2002 SUBARU WRX — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED ACCIDENT. A VECHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED QUICKLY SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY PRESSURE. ALTHOUGH I WAS GOING ONLY 30-35 MPH AND HAD SEVERAL CAR LENGTHS TO STOP, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR CAUSING ME TO REAR-END THE VECHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN THE PAST WITH THE WRX WHERE THE ABS WOULD TRIGGER WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP WITH MODERATE BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE PEDAL WOULD GO SOFT (RATHER THAN THE KICKBACK I EXPECT WITH ABS), BUT IT WAS NEVER IN A SITUATION THAT WOULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURED ON DRY PAVEMENT, AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, AND I DO NOT RECALL WHETHER I HIT A BUMP DURING THE INCIDENT TRIGGERING THE BRAKE PROBLEM. GIVEN THE DISTANCE AND THE SPEED, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP WELL BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH ABS BRAKES ON OTHER CARS, THERE IS STRONG FEEDBACK TO THE DRIVER DURING ABS OPERATION, NOT THE SOFT, INEFFECTIVE PEDAL THAT OCCURS ON THE WRX.