2011 Subaru Outback brakes problems

Related recalls

• Recall 18V626000Sep 13, 201827,175 vehicles
  PARKING BRAKE

  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.

What owners say

1. Filed Aug 3, 2025MIBrakes

   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.

   NHTSA complaint #11678072 · source
2. Filed Jan 16, 2025MEBrakes

   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.

   NHTSA complaint #11636389 · source
3. Filed Jan 11, 2025MEBrakes

   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…

   NHTSA complaint #11635381 · source
4. Filed Jan 10, 2025VTBrakes

   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

   NHTSA complaint #11635185 · source
5. Filed Sep 24, 2024FLBody & StructureBrakesTransmission & Drivetrain

   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.

   NHTSA complaint #11616153 · source
6. Filed Aug 10, 2024MABrakes

   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

   NHTSA complaint #11607704 · source
7. Filed Aug 7, 2024127,000 miCTTowedBrakes

   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…

   NHTSA complaint #11607123 · source
8. Filed Jun 10, 2024GACrash2 injuredTowedBrakesFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionAcceleration & Cruise Control

   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

   NHTSA complaint #11593358 · source
9. Filed Mar 24, 2024OHBrakes

   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…

   NHTSA complaint #11579189 · source
10. Filed Feb 25, 2024TXBrakesDriver Assistance & Safety Tech

    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.

    NHTSA complaint #11573892 · source
11. Filed Nov 12, 2023NJBody & StructureBrakesSuspension

    I have maintained my 2011 Outback well, and in August of 2023, while driving the vehicle, I lost the brakes. I had to fully depress the brake pedal to the floor in order to stop, fortunately not hitting the car in front of me . I brought the car to my local mechanic who advised me that the brake line rusted and failed as a result. As he was making the brake line repair, he advised me that there is SEVERE rusting to my underbody of my car and it's not normal. I then contacted…

    NHTSA complaint #11554747 · source
12. Filed Nov 8, 2023NYBrakes

    Rear brake line rusted through at 4 way connector and again on side of tank. It is visible to inspect when a plastic cover is removed. The brakes failed and the car would not stop. The brake light did not appear until after I applied the brake pedal to stop. This could have caused a serious accident.

    NHTSA complaint #11554233 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology