78 of the 857 complaints about the 2011 Subaru Outback are about the braking system — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 80,500 miles.
78
Complaints
11
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
Just lost brakes. Was parked at an atm. In park, foot on brake as i was shifting into drive, brake pedal goes to floor and brake fluid leaks out... I see there was a recall for brake lines in Michigan. I've owned this car since 2020. All Brake pads are new as of 4/2025. This just occurred today on Sunday so I have not got the estimate yet.
NHTSA complaint #11678072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The car was being driven down the road, when the brake pedal went soft. At that point the vehicle had lost all braking power. I pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and proceeded to check the vehicle. The vehicle brake reservoir was empty, and the line underneath the car was leaking fluid out. Then I called a tow truck to tow my vehicle to get repaired. The mechanic then told me about the recall WQK47r.
NHTSA complaint #11636389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The brake system had a total failure. Driving down the road and the brake pedal went completely soft and was not providing any brakes. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road where the brake fluid resivor was empty and the underneath of the car was wet with brake fluid. The vehicle then was towed to a nearby mechanic to be inspected where they have come to the conclusion that the brake line box has become coroted. During the brake failure there were no warning signs and the only thing that prevented the vehicle from being involved in an accident was the use of engine braking and going up hill. The reason I’m reporting this is because after reviewing the internet to see what the average cost of the repair should be I came across a forum where this issue is become common place in my generation of Outback, as well as the previous generation which has a recall already on this same component. I’m also writing this report because I’m concerned with the amount of this type of vehicle on the road still and having a similar issue.
NHTSA complaint #11635381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Going down the road and my breaks went to the floor, further inspection the back passenger 4 way block blew apart due to rust I looked online and there is so many of these cars the same year that this is happening to, would love to have this year and model included in the recall for breaks to get this fixed
NHTSA complaint #11635185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Bought vehicle from Carvana, immediately noticed transmission shudder issues when driving near 50 mph. Brought vehicle in to multiple repair facilities. It had warped brakes, bad calipers, needed a new torque converter at least and the repair shop recommended a total transmission replacement. The whole vehicle shakes when driving near that speed or braking.
NHTSA complaint #11616153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Rear brake lines at junction block right rear corroded.As is the sane situation with 2009 models and under and impreza models newer with same design cannot understand why this model year was passed by
NHTSA complaint #11607704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 MPH and approaching a truck, the brake pedal was depressed and travelled down to the floorboard, causing the vehicle to fail to respond. The contact stated that the truck that was in front of the vehicle made a turn, which prevented the vehicle from crashing into the truck. The contact stated that he was able to pull into a parking lot, where the vehicle rolled until it stopped. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that his wife who had just undergone a spinal surgery was occupying the front passenger's seat when the failure occurred. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake lines had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the VIN was included in an unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
NHTSA complaint #11607123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
1. Propulsion, acceleration, brakes, transmission- no longer available for inspection 2. The vehicle went completely out of control; I stood on the brakes as hard as I could but would not stop or slow the car at all. We careened down a hill and head on into a large tree 3. not reproduced or confirmed 4. Vehicle was inspected by insurance company and was declared a total loss 5. no signs of any malfunction prior to wreck
NHTSA complaint #11593358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The parking brake actuator has failed. A recall already exists for this exact component but only extends to manual transmission vehicles. The recall for manual transmission vehicles is # 18V626000; the latest version of the part in question is Subaru part #26002AJ01E. The recall refers to a manufacturer defect. The quoted repair price for this issue is over $1300; the part alone is $850. At that price, many people (including me) simply cannot afford the repair and will have to forgo the added layer of safety provided by the parking brake. It is clear Subaru is aware of a manufacturer defect impacting a safety critical part but has minimized their costs by restricting the recall to a small subset of vehicles. Additionally, given that Subaru is charging $850 for a relatively simple component, Subaru may be seeking to profit from their own mistake. I request that NHTSA require Subaru to extend the recall to ALL vehicles with that component, not just the ones with manual transmissions. While automatic transmission vehicles have the parking gear manual transmission vehicles lack, I can think of a number of circumstances in which a parking brake could be critical. Barring that, I request NHTSA order the manufacturer of that component to provide repairs free of charge in the event of a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11579189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The emergency brake light and traction symbol have started flashing when I’m driving and now the EB has stopped working. I’ve visiting the Subaru dealership twice and two other mechanics. They’ve all told me different reasons why my car is doing this. I’ve never had an emergency break stop working.
