First Time Outback Owner with Brake Question...

[skipjack]

Hello everyone,

 

Just got a 2002 Outback Limited and love it! However, the brakes "pulse" whenever they are applied. The pulsing disappears under 30 mph. I know how ABS brakes feel like under normal braking, but I know that you shuldn't feel the "pulsing" or "throbing" under normal braking conditions. Need your experienced feedbacks.

 

Thanks...

[1 Lucky Texan]

Hello everyone,

 

Just got a 2002 Outback Limited and love it! However, the brakes "pulse" whenever they are applied. The pulsing disappears under 30 mph. I know how ABS brakes feel like under normal braking, but I know that you shuldn't feel the "pulsing" or "throbing" under normal braking conditions. Need your experienced feedbacks.

 

Thanks...

 

First 4 thoughts;

 

Make sure you are not feeling any jerky/thmupiness when you make turns at low speeds (no brakes applied - unlikely to be 'torque bind' but better to be sure).

 

Double check, or have checked, the torque on the lug nuts.

 

have the rotors 'turned' (machined down) and new pads installed - no hard/emergency braking for a while afterwards please)

 

have NEW rotors installed. Sometimes a spot on a rotor can be so overheated that resurfacing will not remove the poorly tempered spot and the pusling can come back.

 

 

Carl

[skipjack]

Thanks 1 Lucky Texan for the advice! Will use your checklist as a starting point; hopefully the problem will go away. I don't believe that there is any torque binding as the car is smooth during turns. At any rate, I will try your suggestions.

 

By the way, your quote is insightful...

 

Skipjack