Subaru Recalls 200,000 Vehicles For Brake Line Rust - Is Japanese Quality On The Decline?

Subaru of America is recalling 198,900 previously recalled vehicles in 20 cold-weather U.S. states because of possible rust on brake lines due to salty water.

The unit of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. said it will recall the 2009-13 Forester, 2008-11 Impreza, 2008-14 WRX, 2008-14 WRX STI in 20 states — including Michigan — and the District of Columbia. The company said because of “incomplete repair instructions” to dealers that “additional anti-corrosion material needs to be applied to the four-way joint connector area of the brake line system for vehicles previously repaired.”

The original recall issued in June applied to 461,338 vehicles. That was prompted by a lengthy investigation that first began in 2011 after reports of rusty brake lines. Subaru notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the new recall on Dec. 31; and it was made public Thursday.

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leej - 1/8/2015 3:20:53 PM

+6 Boost

The answer to your unnecessarily inflammatory headline is 'no'.

trmckin - 1/8/2015 4:07:55 PM

0 Boost

Good ole Subaru... I think we were just talking about how these don't hold up well in the snow belt...

USNA1999 - 1/8/2015 4:49:46 PM

-1 Boost

Japanese quality has been on a decline for years. My past Hondas (1987, 1990 and 1992) were built in Japan and were so much reliable than what the new products are. My mom's Honda Accord and my old LEXUS LS460 had the same amount of issues as my old MB C230 and Passat.

nguyenvuminh - 1/8/2015 5:54:16 PM

+3 Boost

Just his opportunistic self at any attempt to raise Korean car mfr at the expense of the Japanese car mfrs.

7msynthetic - 1/8/2015 7:12:23 PM

+2 Boost

++ leej - 4 years old running the show here

carsnyc - 1/9/2015 12:38:32 PM

+1 Boost

Japanese reliability is still up high and like it or not Subaru is growing exponentially in the U.S.

Bamajama - 1/9/2015 6:20:21 PM

0 Boost

Uh Honda, Toyota and Nissan have always been the reliable brands from Japan. I don't believe in handing the title around based off of nationality. Mitsubishi's, Suzuki's and Mazdas have always been meh. Subaru's aren't really that much more reliable than a Ford.