1998-2002 Subaru Forester Brake Caliper Problems and Replacement

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 1998-2002 Subaru Forester, the front brake calipers are two-piston floating units that commonly stick on their slide pins or seize at the pistons after two decades of road salt and moisture. The usual signs are a pull to one side, a hot wheel after driving, uneven pad wear, or a soft pedal from a leaking seal. The fix is a replacement caliper with bracket per side, fresh pads, and a full fluid bleed with DOT 3 or DOT 4.

How the Brakes Are Set Up on the First-Generation Forester

Every 1998-2002 Forester uses disc brakes up front. The rear depends on trim: brake-parts catalogs for these years list two separate rear configurations, one with rear disc brakes and one with rear drum brakes, so the rear setup on your truck decides whether you have two calipers or four. Before ordering anything for the rear, look behind the rear wheel: a caliper clamped over a rotor means rear discs; a closed drum means shoes and a wheel cylinder, not a caliper.

The front caliper is shared across several Subarus of the era. Remanufactured front calipers for this application are listed to fit the Forester 1998-2002, Impreza 1998-2001, Legacy 1997-2002 and Outback 2000. The published specs for that caliper describe a floating design with two steel pistons of about 1.683 inches (42.75 mm) diameter and an M7x1.0 bleeder screw.

Common Caliper Problems and Their Symptoms

A floating caliper only works if it can slide. The pistons push the inner pad into the rotor, and the caliper body slides on two pins to pull the outer pad in from the other side. On a Forester this old, the failures fall into a few familiar patterns:

• Seized slide pins. The rubber boots crack, water gets in, and the pins rust in their bores. The caliper can no longer center itself, so one pad does most of the work. You will see the inner pad worn to the backing plate while the outer pad still has plenty of material, or a tapered pad worn thin at one end.
• Sticking pistons. Corrosion behind a torn dust boot keeps the pistons from retracting. The pad drags on the rotor, the wheel gets hot, you may smell burning brakes after a drive, and the truck pulls toward the dragging side. Fuel economy often drops too.
• Leaking piston seals. Fluid seeping onto the inside of the wheel or onto the pads, a slowly falling reservoir level, and a pedal that feels soft or sinks are signs a seal has let go.
• Stuck bleeder screws. Not a braking fault on its own, but a seized or snapped bleeder often turns a simple fluid flush into a caliper replacement.

A pull under braking can also come from a collapsed brake hose that acts like a one-way valve and holds pressure on the caliper. If a new caliper does not cure a drag on that corner, suspect the flex hose.

How to Diagnose a Bad Caliper

Start simple. After a normal drive, carefully compare the heat coming off each front wheel with the back of your hand held near (not on) the wheel. One corner noticeably hotter than the other points to drag on that side. Then lift the truck safely and spin each front wheel by hand in neutral: a wheel that drags hard compared to its partner has a sticking caliper or hose.

With the wheels off, check:

1. Pad wear from side to side and inner to outer. Large differences mean the caliper is not sliding or a piston is not retracting.
2. The slide pins. Unbolt them and see whether they come out cleanly and move freely. Heavy rust or a swollen boot means the caliper has been binding.
3. The piston boots. Any tear lets moisture in; rust on the piston face is a reason to replace rather than rebuild.
4. Wetness on the caliper body, hose connection or bleeder, and the fluid level in the reservoir.
5. The rotor. A dragging caliper often leaves a blued, grooved or warped rotor behind.

A Note on Pedal Problems and the 1998-1999 Recall

Not every soft pedal is a caliper. NHTSA recall 99V040000 covers 1998 and 1999 Foresters (and certain Legacy models) equipped with ABS: in extremely cold weather the brake pedal could go to the floor and stopping distance increase. The remedy was a replacement brake master cylinder at a Subaru dealer. If your pedal sinks in the cold and you find no external leak at the calipers, check the recall status by VIN and have the master cylinder looked at. Replacement units are in our brake master cylinder collection.