NHTSA complaint #11573892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I have maintained my 2011 Outback well, and in August of 2023, while driving the vehicle, I lost the brakes. I had to fully depress the brake pedal to the floor in order to stop, fortunately not hitting the car in front of me . I brought the car to my local mechanic who advised me that the brake line rusted and failed as a result. As he was making the brake line repair, he advised me that there is SEVERE rusting to my underbody of my car and it's not normal. I then contacted Subaru Corporate Customer Service who asked me to bring the car into a Subaru Repair facility to have the car inspected. I brought the car into Ramsey Subaru, and with a charge of $150 to inspect the car, they advised me that the rust is significant and is unsafe to drive. They proceeded to quote me an estimated repair bill of over $6,000 to correct the rust issues. I then contacted Subaru Corporate HQ (Case #231011-1901134) and they advised me that the car is old, and there's nothing that they can do to assist me. However, what I'd like to bring to your attention, is the Outback model up to 2010, had a brake line rusting issue and they had a recall on it. In addition, when you search for 'Rust on Subaru" you can see that previous models years have been identified with Body Frame rusting issues, that prompted a recall on previous models. My ask is? Have you be contacted by other 2011 Subaru Outback owners about severe rust issues, and as a result lost their brakes and were told there car in no longer safe to drive?
NHTSA complaint #11554747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Rear brake line rusted through at 4 way connector and again on side of tank. It is visible to inspect when a plastic cover is removed. The brakes failed and the car would not stop. The brake light did not appear until after I applied the brake pedal to stop. This could have caused a serious accident.
NHTSA complaint #11554233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The rear brakes lines have rusted out to the point of leaking. Could of loss brakes on the road!
NHTSA complaint #11550791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
My mechanic tells me my Outback's K frame/engine cradle is rotting out where the control arms are attached. This is obviously a common problem with this run of vehicles, and leads to catastrophic failure. Further, the rear brake lines have rotted, and the geniuses ran them above the fuel tank, which would have to be dropped in order to repair. I believe this is a common enough problem to warrant investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11541160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the brake pedal went to the floorboard while depressed. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that subframe was severely corroded. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
NHTSA complaint #11541168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
July 2023 badly leaking hard brake lines, apparently at Right Rear underbody 4-way connector. This caused radically diminished braking capability, rendering car not drivable.
NHTSA complaint #11536992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
When the check engine light is illuminated for any reason, it could be as simple as the gas cap isn't tight. It is designed to disable the cruise control, disable the traction control and what I feel is a safety factor, it disables the electronic hill holder. Being this is a manual transmission vehicle it has an electric parking brake. When the hill holder is activated, if you stop on a steep grade for traffic or traffic light, the electronic parking brake engages until you start to release the clutch. This would not be an issue on an automatic transmission, but on a manual transmission gravity will make the car start to roll backwards. I don't know how the design engineers figured this was a good idea to disable this when the check engine light illuminates. Also the fact that the parking brake is strictly a parking brake, it is not an emergency brake as it cannot be activated while the vehicle is moving. If you lose the service brakes for any reason, it's impossible to bring the car to a stop using the emergency brake as it will only beep because the car is in motion. I do believe that the braking system should in no way be interrupted due to a check engine light, supposedly this is done to get the driver's attention, but it seems a compromises the safety of the driver and passengers as well as any vehicle that could pull up close behind not knowing that it's a manual transmission and could roll backwards on startup. I just feel this is a flaw In the design of the electric parking brake and hill holder assist used on these vehicles with manual transmissions. This is not an isolated issue, this will happen anytime that the service engine light or check engine light if you will becomes illuminated. No specific date, just anytime that the check engine light becomes illuminated while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11499115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
rear break line failure at the junction box... complete rotten off... all other lines coating and integrity visually ok... defect in coating ..
