2005-2015 Subaru Legacy Parking Brake Problems and Adjustment

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The 2005-2015 Subaru Legacy used three different parking brakes. The 2005-2009 cars have a hand lever and cables that adjust at the lever; the 2010-2014 cars have an electronic switch that drives a single cable actuator under the car; and the 2015 car has electric motors built onto the rear calipers. Most parking brake problems on these cars come down to worn or badly adjusted shoes on the older two designs, or a failed actuator on the electronic ones, and the fix is different for each.

Which parking brake does your Legacy have?

Before you buy parts or start turning adjusters, identify the system. Subaru's own documents show three distinct designs across this span:

If the car has a lever between the seats, you are working on the 2005-2009 design. If it has a small switch and no lever, it is one of the electronic systems.

2005-2009 Legacy: hand lever and drum-in-hat shoes

On the fourth-generation Legacy, the lever pulls cables that expand a pair of small shoes against a drum surface machined into the center of each rear rotor. The rear disc pads play no part in holding the parked car; the shoes are a separate, small brake that only works when the lever is pulled.

Symptoms

• Lever comes up too far before it holds, or the car creeps on a hill with the lever fully up. This is the classic sign of worn shoe linings or a stretched cable.
• Warning light stays on after release. Check that the lever is all the way down first; low brake fluid lights the same lamp.
• Dragging or a hot rear wheel after driving. Usually a seized cable or a shoe adjusted too tight.
• Rattle or scrape from a rear wheel. A broken shoe spring or loose hardware inside the rotor hat.

How to check and adjust

Subaru's 2009 Legacy owner's manual gives the check you can do in the driveway: with the brake properly adjusted, full holding power comes in when you pull the lever up 5 to 6 notches gently but firmly, at roughly 44 lbf. If the stroke is out of that range, the manual points to the adjusting nut on the parking brake lever and says to have the brake system checked.

A tech's note on that: the lever nut only takes up cable slack. If the shoes themselves are worn, or the adjuster at the wheel was never set after a rotor change, tightening the nut just hides the problem. The right order is to set the shoes at each rear wheel first, then use the lever nut to bring the notch count into spec, then confirm neither rear wheel drags when released.

Bed in new shoes

New parking brake shoes do not hold well until they are broken in. The same Subaru manual describes it: at about 22 mph, hold the release button in and pull the lever slowly and gently, drive about 220 yards that way, let the brake cool 5 to 10 minutes, repeat, then recheck the lever stroke. Do it somewhere safe; Subaru warns that pulling too hard can lock the rear wheels.

2010-2014 Legacy: the electronic parking brake actuator

The fifth-generation Legacy replaced the lever with a switch. You press it to apply and pull it, with the brake pedal pressed and ignition on, to release. Under the car it is still cables and drum-in-hat shoes; the difference is that one electronic actuator assembly, which Subaru's bulletins say is reached by removing the fuel tank protector, does the pulling and measures cable force with a sensor.

Known failures, straight from Subaru and NHTSA

• Actuator circuit failure (NHTSA recall 18V-626, Subaru WTV-81). On 2010-2014 Legacy and Outback with a manual transmission, a capacitor on the actuator's circuit board and/or the stroke sensor magnetic ring can crack. When that happens the brake warning lamp flashes and the parking brake may not apply, which on a manual car parked out of gear can let it roll. Subaru replaces the actuator free under the recall, which covered 27,175 U.S. vehicles. Check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov.
• Warranty extension for automatic cars. Automatic (CVT and 5-speed automatic) 2010-2014 Legacy and Outback were not in the recall, but Subaru bulletin 06-71-19R extended coverage on the original or Genuine Subaru EPB assembly to 15 years with unlimited mileage. The oldest cars are reaching the end of that window, so ask a Subaru dealer to run a coverage inquiry before paying for an actuator.
• DTC C0251 and a flashing lamp at key-on. Subaru bulletin 06-58-17R describes cases where the actuator's automatic calibration does not run when the ignition is turned on; the EPB may not work, the lamp flashes, and C0251 is stored. The fix was a revised actuator assembly.

What the lights mean

Per Subaru's recall notice, the brake warning light is steady when the parking brake is applied with the ignition on and goes out when released. A flashing brake light means the EPB system has a fault. Park on level ground where you can, leave a manual in gear (first facing uphill, reverse facing downhill), turn the front wheels away from the curb uphill and into it downhill, and get it diagnosed.

Adjusting the shoes on the electronic cars

This is where DIY rear rotor jobs go wrong. Subaru's revised recall bulletin WTV-81R says that after the rear rotors are installed, the parking brake shoes must be adjusted before running the scan-tool Force Sensor Calibration Mode, or codes such as C0271, C0253 and C0251 can set and the calibration may not complete. The procedure:

1. Remove the adjusting hole cover from the rotor.
2. Insert a flat-tip screwdriver through the hole and turn the adjusting screw until the shoes contact the rotor.
3. Back the adjusting screw off 5 notches in the opposite direction.
4. Apply and release the parking brake several times and confirm there is no drag. If the screw is not backed off enough, the brake will drag.
5. Reinstall the hole cover and wheels, set the car on level ground, and run Force Sensor Calibration Mode with a scan tool that supports it.

