FaultScore

1996 Subaru Legacy brake problems

21 of the 161 complaints about the 1996 Subaru Legacy are about the braking system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 121,561 miles.

F

21

Complaints

6

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 14 66.7%
Rotor 2 9.5%
Master Cylinder 1 4.8%
Foundation Components 1 4.8%
Disc 1 4.8%
Lamp 1 4.8%
Parking Brake 1 4.8%

Brakes across every Subaru Legacy year

1991 15 6.5%
1995 34 14.7%
1996 21 9.1%
1997 31 13.4%
1998 14 6.0%
1999 15 6.5%
2005 32 13.8%
2006 11 4.7%
2008 13 5.6%
2010 15 6.5%
2011 18 7.8%
2015 13 5.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 85,123 miles Mathias, WV Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY MOVING INTO DRIVEWAY AND THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE HOUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE FAILURE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED THE FRONT BRAKES ROTORS AND PADS TO BURN UP.

NHTSA complaint #10091563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 158,000 miles Bellingham, WA Crash

PARKING BRAKE

CAR WAS PARKED, WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND IN GEAR ON A HILL. OWNER HEARD A SHARP METALLIC NOISE AFTER CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 10 MIN. AND SAW CAR BEGIN ROLLING DOWNHILL FROM THE PARKED POSITION, PICKED UP SPEED AND CRASHED. NO ONE WAS IN THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN THE CRASH WAS OVER IT WAS FOUND WITH E-BRAKE DISENGAGED AND STILL IN GEAR. *TS *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**764464

NHTSA complaint #10009393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ripton, VT

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WHEN BRAKING PEDAL PULSATES. DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS IN JUNE AND AUGUST OF 1999 AT 27000 MILES. IN AUG OF 2001, REAR ROTORS WERE REPLACED. FRONT ROTORS ARE TO BE REPLACED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.*AK REPAIR SHOP OWNER STATED THAT THE ROTORS WERE TOO THIN FOR VEHICLE WEIGHT, THEY WARP AND CAN NOT BE RESHAPED, CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED DUE TO THIS BRAKE PROBLEM BEING A DESIGN DEFECT, MANUFACTURER DOES NOT AGREE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #896077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sarasota, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN 1/2" TO 3/4" TO FLOOR ONLY WHEN VEHICLE WAS SITTING FOR A WHILE OR WHILE APPLYING BRAKE AT A STOP POSITION. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #880293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME TO PREVENT CRASH. RAINING. CAR IN FRONT STOPPED. OUR CAR GOING ABOUT 25MPH. BRAKED AT ABOUT 25 YARDS FROM OTHER VEHICLE; CRASH OCCURED. IS THERE A REQUIREMENT THAT A VEHICLE STOPPED WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE AT A GIVEN SPEED IF PROPERLY BRAKED? THANK YOU. JONAS MORRIS

NHTSA complaint #727212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florissant, MO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS DOES NOT SEEM TO SLOW OR STOP VEHICLE QUICK ENOUGH, IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

NHTSA complaint #784422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florissant, MO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS DOES NOT SEEM TO SLOW OR STOP VEHICLE QUICK ENOUGH, IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

NHTSA complaint #784422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Monument, CO Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES TO STOP ABOUT 5 MPH, CONSUMER BUMPED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #857143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Blue Springs, MO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #854562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mancelona, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BECOME MUSHY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #847925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mancelona, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BECOME MUSHY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #847925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo, NY

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FIRST INSTANCE WAS IN DEC 98, 2ND 6-21-99 CRUISE CONTROL STAYS ON, CANNOT CANCEL OR TURN OFF, BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR WITH NO EFFECT WHAT SO EVER, HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY OFF AND RESTART THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF CRUISE AND GET THE BRAKES BACK (THIS IS A LITTLE SCARRY WHEN YOU HAVE POWER STEERING). THIS WAS A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION IN TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON AN APPROACH TO A SEVERE TURN ON A EXIT RAMP.

NHTSA complaint #707787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCK UP ON OCCASIONS CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.

NHTSA complaint #514934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minnetonka, MN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP

WHEN CAR STARTED AFTER HAVING STOPPED FOR 3 HOURS, BATTERY WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CHECKED BRAKES/FLUID AND ALTERNATOR BELT - NO PROBLEM FOUND. CONTINUED DRIVING; VARIOUS LIGHTS, INCLUDING "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF. CAR FINALLY STALLED ON HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. ALTERNATOR REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #702504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lebanon, NH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

HAD ABS BRAKING FAILURE DURING EXTREME ADVERSE CONDITIONS, IT WAS RAINY/SNOWY WEATHER.. THE SYSTEM SEEMS TO WORK, BUT CAN FEEL PULSATION. STOPPING DISTANCE IS FURTHER THAN NORMAL.

NHTSA complaint #822350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Womem, UT Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH , BEGAN APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, OR SLOW DOWN, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION, AIRBAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #821088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Antonio, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #522512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Golden, CO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #521646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lakewood, CO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ABS BRAKES DO NOT PERFORM WELL IN SNOW AND ICE. WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IN THESE ROAD CONDITONS, VEHCILE WILL NOT STOP. DEALER NOTED THAT VEHICLE IS OPERATING TO SPECS.

NHTSA complaint #815657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING BRAKES TO OVERHEAT/SMOKE.

NHTSA complaint #514934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, HE STATES THAT HIS ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK WELL IN WET OR ICY WHEATHER, THIS MOSTLY OCCURS IN THE WINTER TIME, ABS FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #809459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Subaru Legacy problems

← Full 1996 Subaru Legacy report