general problems of the 2010 Subaru Outback

This car is a very well-maintained, low-use vehicle with regular oil changes and routine maintenance performed on schedule. Early in this drive, I noticed an unusual hissing sound as I approached a stop. When I tried to brake, I realized my brakes didn't seem to be responding. I pressed the brake pedal harder and realized that with 50-100 pounds of pressure (guess), I could slow the car down. As I came to a stop, the engine died. I restarted the car, and it died again immediately. After the following restart, I realized I could manually keep the rpm up in neutral while at stops, and press with significant force to get the car to stop. Had I not been comfortable two foot driving or understood the issue, this surely would have resulted in a crash of some sort. The car indicated a check engine light, loss of traction control, a flashing brake light, and a flashing cruise control light. I took the car immediately to a local shop where they identified the problem as a vacuum leak at the brake booster. The plastic piece that the hose clamps onto had cracked off, leading to this problem. This make and model does not seem to have a check valve downstream of this component.

On Saturday, August 9, 2025, my brakes failed at highway speed. My vehicle's stopping distance was severely increased, forcing me to perform an emergency swerve into the leftmost lane to avoid rear-ending a truck. The maneuver was extremely hazardous, as it occurred in a construction zone with concrete barriers and no shoulder, leaving no safe escape path and endangering myself and others. I confirmed the cause was a catastrophic failure of the four-way brake line union block due to severe corrosion. There were no warning lamps or symptoms prior to the incident; the failure was sudden and total. I found that this defect is difficult to spot during inspections because the part is hidden by a plastic panel. The failed union block and corroded lines were removed and are available for inspection upon request. My research shows this is a widespread issue and the exact failure mode covered by Subaru recall wqk-47r for 2005-2009 models. This known safety defect persists in the 2010-2014 generation, which is not covered by the recall. Prohibitive dealer repair costs are forcing unsafe workarounds. This defect presents an unreasonable risk to public safety, and I urge the NHTSA to investigate.

Brake pedal went to the floor while applying the brake. Pulled car back up driveway and parked and noted almost zero ability to brake the car, pedal goes to floor when applying pressure to the pedal, almost zero ability to come to stop. Checked fluid - was still in reservoir but not at max. Level (b/n max and min. ). Checked under hood at and no signs of any leaks in engine compartment or on any lines in engine compartment (all good). Looked under car and no signs of leaking. Opened reservoir to top off to max. And by time I went into garage and came back with brake fluid the reservoir was empty, reexamined and found brake fluid leaking from a plastic cover on passenger side rear of car. Placed cover to soak up all fluid dripping/ streaming down to the ground. Called my local mechanic, and he indicated car may need to be towed to be serviced. In looking online, I have found many accounts of this issue with 2010 Subaru Outback owners in northern areas where corrosion at the 4-way connector of the brakes lines causes immediate loss of braking and loss of all fluid. Not sure of cost, but I am thinking once it is examined the 4-way connector and all 4 brake lines may need to be replaced. This appears to be a widely known issue and for some reason this was never included or changed from 2005-2009 Subaru recalls to change for 2010 models, so I would like to know why this and the cost for repairs are not covered by Subaru as a recall. This could have caused a major accident and severe injury or death if traveling at speed on highway or in area needing hard braking to come to immediate stop. This is now the third major issue I have had in less than 12-months and 2nd from corrosion on my 2010 Subaru. Last summer my front frame had corrosion damage and required replacement. This brake issue with corrosion at the lines to the 4-way connector had recalls in earlier models, but why not in 2010 Subaru Outbacks? very unsafe and no warning light prior to brake loss !.

I noticed my brake pedal suddenly sink to the floor, and I have to press the pedal all the way to the bottom to get a little bit of brake. Was able to make it back home. Upon inspection, I noticed brake fluid dripping from rear passenger side brake pipe, I took off a plastic cover that covers the brake line, and noticed heavy rust on a "manifold" where two brake lines coming from front of the car and two lines going to two side of rear brakes. The brake line is leaking right from there. I feel sudden failure of this part can lead to fatal accident, luckily I was very close to home and on a local road when I experience this. And Subaru should 1. Make it more easy for inspection. 2. Notify the public. 3. Get more rust proof measures, 4. Get it fixed for the current owners. Thanks.

Complete brake failure due to leakage at 4 way b8rake line junction located above the gas tank on right side rear of vehicle. Known and reported issue due to rust and corrosion of brake lines in this unprotected area of vehicle. It has been a known problem on these 4th generation vehicles. . . No recall instituted. Wife and I lucky to be alive. Ridiculous that Subaru America has not been summoned to conform to a nthsa recall and make repairs on those vehicles affected. Absolutely no indication failure was about to occur resulting in complete brake failure. Amazingly, this happened in such an area where I was able to roll to a stop and take action to transport the vehicle to my home where it is officially grounded in my garage. Condition was confirmed by a Subaru master technician.

