NHTSA Complaint #10200076 — 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK

COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, BRAKE PADS, DETAILS: THE BRAKE PADS ON MY 2005 SUBARU HAVE WARPED (ALL 4) AT 18,000 MILES PRODUCING AN UNEVEN SENSATION AS ONE IS BRAKING. IT ALSO INCREASES THE DISTANCE REQUIRED TO STOP. AFTER TAKING MY SUBARU IN FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION (AT 20,000 MILES) I WAS TOLD THAT ALL 4 WHEELS NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS, (EVEN THOUGH MY FRONT BRAKES HAVE 60% BRAKING EFFICIENCY & 70% ON THE REAR BRAKES). MY PARTNER, WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, IS THE SOLE DRIVER OF OUR SUBARU AND IS VERY RARELY IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC. ON THE FEW OCCASIONS WHEN SHE IS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SHE MAINTAINS EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN HER VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER TO AVOID HAVING TO USE HER BRAKES MORE THEN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. NEITHER ONE OF US HAVE EVER HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS ON A VEHICLE WITH MILEAGE AS LOW AS 20,000 MILES AND BOTH OF US HAVE LIVED IN LARGE CITIES ALL OF OUR LIVES. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON A 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. SUBARU, OVERALL, MAKES RELIABLE, RESPONSIVE AND SAFE VEHICLES BUT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *JB