2002 Subaru WRX complaints

ON COLD DAYS THE CAR SMALLS OF RAW FUEL.*AK

MY 02 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HAS A FUEL LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP WILL CHARGE ME TO FIX THE LEAK. THEY KNOW IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND WON'T FIX IT FOR FREE. *AK

SECOND ATTEMPT TO FILE COMPLAINT PREVIOUS EFFORT WOULD NOT INCLUDE DATA ON COMPLAINT INFO PAGE. COLD WEATHER FUEL LEAK AS DISCRIBED IN SUBARU TSB 09-36-03 DATED 04/01/03.*AK RAW FUEL ESCAPING FROM FRONT OF RUBBER HOSE SECTION IDENTIFIED IN TSB , TEMP 3 DEG F. FUEL BEGINS TO ESCAPE MINUTES AFTER START OF CAR. AREA UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND AIR INTAKE TUBE WET WITH RAW FUEL, CLOUDS OF FUEL VAPOR SEEN RISING FROM FRONT OF CAR WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS

IN COLD WEATHER YOU CAN SMELL THE STONG ODOR OF RAW FUEL COMING IN THE CABIN OF MY 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. THERE IS A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN OUT TO THE DEALERS REGARDING THIS MATTER. IT EXPLAINS THAT THERE WAS A POORLY DESIGNED FUEL LINE WHICH LEAKS WHEN COLD. I CAN SEE VISABLE LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE SPECIFIED LINE. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO FIX MY CAR BECAUSE I HAVE PUT A DIFFERENT EXHAUST PIPE ON MY CAR EVEN THOUGH I AM WITHING THE 60K MILE WARRANTY WHICH COVERS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THE EXHAUST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL LINE LEAKING, BUT AS USUAL SUBARU OF AMERICA IS LOOKING FOR ANY EXCUSE, EVEN ILLEGITIMATE AND ILLEGAL ONES, TO AVOID PERFORMING WARRANTY WORK.*AK

MY 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HAS KNOWN ISSUE OF LEAKY FUEL LINES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE DROPS BELOW 20 DEGREES. THIS IS WELL-KNOWN AND SUBARU WILL NOT DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. IN FACT I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS WITH THIS PROBLEM THAT IF THE CAR IS PAST THE 3 YEAH/36,000 MILE MARK SUBARU WILL NOT EVEN FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE.*AK

ABS OVER SENSITIVE - WILL OFTEN CAUSE FAILURE OF BRAKING POWER WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS/POTHOLES/ROAD SEAMS DURING NORMAL BRAKING. WILL CAUSE EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES DESPITE GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS AND SLOW TRAVEL SPEED. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR AND CAR FAILS TO STOP. *LA

MY 2002 SUBARU WRX SEDAN HAS DISPLAYED UNRELIABLE ABS BEHAVIOR. THIS HAS RESULTED IN MY FIRST ACCIDENT IN 10 YEARS OF DRIVING. THE CAR APPEARS TO LOOSE VIRTUALLY ALL BREAKING POWER WHEN ENCOUNTERING ANY ROAD IMPERFECTIONS. WHILE THE ABS SYSTEM SHOULD ENGAGE IN SUCH AN EVEN, IT SHOULD DISENGAGE AS SOON AS IT CLEARS THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE NOTICED THE WRX CONTINUES TO LOOSE BREAKING POWER. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A 35-MPH ROAD, I ENCOUNTERED A MINOR COLLISION CAUSED BY A CAR BEING OBSTRUCTED OR CUT OFF. NORMALLY AT THIS SPEED I WOULD ASSUME 5-6 CAR LENGTHS TO BE SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE CAR, BUT WHILE BREAKING I ENCOUNTERED A SMALL DIP IN THE ROAD SURFACE. WHEN THE CAR PASSED OVER THE DIP, THE ABS ENGAGED, AFTER THAT POINT THE CAR CONTINUED TO LOOSE BREAKING POWER UNTIL I COLLIDED WITH THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. DURING THE YEAR I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM A NUMBER OF TIMES  NON OF WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE BRAKE AND ROTOR WEAR, BUT AFTER REPLACING THE WHOLE BREAKING SYSTEM ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT, THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. IT APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC TO THE ABS DESIGN/PROGRAMMING.*AK

