SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
SUBARU 2001 LL BEAN 3.0 OUTBACK. FRONT DISC BRAKE PADS WORE OUT AT 13800 MILES - SQUEAKER WAS TOUCHING, PADS WERE GONE, AND ROTOR WAS SCORED. CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO REPLACED PADS AND SURFACED ROTORS AT LOCAL SHOP ON WEEKEND. AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES HAD DEALER INSPECT BRAKES - PADS AND ROTOR WERE WORN AGAIN. ROTORS WERE WARPED. SUBARU REFUSED TO REPLACE PADS UNDER WARRANTY (WE PAID) BUT DID REPLACE ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY. AT 31,600 ROTORS WERE EXPERIENCING SHAKING AT BRAKE INITIATION. TOOK CAR IN, ROTORS WERE "WARPED DUE TO HEAT" AND PADS (FRONT AND BACK) WERE AGAIN WORN OUT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND BACK ROTORS AND PADS. SAID THAT OUR "DRIVING" MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM - USING THE BRAKES TOO MUCH AND SHOULD SHIFT DOWN ON HILLS. AT 33000 MILES FRONT PADS AND ROTORS ARE AGAIN SHOWING WEAR. AFTER MANY CALLS AND VISITS ANOTHER DEALER'S SERVICEMAN INTIMATED THAT REALLY THE "ROTORS ARE TOO SMALL" FOR THE NEW 3.0 LITER ENGINE WEIGHT. SUMMARY - BRAKES WEAR OUT EVERY 10-12,000 MILES AND ROTORS ARE SENSITIVE TO ANY HEAVY OR PROLONGED BRAKING (FOR EXAMPLE - GOING DOWN A LONG STEEP HILL). DEALERS HAVE BEEN HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC BUT CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK