Subaru Outback: brake wear normal??

Question

I have a 2002 Subaru Outback and just noticed one of the front brakes was grinding. Upon closer inspection, one of the pads was worn down and started grooving the rotor. When I replaced the pads (and the rotor) I found that only the inboard pads were both worn down to nothing, but the outboard pads were like new. I have less than 40,000 miles on the car, more than half of that are on the highway. Isn't this fast for this much wear? Why only one pad worn so much?

Answer 1

First, you could review the service bulletin titles on the Edmund's website for your car to see if any relate to the front brake wear. Sometimes there's "secret warranties" that dealers honor if they know there's a problem with many of that model car. It's surprising that both calipers seem to be faulty at the same time causing the abnormal brake pad wear.

http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/MaintenanceServlet
http://www.mycarstats.com/
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=43008/pageNumber=1?synpartner=edmunds&pageurl=www.edmunds.com/advice/warranties/articles/43008/article.html

Answer 2

It sounds like you ride the brake a lot. If not, when you have the pads and rotors replaced check the calipers for proper returning. Replace the caliper hardware and service all the sliders. Should take care of the problem.

Subaru has 40k mile warr, have it looked at before it turns over.

Answer 3

40,000 for breaks are pretty good. But your description of break wear is definitely abnormal.

You need to replace the calipers (and the pads and the rotors).


Good Luck

Answer 4

It's abnormal wear. A vehicle with only 40K should not need brakes yet. The calipers were binding & or the pistons were sticking. Don't know what recourse you have now that the warranty has expired, unless you can prove it was a factory defect.

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