NHTSA Complaint #756313 — 1999 SUBARU LEGACY

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 5, THE TRAFFIC SLOWED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FWY., UPON NOTICING THE TRAFFIC SLOWING I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR THE TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES APPLYING THEM ALL THE WAY. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP THE CAR IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY THE CARS BRAKES DIDN'T STOP THE CAR, AND THE CAR STOPPED WHEN I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY EITHER. I HAD THE SAME TYPE OF ACCIDENT IN MARCH OF 2000. I JUST FELT MAYBE IT WAS MY FAULT AND DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT MUCH. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AT THIS TIME EITHER, AND I FELT IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS GOING SLOW, AND THE IMPACT WASN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM COME OUT. UPON HAVING MY BRAKES CHECKED THIS PAST SUMMER THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE ACTUAL PADS ON THE BRAKES WERE SMALLER THAN THE PADS THAT CAME UP WHEN LOOKED UP IN THE PARTS BOOK. THE PADS ON MY CAR WERE FOR A 13 INCH TIRE AND MY CAR HAS 15 INCH TIRES. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES DIDN'T STOP MY CAR VERY ACCURATELY. UPON LEARNING THIS I CHECKED FOR A RECALL AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER ON MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL. AT THIS TIME I WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY LOOKED THE RECALL UP AND GAVE ME A PRINT OUT THAT STATED THE RECALL WAS INDEED COMPLETED. THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR DOESN'T STOP PROPERLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN, AND I "TAXI" THEM TO NUMEROUS ACTIVITIES. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. THE BRAKES DON'T RESPOND PROPERLY AND THE AIR BAGS DON'T DEPLOY. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR TOLD ME THAT ABS BRAKES ARE MADE TO KEEP FROM GOING OUT OF CONTROL, NOT STOPPING THE CAR. IF THIS IS INDEED THE CASE I WILL NEVER BE SAFE IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR.*AK