The brake system failed when the brake lines burst at the four way connector on the right, rear side of the vehicle. There were no indicator lights lit on the dash until after losing all braking. Luckily I was traveling slowly and was able to roll to a stop safely. This is due to corrosion on the brake lines in the area of the four way connector. There is a small inspection door on the cover for this connector, so the issue is easily seen. This has been an issue for Subarus in the past with many recalls for this issue on similar models. Unfortunately the recalls end in 2009 for Outbacks while mine is a 2010. Obviously this issue has not been corrected by the manufacturer.

Brake failure - after inspecting vehicle 6/20/2024 noted brake fluid leaking from underneath the vehicles right hand side. Removed splash guard and noticed the brake lines had extensive corrosion in a small section with no protective coating. Brake fluid noted leaking from the unprotected area. The rest of the brake lines were fully intact.

Brake line corrosion, I noticed it about 10 months after buying the car. They finally broke five days ago I called Subaru. They told me it’s just regular wear and tear and there is no recall for the corroded brake lines and the junction box.

The brakes completely gave out while the vehicle was being driven, without warning. The brake light did not turn on until after the car had been stopped and restarted and the brakes had already gone out. Fortunately, the vehicle was being driven on a side street, and it was able to coast into a parking lot. Had the brakes given out before then, when it was on the highway, the outcome could have been far worse. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic. The mechanic stated that once they removed the cover over the rear junction box near the fuel tank, they found the junction box to be corroded away. The vehicle has been to several mechanics over the past several years, and none of them have ever identified any issues with the brakes or brake lines. Subaru had issued a recall for the same issue but for model years 05 to 09.

I have a 2010 Subaru Outback that has significant corrosion on the rear four-way brake joint connector that can lead to a serious accident. There was a campaign that addressed this very issue (NHTSA 14v-311) but it did not include 2010 Outback even though it had the same design. This issue is very serious.

Failure of rear hydraulic braking system (brake lines) due to corrosion. Steady loss of fluid due to corrosion around the double brake line union underneath rear passenger side. Plastic cover prevents corrosion issues from being spotted prior to it becoming a catastrophic failure. Vehicle has been inspected by a service center. The "brake" warning lamp illuminated in the dash to alert the drivers of a possible problem, but a significant amount of fluid was lost.

The abs system failed at 117k miles and rendered the abs inoperative. The electronic parking brake recall could not be completed because of this. We were quoted $1600 to replace the abs pump and computer so that the recall could be completed. The vehicle was dangerously difficult to stop and almost caused a crash.

Code c0251 electronic parking brake malfunction/inoperative; sometimes epb will engage when driving at a slow pace <10mph no accidents associated.

Multiple times over the past 6 years I will be driving and if using my cruise it stops working and I have flashing lights , brake and cruise light flashes on and off, check engine and traction control light stay on. These lights stay on from 1 day to almost 2 weeks before they go out. I have had them checked many times by Subaru dealer and other mechanic shops with no resolution except to clear the codes.

I went out to start my car and let it warm up. I got in set the electronic parking brake started the car and put the manual transmission in neutral. I went in the house to finish getting ready, when I looked out the window the car was in the ditch at the bottom of the driveway. I had the parking brake recall done in March at the local Subaru dealer.

While driving the following warning lights have come brake, vehicle dynamics control, and at oil temp. It has happened twice now and lights go away once car is turned off and back on again.

Tl-the contact owns a 2010 Subaru Outback while driving 5 mph the brake pedal was applied however failed to respond and depressed to the floor without warning the contact called white river Subaru 429 sykes mountain Ave, white river junction, vt 05001(802) 526-9810 but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted who provided case 1-50024654201 but did not assist. The failure mileage was 190,000. The contact stated that the failure was similar to NHTSA campaign number 14v311000 service brakes, hydraulic. Ap.

Tl-the contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while at a intersection, the contact depressed the accelerator which engaged the electronic emergency brake without warning. The vehicle behind the contact crashed into the rear. No airbags deployed. No injuries sustained. No medical attention contacted. No police report made. The contact exchanged there insurance information. The vehicle was taken to the dealer Subaru of bend 2060 ne hwy 20, bend, or 97701 (541) 389-3031 where a diaognses test at this time is begin performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact mentioned that he contacted his insurance who has started a investigation. The failure mileage was approximately 520. Ck.

When coming to a stop on any road the vehicle stalls, uphill or downhill. The car then needs to be restarted after putting the vehicle in park then turning the key to restart, as vehicles are coming quickly from behind. This could be a potentially deadly vehicle failure and needs to be addressed and recalled. It started about a week ago and continues to happen.

