NHTSA Complaint #11451033 — 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
SERVICE BRAKES issue reported to NHTSA
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 11451033 |
| Vehicle | 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK |
| Component | SERVICE BRAKES |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | N/A miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | No |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | NY |
Consumer Description
Our low mileage car which we bought new and is under 10 years old experienced a complete brake failure in our driveway. The brake warning light did then come on. The brake pedal went to the floor when pressed. This event immediately followed a trip with a considerable passenger and luggage load on steep hills where complete brake loss would have been catastrophic and endangered us and the public. The dealer is familiar with the problem (rust-through of brake lines in a specific, well-known location). I am astonished to now learn that earlier years of Outback and other models are the subject of NHSTA 14V-311 and a Subaru product safety campaign WQK-47R to inspect and replace or protect the brake lines that just failed in our car, specifically in the vicinity of the 2-2way connector, however our car is not covered by this campaign. I've attached a picture of the corroded lines on our car which is essentially identical to the picture of the 2-2way connector on https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2014/RCMN-14V311-4153.pdf . This failure is compounded by the lack of a conventional emergency/parking brake, as the steps to engage the vehicle's electronic parking brake while the vehicle is in motion and picking up speed are not obvious.
Related Complaints for the 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
Other SERVICE BRAKES Complaints
#11688694
The brake pedal suddenly went almost to the floor while attempting to stop. Researching I found there was a recall. N...
#11683186
I took my Outback to my local highly respectable mechanic on August 20, 2025 as I needed the oil changed and the conc...
#11589508
Rear four way brake junction is completely corroded and leaking fluid causing a complete loss of braking. This appear...
#11527494
The rear brake lines sprung a leak in a well-known trouble spot with Subarus. The junction area underneath the passe...
#11475052
My Subaru Outback, at roughly 110,000 miles, displayed a dash indicator suggesting low brake fluid. After investigati...
Recent Complaints for the 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
#11646326
AIR BAGS
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2012 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while starting. In...
#11646326
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2012 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while starting. In...
#11646326
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2012 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while starting. In...
#11631701
POWER TRAIN
When coming to a stop, the car shudders and often stalls just like if you didn't press in the clutch on a manual tran...
#11628345
ENGINE
Vehicle stalls when stopping. This is a huge safety issue because stalling at intersections can cause accidents. Deal...