CABIN OF CAR SMELLS OF GASOLINE. FUEL LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED ON EARLY MODELS.*AK

WHEN THE WEATHER BEGAN TO TURN COLDER, I SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE HOOD. THE SMELL WOULD PERSIST THE WHOLE TIME I DROVE THE CAR AND WOULD BE ESPECIALLY EVIDENT WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLING AND THE VENT WAS ON. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS PROBLEM (TSB# 09-36-03) AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED AS A FREE REPAIR BECAUSE MY CAR HAD OVER 60,000 MILES AND THUS WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT A PROBLEM LIKE THIS IS NOT TRIVIAL AND SHOULD NOT SIMPLY BE A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT INSTEAD A RECALL. SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE THE OFFENDING PARTS FOR FREE; HAVING FUEL VAPOR CIRCULATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO ME TO BE CAUSE FOR GRAVE CONCERN. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY COMPLAINT.*AK

LAST WEEK AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE CLUTCH PEDAL STARTED FEELING A BIT LOOSE (IE SOFT UNTIL IT WAS DEPRESSED HALF-WAY) AND WAS STICKING TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED FULLY. IT BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AT ALL AND I WAS QUITE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS AS I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD I BEEN AT HIGHER SPEED AND BEEN FOR EXAMPLE ATTEMPTING TO PASS SOMEONE AND THE PEDAL WOULD HAVE FAILED IN THE SAME WAY, MUCH MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. IT THEN BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR ON A COLD MORNING UNTIL I HAD PUMPED THE CLUTCH FOR AWHILE AND LET THE CAR WARM UP. ONCE I HAD DONE THIS, I COULD SOMETIMES SHIFT WITH NO PROBLEMS, BUT THE PEDAL WOULD STILL STICK TO THE FLOOR MOST OF THE TIME MAKING ME HAVE TO PULL IT BACK UP WITH MY FOOT. AFTER CALLING THE LOCAL DEALER, I FOUND THAT SUBARU HAS IDENTIFIED THIS AS AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB# 03-52-03) CONFIRMING THAT A HOSE FAILURE IS AT FAULT. SUBARU WILL NOT REPLACE MY HOSE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE I AM OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. CONSIDERING THE QUICK ONSET OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS, IT WOULD SEEM THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE OFFENDING HOSE WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT FAIL FREE OF CHARGE REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY STATUS.*AK

FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW, IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED, THE CLUTCH SHUDDERS WHEN IT IS INITIALLY ENGAGED INTO FIRST GEAR. THE CAR OFTEN SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE PROBLEM USUALLY GOES AWAY WHEN THE CAR WARMS UP, BUT RETURNS THE NEXT MORNING. I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CLUTCH, AND IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM (THEY HAVE ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN) BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH IF IT IS NOT UNDER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.*AK

FUEL SMELL INSIDE CAR. *AK

ABS ACTIVATES IN UNNECESSARY SITUATIONS. WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ON MY STREET, ON CLEAN DRY ASPHALT, THE ABS ACTIVATED WHEN GOING OVER A SMALL POTHOLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO BRAKING POWER UNTIL I RELEASED AND REAPPLIED THE BRAKE. THIS EXACT SITUATION HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 10-15 TIMES AT THE SAME LOCATION. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE UNNECESSARY ABS ACTIVATION AND BRAKE FAILURE IN OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE I HAVE DRIVEN OVER BUMPS OR PAVEMENT IRREGULARITIES. THE RESULT IS USUALLY THE ACTIVATION OF ABS, THEN THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, AND THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE BRAKES BE RELEASED AND REAPPLIED. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS NOT THE PORPER OPERATION OF AN ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS BEHAVIOR HAS NOT YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR ANY DAMAGE, BUT IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT IF I WERE IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS, THE RESULT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *AK