NHTSA complaint #11493843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake light came on while driving and brake pedal went to the floor..suddenly...NO brakes at all. Towed into repair facility and was informed the rear brake lines had rusted out and that the repair was major because of the routing of the rear lines under the rear seat and floor panel...a very bad rust area. Location is Maine. It was pointed out to me that there was a tech Bulletin and recall for Subaru Outbacks up to 2009....but the problem remained in the later models. MAJOR expense to access and replace the rear lines and route them properly with rust proofing! HELP!
NHTSA complaint #11486126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Upon application of the brakes approaching a stoplight, the vehicle pulled sharply to the right, entering the right lane from the left and was rendered unsafe to operate due to this condition. Had a vehicle been present at this time in the right lane, a collision would have likely occurred. Upon inspection by the mechanic, the front engine frame had broken on the right side. The broken area has two (2) large rust holes on the top and bottom sides of the box frame. Directly above the two (2) rust holes the drain for the air conditioning condenser is located. Illinois, like 22 other states in the U.S., uses road salt to combat icy road conditions. The combination of road salt with the location of the air conditioner drain tube directly above the frame failure point leads ut to reasonably conclude that this model has a design defect that led to the failure. A remedy for this issue would be to simply extend the drain tube approx. 5" so the water dripping from the air conditioning condenser does not drop onto the top, flat portion of the engine frame where road salt may accumulate over time. In addition, 1. I have possession of the original frame for inspection by the NHTSA. 2. At the time of the repair, the mechanic ordered the replacement dram from the local Subaru dealership. Our mechanic was informed that he was ordering the last remaining subframe assembly that Subaru of North America had in stock at that time.
NHTSA complaint #11474932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, extra brake travel time was needed upon the depression of the brake pedal while attempting to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard during the failure without warning. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V562000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, only the 2012 model was included in the recall. The dealer was then notified of the failure and the contact was informed that her vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 173,000.
NHTSA complaint #11471324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes become soft and sometimes depression of brake pedal to floor to activate brakes. Master cylinder appears to be in need of replacement
NHTSA complaint #11446541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving and suddenly loss almost all brake pressure. The brakes just went to the floor. Fortunately I was driving on a 30mph roadway near my home and was able to safely get the vehicle home. The mechanic said is it the brake lines corroded. Sudden loss of brake fluid. I see Subaru has recalls on earlier years for this. You need to get them to recall 2010 and 2011 Subaru Outbacks for this brake line issue. I see all over the internet other folks have the same problem with the 2010 and 2011. This is going to cause a major accident and people could. be killed. Had I been on the highway and this happened, I know this could have caused a terrible accident. Subaru is clearly aware of this brake line problem and you have not informed the customer that this is happening with the 2010 and 2011 Outbacks! Please take action immediately to inform owner of this problem. We have a right to know.
NHTSA complaint #11437078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
Partial brake failure while driving on Interstate. When applying brakes, the dash light came on and the pedal went to the floor. Car stopped, but braking distance was very long. The problem was caused by the failure of a brake junction on the right rear side, due to rust.
NHTSA complaint #11435479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I have being experiencing shuddering and a few stalls on the highway and at red lights. While I have been able no maneuver through this, I find it do be extremely dangerous for myself and others, and in one instance it came really close to be a coalition.
