# 2002 SUBARU WRX — SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
> NHTSA complaint `488489` · 2004-08-04 · Subaru of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** SUBARU
- **Model:** WRX
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** Subaru of America, Inc.
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
- **Miles at failure:** 34,000
- **Speed:** 35 mph
## Narrative
ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGES ON DRY PAVEMENT WHEN IT ENCOUNTERS BUMPS, PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING FORCE IS SEVERELY REDUCED.  I HAVE DRIVEN MANY CARS WITH ABS AND NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME.  I HAVE SORT OF LEARNED TO "DRIVE AROUND" THE PROBLEM, BUT ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS WHERE EMERGENCY BRAKING WAS CALLED FOR IT HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT - ONCE FORCING ME TO DRIVE UP ONTO AND OVER A CURB AND INTO A DITCH.  DESTROYING ONE OF MY WHEELS IN THE PROCESS.  SOMEONE RAN A RED LIGHT AND I COULDNT STOP FROM 30 MPH IN WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF ROOM WITH A NORMAL BRAKING SYSTEM.  PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE SINCE CAR WAS NEW, WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT IT WITH MY DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT "ALL WRXS DO THAT, ITS NORMAL" BUT AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME CAR I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALTHOUGH WE ALL MIGHT EXPERIENCE IT, ITS NOT NORMAL AT ALL AND QUITE SCARY.  AS AN EXPERIMENT I FOUND A PARKING LOT WITH SOME BUMPS ON IT THAT WOULD CAUSE THE ABS TO GO NUTTY, I THEN PULLED THE ABS FUSE AND WENT OVER THE SAME PART OF THE PARKING LOT AT THE SAME SPEED AND I COULD GET TONS MORE BRAKING FORCE WITHOUT LOCKING UP THE WHEELS THAN I COULD WITH THE ABS ON, SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY SCREWY HERE.  *AK
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*