Subaru Brake Line Recall

Here is some information about the latest in a series of  Recalls from Subaru.

DETROIT — Subaru of America is recalling about 200,000 Legacy and Outback sedans and wagons from model years 2005-2009 to check for corroded brake lines.

Subaru, a division of Japan’s Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, said the vehicles were sold in 20 “salt belt” states, mainly in the Northeast and Midwest, and most were built at its U.S. assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana.

An official recall notice released Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that “salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.”

NHTSA said corrosion could cause brake fluid leakage, which could result in longer vehicle stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash.

Subaru on Tuesday said “no reports, accidents, injuries or incidents of failure have occurred.” It said the problem was discovered by its Japanese parent during an internal testing program.

Subaru in its NHTSA recall filing said vehicle brake lines could be perforated after exposure to salt over seven or more winter seasons.

Owners can take their cars to Subaru dealers for a free inspection. Dealers will rustproof the affected area with anti-corrosion wax and, if necessary, replace the brake lines.

I would like to point out how important it is if you have bought a used Subaru that you know the state of origin, and the all States it may have been owned in. Do not assume that because you bought a used Subaru in the state you live, its always been driven there.  This is where running a vehicle history report is a good idea if you don’t know the history.

When Subaru issues a recall like this it could take a while for a notice to reach a driver if the car has changed hands many times in a short period of time, which happens all to often in this day and age.

So if you don’t know the history of your Subaru, run a report or call  Subaru dealer with your VIN number and see if there are any open recalls for your Subaru.  Brake line rust is serious and should not be dismissed.

Thanks for Reading.

Justin