The Fix: Replacing a Forester Caliper

Most owners replace the caliper rather than rebuild it. A rebuild kit replaces seals and boots, but a pitted piston or corroded bore will still leak or stick. A loaded or remanufactured caliper with bracket comes with new seals, fresh hardware and a clean bleeder, which is why it is the most common choice on a truck this age. Shop options in our replacement brake calipers collection.

The job, in outline:

1. Loosen the lugs, lift the truck and support it on stands. Remove the wheel.
2. Clamp the flex hose gently or cap the line to limit fluid loss, then remove the banjo bolt at the caliper. Use new sealing washers on reassembly.
3. Remove the caliper and bracket, clean the knuckle mounting surface, and fit the new caliper and bracket. Torque the bracket, slide pin and banjo bolts to the values in the factory service manual.
4. Install new pads with fresh hardware clips, and lubricate the slide pins with a brake-specific caliper grease.
5. Bleed the caliper, then bleed the rest of the system, using FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid from a sealed container, as the owner's manual specifies. Subaru also warns not to mix different brands of brake fluid.
6. Pump the pedal until it is firm before moving the truck, then bed in the pads with a series of moderate stops.

This is a moderate DIY job for someone with basic tools, jack stands and a way to bleed brakes. The usual obstacles on a first-generation Forester are rusted bracket bolts, a seized bleeder and a banjo bolt that has welded itself in place, so penetrating oil and patience help.

What to Replace at the Same Time

• Calipers in pairs. Replace both calipers on the same axle so the brakes apply evenly and the truck does not pull.
• Pads. Pads contaminated by fluid or worn unevenly by a sticking caliper should never be reused. See our brake pads and ceramic brake pads.
• Rotors. If a dragging caliper overheated the rotor, replace it rather than machine it. Browse brake rotors.
• Flex hoses. Twenty-plus-year-old rubber hoses crack and collapse internally. Fresh brake hoses are cheap insurance while the system is already open.
• Hardware. New clips and pins from a brake hardware kit keep the new pads sliding freely.
• Fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air over time, which the owner's manual warns can cause a dangerous loss of braking performance. A full flush is part of the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all 1998-2002 Foresters have rear calipers?

No. These years were built with either rear disc brakes or rear drum brakes depending on trim. Check behind the rear wheel before ordering: drums use shoes and wheel cylinders, not calipers.

Will a Legacy or Impreza front caliper fit my Forester?

The same front caliper is catalogued for the Forester 1998-2002, Impreza 1998-2001, Legacy 1997-2002 and Outback 2000. Still, confirm the part number and side against your exact vehicle before buying.

Should I rebuild or replace a seized caliper?

If the piston is pitted or the bore is corroded, replace it. A rebuild only renews seals and boots, and a damaged piston will keep sticking or leaking. A caliper with bracket also gets you new slide pins and a fresh bleeder.

What brake fluid does a 1998-2002 Forester use?

The owner's manual calls for FMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid from a sealed container, and says not to mix different brands.

Why does my Forester pull to one side when braking?

The most common causes are a caliper with seized slide pins or a sticking piston, a collapsed flex hose holding pressure on one caliper, or contaminated pads on one side. Checking wheel temperature and pad wear usually points to the corner at fault.

Do I have to replace calipers in pairs?

It is strongly recommended. A new caliper paired with a 20-year-old one on the same axle can apply unevenly, causing a pull and uneven pad wear.

Sources

1. Cardone 19-B1949 caliper with bracket - floating 2-piston design, 1.683 in steel pistons, M7x1.0 bleeder, Forester 1998-2002 and shared Subaru fitment
2. Cardone 19-P1948 caliper - confirms 2-piston floating front caliper and shared Forester/Impreza/Legacy/Outback fitment
3. NHTSA recall data, 1999 Subaru Forester - recall 99V040000, cold-weather pedal-to-floor on ABS models, master cylinder remedy
4. Subaru 2002 Forester Owner's Manual, brake fluid - FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3 or 4 fluid, do not mix brands, sealed container
5. Brake Performance caliper rebuild kit, 2002 Forester - separate rear disc and rear drum brake configurations