GASOLINE AND EXHAUST SMELL IN CABIN DURING COLD WEATHER; HAS OCCURED SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW; SUBARU DEALER CLAIMS THEY CAN'T SMELL IT.*AK

RAW FUEL SMELL FOR ENGINE COMPARTMENT IN COLD WEATHER. *AK

I GET A OVERWHELMING FUEL SMELL WHEN STARTING MY CAR. MY MILEAGE IS HORRBILE. I BELEIVE THERE IS A FUEL LEAK IN MY CAR.*AK

MY CAR A 2002 SUBARU WRX LEAKES FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPATURE IS BELOW 14F (I HAVE WHITENESS IT UP TO ~40F) THIS IS A KNOW PROUBLEM NOTED UNDER SUBARU TSB 09-36-03.. IT IS EXTREAMLY DANGEROUS FUEL IS LEAKED ON TO THE HEADS WHERE IT IS BOILED .. THEN FLOWS DIRECTLY INTO THE CABIN HVAC SYSTEM .. SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR 12-15-03 I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND GIVEN THE OPTION TO REPAIR IT DUE TO LIVING IN A COLD CLIMATE. *AK

THE ABS ON MY 2002 SUBARU WRX WAGON ENGAGES IN SITUATIONS WHEN IT SEEMS THAT IT SHOULD NOT ENGAGE. IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO BRAKES SOMETIMES. *LA

ABS SYSTEM WILL ENGAGE OVER ROUGH ROADS, BUMPS, RAILROAD TRACKS, MANHOLE COVERS OR ANY UNEVEN ROAD SITUATION EVEN WHEN ABS IS NOT NEEDED. THE SYSTEM THEN TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO RECOVER AND ALLOW NORMAL BRAKING. THIS RESULTS IN GREATLY INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND DRIVER UNEASINESS. GENERALLY, HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 40 MPH) WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, TRAFFIC SIGNAL, OR STOPPED TRAFFIC. *LA

LACK OF BRAKING FORCE WHEN ABS CYCLES ON. OCCURS ON BUMPY OR SLIPPERY SURFACES. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN A CORNER TOO FAST AND VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A BRICK WALL. CONSUMER WAS THROWN AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD AND BROKE HIS NOSE. THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT WORN , AND FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS CITED BY THE POLICE FOR DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. *AK

2002 SUBARU WRX ABS FAILURE. WHEN DECELLERATING ON BUMPY SURFACES, THE ABS ON MY 2002 WRX WILL ENGAGE, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCE.N EXTREMELY SLICK SURFACES, LIKE SLUSH, THE ABS WILL ACTIVATE AND DISENGAGE THE BRAKES COMPLETELY, RESULTING IN NO STOPPING AT ALL. IN JANUARY OF 2003, MY CAR ROLLED THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK. THE WHEELS WERE NOT LOCKED OR SLIDING, THE ABS ENGAGED AND FAILED TO STOP THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT I WAS ALREADY WELL INTO THE INTERSECTION.*AK

ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED ACCIDENT. A VECHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED QUICKLY SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY PRESSURE. ALTHOUGH I WAS GOING ONLY 30-35 MPH AND HAD SEVERAL CAR LENGTHS TO STOP, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR CAUSING ME TO REAR-END THE VECHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN THE PAST WITH THE WRX WHERE THE ABS WOULD TRIGGER WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP WITH MODERATE BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE PEDAL WOULD GO SOFT (RATHER THAN THE KICKBACK I EXPECT WITH ABS), BUT IT WAS NEVER IN A SITUATION THAT WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURED ON DRY PAVEMENT, AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, AND I DO NOT RECALL WHETHER I HIT A BUMP DURING THE INCIDENT TRIGGERING THE BRAKE PROBLEM. GIVEN THE DISTANCE AND THE SPEED, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP WELL BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH ABS BRAKES ON OTHER CARS, THERE IS STRONG FEEDBACK TO THE DRIVER DURING ABS OPERATION, NOT THE SOFT, INEFFECTIVE PEDAL THAT OCCURS ON THE WRX.

