2003 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

ABS IN MY SUBARU IMPREZA WRX ENGAGED UNEXPECTEDLY AS I TRIED TO STOP ON A BUMPY (SMALL LIGHT DEBRIS) ROAD. AS DISTANCE LESSENED BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BRAKES DID ALMOST NOTHING TO SLOW THE APPROACHING SPEED. TO AVOID COLLISION, I VEERED OFF THE ROAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMBER SKIN OF MY CAR. ALL DAMAGE WAS COSMETIC, AND INVOLVED NO OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SAID ABS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT NEVER RESULTING IN DAMAGE OR OVERLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE IN ANY OTHER ABS EQUIPPED CAR SINCE I BEGAN DRIVING. IN MY OPINION, THERE SEEMS TO BE PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE ABS COMPUTER DECIDES WHEN TO ACCTIVATE AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IT NEEDS TO FUNCTION. I COULD FORSEE THIS BEING A LARGER PROBLEM AND LEADING TO A MORE SEVERE ACCIDENT.*AK

WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES ON ROUGH DRY ROADS OR WHEN THE ROAD IS WET OR SNOWY ABS KICKS IN AND MY SUBARU WRX TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE BRAKES AREN'T EVEN WORKING. I HAVE ALMOST REAR EDNED PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THIS. ALSO, WHEN THE ABS GOES OFF ONCE IN THE SNOW, IT CONTINUES TO GO OFF EVERY TIME I STOP. *AK

ABS ACTIVATES WHEN DRIVING OVER A SEMI-BUMPY SURFACE. DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL. ALMOST REAR ENDED A CAR DUE TO THIS INCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY AS THE EXIT OF THE PARKING LOT SEEMS TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. *LA

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON MY 2003 SUBARU WRX SEDAN, SEEM TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. WHILE BRAKING OVER BUMPS / BROKEN PAVEMENT THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND SEEMS TO MALFUNCTION AS THERE IS A VERY ACUTE LOSS OF PEDAL PRESSURE AND A SEVERE LOSS IN BACKING POWER. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND HAPPENS ON A SEMI REGULAR BASIS WHENEVER BRAKING OVER A SURFACE THAT HAS IRREGULARITIES. *LA

ON MY 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE DANGEROUS. IF YOU HIT A BUMP WHILE BRAKING IT WILL TRIGGER THE ABS - AND RESULT IN AN ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. I NOTICE A BULLETIN IS LISTED FOR THE WRX ONLY, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN MY CAR AS WELL. *LA

KAREN QUINN OF SUBARU OF AMERICA ASSURED ME THAT I CAN DRIVE MY 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA WITH "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ON FOR A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS WITHOUT ANY CONCERN. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS BLINKING AND I WAS IN DANGER. AT A LATER TIME SHE FALSIFIED THE RECORDS AND HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF SUCH CONVERSATION. *LA

WHEN TRAVELING OVER ROUGH OR WET ROADWAY AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED ABS KICKS IN AND VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, OR SLOW DOWN AT ALL. YOU THEN HAVE TO RELEASE THE BRAKES AND THEN PRESS THE PEDAL AGAIN TO GET ANY BRAKING ACTION. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS (APROX 10 OR SO) TIMES SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN FEB 2003. I HAVE DRIVEN NUMEROUS OTHER VEHICLES WITH ABS AND NONE OF THEM HAVE RESPONDED IN THE SAME MANNER.*AK

ABS ON 2003 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX "FREAKS OUT" WHEN YOU STOP ON A BUMPY PIECE OF PAVEMENT. IT TAKES LONGER TO BRAKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM BETWEEN ME AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME, AND HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING BAD HAPPEN YET. BUT I SAW THAT IT WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE. IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE ENOUGH BRAKING ROOM, THIS COULD BE A REAL PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN FULL THROTTLE WHILE DRIVER'S FEET WAS DEPRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL.

WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED AFTER A SMALL PEBBLE HIT IT ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 55 MPH. DT