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View Full Version : 99 Legacy SUS Brake Issues



guerillax
04-01-2008, 09:56 AM
Greetings, fellow Legacy owners!

I am a longtime site lurker, owner of a 99 SUS for the last 9 years. My dad also had a 95 LSi for 10 years, we love our Subaru cars!

For the last few years, however, I have had horrible luck with my brakes. My brakes were completely shot in 2006, and in August of that year, I had full service at Midas.

August 2006 – 76000 miles, full ceramic pads, new rotors and caliper service performed

Car spent August 06- May 07 as a garage queen in Florida

June 07 – 79k miles - CV Axle replaced because it spit grease on my brake pads, rear pads warrantied

August 07 – 82k miles – Full car service performed, brake fluid changed and inspected

August 07 – 83k miles – catalytic convertor replaced, brakes inspected once again and no issues found.

August 07 – Last week – 85k miles – Car has spent all fall/winter/spring in the Florida garage.

I took the car to the dealership to deal with the chronically spongy brake pedal. All the miles put on the car are miles driven on the highway between Florida and Ohio during May and August. The car has seen barely any rain and no snow or salt since the August 2006 brake job.
The dealership just called with an estimate for a 600-dollar brake job. 90 bucks each for rotors. The rotors are allegedly rusted, causing the spongy pedal. The pedal seemed to have a lot of free play, when I hit it all the way down, it brakes perfectly. There is virtually no braking power until that point, however.

At any rate, I see that through Subaru Parts sites the stock rotors are 60 bucks, and some brembo rotors are only 40 bucks from tire rack.
I called the Midas in Ohio that has done all the work on the car and they say it sounds very unlikely that they are rusted, considering that they inspected the system twice in the last few thousand miles. These guys are legit and have saved my friends and family a lot of money over the years, my parents have been going to them for nearly 30, so I don’t think that Midas has any incentive to lie.

I am wondering what you guys suggest? Being a broke college student, I can’t go all out on a brake package. I really want my Legacy to last me the next few years, and seeing that I am graduating, I’m sure that way more miles are going to be put on the car in the near future.
Sorry for the discombobulated post, I am just so stressed out over this whole situation!

Huffer
04-01-2008, 10:03 AM
I would bleed the brake system... it's unlikely to be rotors if the contacts are just fine - when it makes contact.

Bleed the system to remove any suspect air - also check the rear brakes to see if they're not "stuck".

Airgne
04-01-2008, 10:03 AM
sounds to me like your master cylinder is going. i really dont trust dealership, but my famliy member works at one. the rotors or pads being rusty would have nothing to to with your problem, since the rust goes off in one stopping of the car. i have had nothing but drilled slotted rotors on my cars since i made that change in 03.

guerillax
04-01-2008, 01:55 PM
Thanks for the input guys. The "rust" is an extremely small line of rust on the rotors. One tech said I could just sand that off or take it to a lathe. So much for the 600 dollar brake job.

One tech admitted to me that other than the small rust line, the brake pads and rotors look to be in new condition.

The master tech claimed that the rotors were not rotated when brake pads were changed, but only the rear pads have been changed since the rotors were installed. Just seems like a bunch of BS.

I wish I could figure out why the lack of feel in the brake pedal, however. Any other tips for diagnosing a master cylinder?

Thanks again!

Huffer
04-01-2008, 02:28 PM
I wish I could figure out why the lack of feel in the brake pedal, however. Any other tips for diagnosing a master cylinder?

Bleed the system. It's the cheapest and easiest way to begin diagnosis.

decke48
04-01-2008, 10:44 PM
if its not a master. its probally a brake line thats expanding to much.(the inner lining is torn)
ps: pb blaster the bleeders so you dont break them off. and there very soft so use a 6 point socket

Airgne
04-01-2008, 11:02 PM
if bleeding the brakes does not help, i would look into a rebuilt master or just rebuild it youself. they are easy to rebuild. check and see if one of you lines has a buldge in it. as one of the other psts said.