ABS ENGAGES WHEN BRAKING ON SURFACES WITH GOOD TRACTION IF TIRE(S) GOES OVER A BUMP FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN TIRE RETURNS TO GOOD TRACTION SURFACE. CAUSES LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE RELEASED THEN REAPPLIED IN ORDER TO REGAIN BRAKING POWER. ABS IS COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE ON LOOSE SURFACES, SUCH AS GRAVEL. *LA

WAS DRIVING THE SUBARU WRX IN A NORMAL FASHION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO CLASSIC SUBARU, THEY OPENED IT UP AND 2ND GEAR WAS STRIPPED OF ALL THE TEETH. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT WAS ABUSED. THIS IS NOT TRUE. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE STRIPPING OUT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY ARE ENGINEERED INCORRECTLY. THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN PROVE ABUSE. THE CAR WAS ONLY TRAVELING 10MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR AT ALL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *LA

MANY INCIDENTS. I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, AROUND 25, COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND THERE WAS A CAR AHEAD OF ME. A SECOND OR SO AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKES I WENT OVER SOME SMALL BUMPS ON DRY PAVEMENT AND IT FELT LIKE ABS WAS COMING ON, THE PEDAL DROPPED, BUT THEN IT WENT WAY DOWN AND IT WASN'T PULSING. BASICALLY THE CAR FELT LIKE IT LOST THE MAJORITY OF ITS BRAKING POWER AND DID NOT RETURN UNTIL I LIFTED UP AND PUSHED DOWN AGAIN BRIEFLY. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES WHERE A SMALL AMOUNT OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD WILL CAUSE THE ABS "OVERREACT" FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATED WILDLY WHILE DRIVING, AND CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND WAS GIVEN BACK TO THE CONSUMER, DEALER CLAIMED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ALONG IN MY 2002 SUBARU WRX WAGON ON SOME LOCAL ROADS AND I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP ON SOME ROUGH PAVEMENT , GIVING MYSELF PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP WHEN THE ABS KICKED IN AND THEN MY PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WASN'T STOPPING. IT FINALLY BOUNCED A FEW TIMES AND THE CAR CAME TO A STOP- FAR BEYOND WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS ISSUE MANY TIMES AND I FEEL, AS OTHERS DO, THE ABS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE IS SIMPLY AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN- AND MANY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SUCH AS A RESULT. *JB

ABS FAILED TO RESUME BRAKING AFTER BEING ACTIVATED BY BUMPS IN ROAD ON CLEAN, DRY ASPHALT.

HYDRAULIC ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CAUSE BRAKES TO FAIL WHILE TRAVERSING BUMPY SURFACE.*AK

SUBARU WRX ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM PERIODICALLY AND UNPRDICTABLY INHIBITS STOPPING POWER.*AK

ON 8/25 MY 2002 WRX WAGON WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR,WITH ENGINE ON OR OFF.I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN,WHEN IT WAS DROPPED OFF I WAS THERE,THE SERVICE PERSON TRIED TO SHIFT IT AND GOT IT TO GO INTO GEAR.WHEN THEY TRIED TO ENGAGE REVERSE,IT GROUND THE GEARS 4 TIMES,THEY SAID THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPED WHEN THEY TRIED,I WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE,IT WAS NOT MOVING!.THIS CAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION CONCERNS BEFORE AND HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OTHER VISITS WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH GRINDING GEARS WHILE DRIVING,THIS COULD CAUSE IN MY OPINION A SAFTEY ISSUE ,DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING.DO WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE IT IS DELT WITH?. I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