Electric parking brake closed during repair of vehicle and would not respond to reprogramming or any attempt to repair. Car was stationary, but unable to release brake resulted in necessary replacement of faulty component. Subaru unwilling to reimburse for part.

Tl the contact owns a 2010 Subaru Outback. While driving various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart and drive normally, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact called heritage Subaru catonsville at (844) 224-1954 (located at 6624 baltimore national pike, catonsville, MD 21228) and was informed to schedule a diagnostic appointment. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 129,204.

The vehicle was in neutral, engine running with parking brake set (electronic parking brake in the 2010), the mechanic got out of the car on the level crushed gravel parking lot in the middle of a beautiful sunny afternoon and allowed myself to get in the drivers seat. I have never been able to disengage the parking brake without it flashing non stop unless I turned the car off and restarted it, then disengage the parking brake. On this specific day, I got into my vehicle attempted to disengage the parking brake it still was set with light on. I turned off the vehicle, restarted it and disengaged the parking brake and it immediately started flashing. The brake was disengaged; however, the light remained on. Returned it to my mechanic and he stated that he was not familiar with the electronic parking brake however, it was not working at all nor would it would work. You could hear the little motor running but nothing would happen. I brought my vehicle up to a Subaru dealership in hopes that they would stand behind a poorly designed piece of equipment on their product which as a consumer should have lasted more than 7 years. I was told the parking brake module part needs to be ordered for $800 plus tax. This is very discouraging given th ridiculous cost of something your vehicle is required to have for state inspection. It seems obvious that this electronic parking brake was not a good product as they only placed them on 2010-2012. I feel that this is something the manufacturer should stand behind.

The brake pipes corroded in the same location as in the earlier recall at the 4 connection coupling where the center pipe meets the rear pipe sections. This issue is documented in Subaru ticket number 1-176 88494776.

I bought my first Subaru in 2002. I love it, a week after I bought it I went to California from st. Louis, mo. I decided I wanted another one because I love Subaru's. It took me a few weeks to find the one I wanted. It was a used 2010 with 84,940 miles with one owner. None smoker which I really loved. He took very good care of it. He took it in for all the requirements that Subaru has. I had car fax print out so I know what was done. No complaints about the stalling when you stepped on the brakes. It was about a week into my ownership that I noticed when I stopped the car would start to vibrate and then die. This is very scary because the person behind you starts honking and I must put it into park and restart it. The lights on the dash start flashing while it is dying, a light goes on that looks like a car skidding. When I start to feel, it trying to die I tap on the brakes a few times and most of the time it will keep running. It is the times when it dies and I can't get it started fast enough can be dangers' because someone is driving fast behind me. This has happened to me more than I want it to. When I go to church that is 10 miles away it seems to stop a lot at the light. I just want Subaru to fix the problem because they have known about this problem since 2010. I have found so many complaints on another site, I copied them and will be taking them to my service man and sending a letter to the hq. I just don't know what to do. When I had my car in for the 90,000-mile work done I told them again. They told me when I picked up the Subaru it would cost me $1,700. 00 to fix it. No Subaru needs to fix it since it has been a problem since day one. So many other complaints have been printed. Someone even sent and talked to hq but no recall has happened. So, I'm angry that they have done nothing to correct the problem.

As I was pulling into a parking space with a foot to go, going less than 5 mph, the engine surged and the car suddenly lunged forward, climbed a 6 inch curb and traveled about 4 feet and hit a wooden staircase of a building. The entire time my foot was on the brake. This entire event took less than a second.

I heard a grinding sound and checked the rear brakes. Pad and rotors were wearing metal on metal. Checked front brakes and they were fine. Called dealer as to what might be wrong was told I must have driven the vehicle with parking brake on. I asked if there were problems with the parking brake system as I have never heard of the back brakes wearing out before the front especially with approximately 40k mile open country miles. I was told by the service staff member they have never encountered this before . Up on googling the problem I found that 2010 Outbacks were having similar issues. I want to add mine to the data base. I am concerned that the brakes possibly activating while moving or not releasing as designed.

2010 Subaru Outback. Consumer writes in regards to excessive brake wear, at low mileage. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, for a brake inspection, due to an excessive noise coming from the rear brakes. The dealer informed the consumer the brake components had a considerable amount of rust as well as being worn out. The consumer believed the rear brake design was too small for the vehicle. He suspected the newer versions of the Outback's had a more heavy-duty rear brake design than his vehicle. The materials used in the original equipment installation were either improperly selected, installed or defective.

Abs, check engine, brake, vehicle stability and cruise control warning lights all came on and stayed on, as well as tapping noise. Dealer says it is defective abs sensor. Vehicle has been in shop since August 25, 2009.