NHTSA Complaint #10023785 — 2002 SUBARU WRX

WHILE RETURNING TO LAS VEGAS FROM A CAMPING TRIP ON VENTURA FREEWAY NEAR THE TARZANA EXIT OUR 2003 WRX EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON CLEAR, DRY, RAIN GROOVED HIGHWAY. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE WRX AT THE TIME AND SHE REPORTED THAT THE ABS KICKED IN AND THEN "LET GO" CAUSING HER CAR TO ROLL INTO MINE (PULLING OUR CAMP TRAILER), SHE STRUCK THE TRAILER DOING ABOUT 5 TO 7 MPH. DAMAGE TO HER WRX WAS IN EXCESS OF $5K, DAMAGE TO TRAILER AND MY CAR WAS COSMETIC ONLY. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE WRX ON THE WAY TO CAMPING SITE, SAME SYMPTOMS BUT NO TRAFFIC TO AVOID...I ASSUMED THAT ROAD CONDITION WAS PROBABLE FAULT. MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE ABS SEEMED TOO SENSITIVE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH IT WENT AWAY. PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER WARRANTY WORK WAS PERFORMED TO REPLACE CLUTCH SYSTEM COMPONENTS LAST MONTH. VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY BEING REPAIRED AND THEN WILL BE SENT TO DEALER SERVICE (IN VAN NUYS) TO INSPECT BRAKES AND ABS PRIOR TO OUR TAKING POSSESSION AFTER REPAIR. INSURANCE AND DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY ABS FAILURE. *NLM