THE BRAKES ON MY 2002 SUBARU WRX FADED, AND MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THEN THE BRAKES AFTER 3 TO 5 SECONDS KICKED IN.*AK

MY 2002 SUBARU WRX HAS A DEFECTIVE ABS SYSTEM. WHEN BRAKING MODERATE TO HARD AND THE CAR HITS A BUMP, THE ABS "KICKS IN" AND REDUCES BRAKE PRESSURE, BUT AFTER THE ROAD HAS SETTLED THE BRAKE PRESSURE DOESN'T RETURN. YOU CAN PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT BRAKE PRESSURE DOESN'T INCREASE. ONLY IF YOU LIFT YOUR FOOT COMPLETELY OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN REAPPLY, DOES BRAKING POWER RETURN. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU HAVE TO PANIC STOP AND THERE IS AN IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. MY CAR HAS DONE THIS SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY MARCH 13TH, 2001

ABS ACTIVATES ON BUMPY ROADS.

ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED GOING OVER RAIL ROAD TRACKS AND/OR THE OCCASIONAL METAL EXPANSION JOINT.*AK

2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX LOSS OF BRAKE POWER DURING BRAKING APPLICATION AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS OVER DRY AND UNEVEN OR BUMPY ROAD SURFACES... MUST DISENGAGE FROM THE BRAKE APPLICATION AND REAPPLY THE BRAKES TO BEGIN SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE... REPEATABLE OCCURRENCES. *PH

WHEN BRAKING ON UNEVEN OR ROUGH SURFACES, THE ABS BRAKES FAIL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. I HAVE TO GET OFF ABS AND GET BACK ON QUICKLY; THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE PROPER WAY TO USE ABS BRAKES. *PH

DURING NORMAL DRIVING ON DAYS WHERE AMBIENT TEMPERATURES EXCEED 90 DEGREES, AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE ENTERS THE CABIN AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THE GASOLINE FUMES OFTEN REMAIN IN THE CABIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED.

BUMPY ROADS CAUSE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES TO ENGAGE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, BRAKE PRESSURE DECREASES AND VEHICLE DOES NOT DECELLERATE.*AK

MY MODEL YEAR 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WAGON HAS HAD A SLIGHT REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH WHAT SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY ABS BRAKING SENSOR. *AK THE CAR SUFFERS FROM A DROP IN PRESSURE OF BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND BRAKE PERFORMANCE OVER UNEVEN OR BUMPY ROADS. WHEN BRAKING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS IF A BUMPY OR UNEVEN SURFACE IS ENCOUNTERED WHILE BRAKING THE ABS KICKS IN AND THERE IS A LOSS IN CONTROL VIA THE BRAKE PEDAL OF THE BRAKING FORCE. THIS CONDITION HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT AS DESCRIBED, AND CAN BE QUITE DISCONCERTING. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT UNDER PANIC SITUATIONS, COUPLED WITH LESS THAN IDEAL ROAD SURFACES, THIS CONDITION COULD PROVE VERY DANGEROUS, AS THE BRAKING DISTANCE OF THE CAR INCREASES DRAMATICALLY DURING THIS ACTION.

ABS KICKS IN AND DOES NOT RETURN TO NORMAL BRAKING EVEN AFTER REGAINING CONTACT WITH THE ROAD. ATTEMPTED TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON MY OWN BUT COULD NEVER DO SO CONSISTENTLY. SEEMS TO HAPPEN OVER BUMPY ROADS, THE ABS KICKS IN, WHEEL(S) APPEAR TO LOSE TRACTION, BUT WHEN TRACTION SHOULD BE REGAINED, THE BRAKE PEDAL PRACTICALLY GOES TO THE FLOOR, THE CAR DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AT AN ACCEPTABLE RATE, AND ONLY AFTER "PUMPING" THE BRAKE PEDAL DOES THE CAR THEN GO BACK TO NORMAL (HARD) ABS BRAKING. WHILE IT HAS NEVER CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BEHAVIOR WERE IT TO EVER HAPPEN IN A PANIC SITUAITON.*AK

