2002 Subaru Legacy

NHTSA REF # 302836, SAFETY ISSUE, BRAKES ROTORS RUST TO POINT OF FAILURE, SUBARU SERVICE TOLD ME THEY WERE A SAFETY CONCERN. VIN [XXX], 2002 SUBARU LEGACY L, 43,351 MILES, REPAIR PARTS, SUBARU, FRONT BRAKES PN'S 26296AE220 & 26300AE00C, REAR BRAKES PN'S 26700AE04C & 26696AE020 REPLACED ON ALL 4 WHEELS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES ON ANY OF THE MANY VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN OVER FORTY PLUS YEARS OF DRIVING. THE SERVICE REP LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL WHICH TELLS ME THEY HAVE HAD SAFETY RECALLS. I ORIGINALLY WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED AND WHILE IN THE WAITING ROOM A SALES PERSON CAME OUT AND SPOKE TO A PRIEST WHO OWNED A 2008 OUTBACK AND THE SALES PERSON ASK IF HE WANTED TO TRADE HIS VEHICLE BEFORE IT NEEDED BRAKE WORK. MY EXPERIENCE TELLS ME THAT MY BRAKING DISTANCE WAS COMPROMISED BY MANY FEET OF STOPPING DISTANCE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $966.48. I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTS TO VALIDATE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS COMPLAINT. I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA, THEY WE NOT INTERESTED IN MY COMPLAINT IF IT DID NOT MEET ONE OF THEIR TWO CRITERIA WHICH WERE, WAS THE CAR IN WARRANTY OR WAS THERE A RECALL, THEY WERE NOT INTEREST IN UNDERSTANDING A SAFETY PROBLEM, THEY DID OFFER ME $500 FOR A NEW SUBARU . REFERENCE NUMBER FOR SUBARU WAS REF # 1-1103069413. BRAKE ROTOR DESIGN IS OBSERVING THE LAWS OF PHYSICS AND OVER DESIGNING THE ROTOR SO THE HEAT AT FULL LOAD IS NOT SO GREAT TO CAUSE BRAKING FADE AND CONTINUOUS OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKES CAUSING THEM TO RUST. COMPLAINED ON 5/21/10 THE BRAKES WERE MAKING NOISE AND WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY NOTED ON SERVICE WORK ORDER NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER ON BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE IS IN SHOW ROOM CONDITION. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SAFE DRIVER COURSES AND AWARDS. I HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO LOOK AHEAD IN TRAFFIC AND SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE INTENT NEVER TO HAVING TO STOP PREVENTING A REAR END COLLISION AND CONSERVE FUEL. MY CONTENTION IS THE BRAKES ARE DESIGNED TO MEET FULL LOAD WITH NO SAFETY MARGIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES, THE BRAKES FAIL IF THE MASTER CYLINDER IS NOT WARMED. THE CONTACT MUST ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO WARM UP APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO FUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V079000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: MASTER CYLINDER) AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE REPAIR SHOP WILL REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER AT THE COST OF $400. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 128,000. UPDATED 3/5/09 *CN UPDATED 03/10/09. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL BRAKING AND ROAD CONDITIONS. THE OCCUPANT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. AFTER BODY REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT DETERMINED THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM, REAR TIRE, WHISTLING NOISES COMING FROM DOOR AND OIL LEAK.*MR THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE WHEEL. THE REAR HATCH WAS ADJUSTED FOR WHISTLING NOISES, AND THE BRAKES WERE DUSTED OFF TO REPAIR THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE OIL FILTER WAS REPLACED AND THE SEAT BOLTS WERE TIGHTENED TO ELIMINATED THE SEATS FROM MOVING WHILE DRIVING. *PH *JB