NHTSA complaint #11426099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The Brake line on 2011 Subaru Outback are leaking in the rear. This vehicle is not listed under the " WQK-47 – Brake Line Corrosion – 2005-2014 Subaru", recall. But is exhibits the same problems. When Subaru USA was contacted, Customer Service said they was nothing they could do because the vehicle is not listed in the recall, regardless of it showing the same issues. The brake caution light was on. Brake fluid in reservoir was a minimum, I filled it to max level with Dot 3 brake fluid. Two days later the light came on with fluid level at minimum again. This is the family car and I do not want my wife or kids to have brake failure while driving. The above mentioned recall seems to be exactly what I am experiencing. When looking form below the vehicle fluid is leaking form the 2-2way connection area. Onset 5/15/2021. Vehicle is not currently being driven due to safety concerns.
NHTSA complaint #11418326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. I'M GOING 70 MPH, AND MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT IS FLASHING FOR NO REASON. IT'S WAS NOT ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, JUST SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING 5 MINUTES INTO MY TRIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD AND TRIED RESET MY E BRAKE. IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF NO MATTER WHAT I DID. ONCE IN PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW MY CAR HOME. MY MECHANIC USED A SCANNER TOOL TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY DESCRIBED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, ABOUT A YEAR BEFOREHAND. I WAS ALMOST HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT 50 MPH. TURNS OUT THE E BRAKE HAD ENGAGED WITHOUT IT BEING TOUCHED, AND THE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL SO MUCH DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. MY BREAKS HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOT ONLY WAS THIS A VERY UNEXPECTED AND EXPENSIVE FIX, BUT ALSO PUT ME AND OTHERS IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF MY BEAKS SUDDENLY LOCK ON ME OR GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AGAIN, SOMEBODY COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. PLEASE, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN. I NEED MY CAR TO WORK.
NHTSA complaint #11413695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES MUSHY, EXCESSIVE PEDAL TRAVEL, HAVE TO PUMP THEM UP TO STOP. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. HAVE HAD NEW ROTORS, NEW PADS, DEALER FLUSH AND REFILL INCLUDING ABS WITH COMPUTER. NO CHANGE. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SUSPECTED, ESPECIALLY AS THERE WAS APPARENTLY A RECALL REGARDING CERTAIN 2012 MODEL OUTBACKS, I BELIEVE THAT ISSUE MAY APPLY HERE TOO. DANGEROUS
NHTSA complaint #11413212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
A BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MALFUNCTION. IT CAUSES AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL DISTANCE REQUIRED TO SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE. 2012 SUBARUS WERE RECALLED. IS MY 2011 RECALLED? IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #11403123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHILE BRAKING OVER POTHOLES, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED (AND ONCE JUST DRIVING DOWN A HILL TOWARD A STOP SIGN), THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES VERY SOFT AND IS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF TRAVEL DISTANCE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FIRST SEVERAL TIMES THE ISSUE SEEMED TO RESOLVE ITSELF AND I FIGURED IT WAS JUST A RESULT OF THE ROAD CONDITIONS. WHEN IT CONTINUED TO OCCUR I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE ISSUE AGAIN RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND THEREFORE NOTHING WAS DONE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER IT OCCURRED AGAIN, AND AGAIN THE ISSUE RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT IT. HOWEVER, THEY PERFORMED A BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSH AS A PRECAUTION. THREE MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE ENTERING THE ON-RAMP TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS FINALLY ABLE TO VERIFY THE CONCERN. THEY RE-FLUSHED THE SYSTEM AND ALSO REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER (WHICH WAS A RECALL ISSUE IN OTHER MODELS) AS A FORM OF GOOD WILL. WE ALL ASSUMED THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED AND I ONCE AGAIN TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE. EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT ONCE AGAIN RESOLVED ITSELF BEFORE A TECHNICIAN COULD LOOK AT IT, THEREFORE NOTHING MORE WAS TO BE DONE. I AM NOT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ROUGHLY. THERE ARE SOME ROADS IN OUR AREA THAT ARE JUST POORLY MAINTAINED AND THERE WAS ONE OCCASION WHERE SIMPLY PULLING OFF THE ROAD AND INTO THE GRASS TRIGGERED THE ISSUE. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND I'M TOLD THERE ISN'T MUCH ELSE THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #11373504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.