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ON UNEVEN TERRAIN. WHEN ROAD IS NOT SMOOTH, BRAKES SEEM TO LOSE POWER AND CAR DOES NOT SLOW. *AK

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM WHERE THE ABS SYSTEM ON MY 2002 SUBARU WRX ACTS IN AN UNPREDICATABLE MANNER. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN BRAKING ON A UNEVEN SURFACE. BASICALLY IT FEELS LIKE THE ABS ENGAGES TO PREVENT WHEEL LOCK-UP GOING OVER THE BUMPS, YET PEDAL PRESSURE DECREASES AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASES. LUCKILY I AM FROM THE TIME BEFORE ABS AND MY INSTICT WHEN THE BRAKES AREN'T REACTING PROPERLY IS TO RELEASE AND THEN REAPPLY THE BRAKES. WITHOUT THIS INSTINCT I WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BY NOW. I BELIEVE THERE IS A FLAW IN THE ABS ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE ON ANY OTHER ABS EQUIPPED VEHICLES I HAVE DRIVEN.

I OWN A 2002 SUBARU WRX AND WANTED TO ADD TO THE LIST OF ABS COMPLAINTS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES THAT WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT THE SAME TIME A BUMP IS HIT THE BRAKES FAIL TO RESPOND REGARDLESS OF SPEED. I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN IN A SIDEWALK ONCE TRAVELING 20 MPH WHERE I JUST HAPPENED TO HIT A BUMP AT THE SAME TIME I TRIED TO STOP. I HAD TO LET GO OF THE BRAKES AND REAPPLY TO GET THEM TO WORK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE EXACT DATES ARE UNKNOWN.

MY 2002 SUPRA IMPREZA WRX SEDAN HAS PRODUCED INCONSISTENT AND UNSAFE BRAKE OPERATION OVER ROUGH/WASHBOARD TYPE ROADS. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WHILE BRAKING IN A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR KEPT GOING. UPON ENCOUNTERING ROUGH ROAD AND THE RESULTING ACTIONS BY THE BREAK SYSTEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I SENT AN E-MAIL TO SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THE THE RESPONSE WAS TO THE EFFECT THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM. I HAD THE DEALER INSPECT MY BREAK SYSTEM AND I WAS TOLD THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN I AM BRAKING ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE, SUCH AS A POTHOLE, OR SOMETIMES ON GRAVEL, THE ABS WILL BE TRIGGERED, CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKING PRESSURE WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKING DISTANCE TO BE EXTENDED CONSIDERABLY. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS, YET, BUT I AM WORRIED AS I CAN'T BE MONITORING PAVEMENT CONDITIONS EVERYTIME I APPLY MY BRAKES.*AK

WHENEVER I BRAKE OVER UNEVEN (JIGGLY) TERRAIN, THE ABS ON MY 2002 WRX "KICKS IN" AND BRAKING IS REDUCED AND BRAKING DISTANCE IS LENGTHENED. NO OTHER CAR THAT I HAVE OWNED WITH ABS OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES, BUT NUMEROUS SCARY MOMENTS WHEN BRAKING WAS DIMINISHED WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS.*AK

OVER ROUGH SURFACES (POTHOLES IN PAVEMENT, ROUGH PAVEMENT, RAILROAD CROSSINGS, UNEVEN PAVEMENT) THE ABS WILL KICK ON AT A LOW SPEED AND IT SEEMS, IF ONLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS, THAT THE CAR IS NOT BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY AND I NEED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO AVOID BRAKING ON THESE TYPES OF ROADS BY BRAKING EARLY AND ROLLING THROUGH THE ROUGH AREAS WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED.*AK

WHEN BRAKING ON UNEVEN SURFACES, BRAKES WILL MOMENTARILY STOP WORKING.*AK