NHTSA Complaint #10577563 — 1996 SUBARU OUTBACK

SERVICE BRAKES issue reported to NHTSA

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Complaint Details

ODI Number	10577563
Vehicle	1996 SUBARU OUTBACK
Component	SERVICE BRAKES
Date of Incident	December 23, 2013
Date Filed	April 5, 2014
Mileage	258,000 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	WI

Consumer Description

WHENEVER THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE HOURS, THE CHECK VALVE IN THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE WILL FREEZE IN PLACE AND RESULTS IN NO POWER ASSIST BRAKING. THE FIRST APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES WOULD BE NORMAL AS THERE WAS RESIDUAL VACUUM IN THE BOOSTER. ADDITIONAL APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE NO POWER ASSIST AT ALL. MULTIPLE PUMPS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BREAK LOOSE THE CHECK VALVE AND RESTORE NORMAL BRAKING. THIS CAR WAS NEW TO ME IN 2013 AND I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS DEFECT. THE FIRST FEW TIMES IT HAPPENED TO ME, I WENT THROUGH STOP SIGNS NOT KNOWING THAT I HAD NO POWER ASSIST BRAKES. NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT- BEFORE PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR, I WOULD TEST THE BRAKE PEDAL AT LEAST THREE TIMES. WHEN THE CHECK VALVE IS FROZEN, I WOULD FEEL NORMAL PEDAL PRESSURE THE FIRST TIME THEN THE PEDAL WOULD GO HARD THE SECOND TIME. I WOULD THEN HAVE TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL I FELT THE CHECK VALVE BREAK FREE AND NORMAL PEDAL PRESSURE WAS RESTORED. *TR

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Recent Complaints for the 1996 SUBARU OUTBACK

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