Subaru Recalls Certain Vehicles for Potential Salt-Related Brake Issues

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- That winter weather is not yet a distant memory, but its ugly legacy can live on for months, as KDKA-TV first reported in February.

"Major safety issue with all the salt that we have on the roads here in Pittsburgh, your brake lines can corrode pretty quickly," said Bob Eyrolles, a AAA service specialist, last February.

"This brake line is not coated, and it's showing signs of rust," said Tim Dietz, owner of Troubleshooters. "I've seen them a lot worse than that to the point when you touch them they actually fracture and fall apart. This is a brake line that one of my shops has taken off and you can see all the rust and corrosion."

Now Subaru is taking a step -- before any problems develop -- of recalling Legacys and Outbacks manufactured from 2005 through 2009 in 20 states where road salt is used, including Pennsylvania.

"We have a test facility in Japan that monitors the state of vehicles as they age," Subaru spokesman Michael McHale told KDKA money editor Jon Delano. "Under salt conditions, the break pipes can corrode somewhat."

Subaru calls this a pro-active recall.

There is no evidence at all that these cars have brake line problems because of salt. But just in case, the Subaru dealers will inspect all the old Legacys and Outbacks.

If you own one of these cars, Subaru will reach out to you.

"We will be contacting people in the next few days and weeks too, and ask them to take their vehicle into the dealer for an inspection," said McHale. "If the dealer finds that the brake pipe is in a particularly poor condition, he or she will replace them free of charge."

"And if they are in decent condition, they will clean them and apply a special coating that will protect the brake pipes from herein."

Of course, in this region, almost every car is at risk for salt damage -- so this advice is still good.

"A lot of car washes now have that undercarriage wash," noted Eyrolles. "Whenever you run your car through the wash, have them do that undercarriage -- kind of wash it away."

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