannot engage the e-brake. Subaru is saying that I need to replace the entire electronic brake mechanism for a cost of $1,000.00 - this for a 2014 car.

Filed Aug 25, 2017 · Brakes, Suspension · AZ

There is no emergency brake on a 2014 outback,the parking brake does not work when the car is moving.unsafe, if anything happens with brakes there is nothing to stop car for safety the hand emergency brake should be in the center console, so passenger could also pull it on. .front springs bottom out for the slightest dip in the road.. I complained to subaru about the brake and they told me buy another car