If you do not have a tool that can run that calibration, plan on a shop finishing the job. Replacing rotors without it is how a working EPB turns into a flashing light.

2015 Legacy: motor-on-caliper EPB

The 2015 redesign moved the parking brake onto the rear calipers. Subaru's launch materials for the 2015 Legacy note that all models got ventilated rear discs and the electronic Hill Holder System, which holds the car until you apply the throttle. There are no shoes to adjust; an electric motor gear unit on each rear caliper does the work.

The known issue is software. Subaru service program WTB-63 covered all 2015 Legacy and Outback: the EPB re-applies about 150 seconds after you set it, and if the ignition is switched on at that exact moment, the left rear motor could receive continuous current and seize, leaving the parking brake stuck on. The dealer fix is a reprogram of the stability control module, plus replacement of the left rear motor gear unit only if it has already failed.

For rear pad service on this car, the caliper piston cannot simply be pushed back. The EPB has to be put into its service mode, with a scan tool or the procedure in the factory service manual, so the motors retract first. Forcing the piston can damage the motor gear unit.

What to replace together

• Rear rotors on 2005-2014: the parking brake drum is part of the rotor, so a new rotor is also a fresh parking brake drum. Inspect the shoes and springs while the rotor is off; if the linings are thin, glazed or oil-soaked, replace them now rather than pulling the rotor twice. Examples that fit: the Hawk Talon rear rotor set for the 2006 Legacy 2.5i and the EBC BSD rear rotors for the 2010-2014 Legacy 2.5 GT.
• Rear pads with rear rotors: on every year, fresh pads should go on new rotors. For the 2010-2014 2.5 GT there is the EBC Bluestuff NDX rear pad set; browse all brake pads for other trims.
• 2015 rear service: the EBC BSD rear rotor set for the 2015 Legacy or the Hawk Talon rear rotor set, with pads and new hardware.
• Hardware: shoe springs and caliper clips lose tension with heat and rust. A brake hardware kit is cheap insurance.

Parking brake trouble is a rear-axle issue, but if the car also needs fronts, the DBA SP500 front pads for the 2005-2008 Legacy and the full brake rotor range cover the other end.

How hard is the job?

On a 2005-2009 Legacy, shoe replacement and adjustment is a moderate DIY job with basic tools; the springs are fiddly, and doing one side at a time keeps a correct reference in front of you. On 2010-2014 cars the shoe work is similar, but finishing correctly requires a scan tool that can run the calibration, and the actuator itself sits up by the fuel tank. On a 2015, rear pads and rotors are routine once the EPB is in service mode, but without a way to retract the motors it is a shop job. In every case, rusted rotor hats and seized cables are what turn a quick job into an afternoon; Subaru's own bulletin recommends penetrating lubricant and hand tools on older cars.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many clicks should my 2005-2009 Legacy parking brake take?

Subaru's 2009 Legacy owner's manual specifies 5 to 6 notches with a firm pull of about 44 lbf. More than that means the shoes or cable need adjusting.

Why is my brake warning light flashing on my 2010-2014 Legacy?

A flashing light means the electronic parking brake has a fault. Check for the open recall on manual-transmission cars, and for the extended EPB warranty on automatics, before paying for an actuator.

Can I adjust the electronic parking brake myself?

On 2010-2014 cars you can set the shoe adjusting screw through the rotor, but Subaru says the Force Sensor Calibration Mode must follow, which needs a compatible scan tool. The 2015 system has no manual adjustment.

Do I need new parking brake shoes when I replace rear rotors?

Not automatically. Inspect them while the rotor is off and replace them if they are thin, cracked, glazed or contaminated. Always readjust and bed them in after any rotor change.

My parking brake will not release on a 2015 Legacy. What happened?

Subaru service program WTB-63 addressed a software condition that can seize the left rear EPB motor. A dealer can reprogram the system and, if the motor has already failed, replace the left rear motor gear unit.

Sources

1. Subaru 2009 Legacy Owner's Manual (Subaru Technical Information System) - hand lever operation, 5-6 notch / 44 lbf stroke spec, adjusting nut at the lever, shoe break-in procedure
2. NHTSA 18V-626 / Subaru WTV-81 owner recall notice - EPB actuator defect on 2010-2014 manual-transmission cars, steady vs flashing warning light, parking precautions
3. Subaru bulletin WTV-81R (NHTSA) - shoe adjustment through the rotor, back off 5 notches, calibration mode and related DTCs
4. Subaru bulletin 06-58-17R (NHTSA) - DTC C0251, actuator calibration at key-on, fuel tank protector removal
5. Subaru bulletin 06-71-19R (NHTSA) - 15 year / unlimited mileage EPB warranty extension for 2010-2014 automatic cars
6. Subaru service program WTB-63 (NHTSA) - 2015 EPB re-apply logic, left rear motor seizure, reprogramming fix
7. Subaru U.S. Media Center: 2015 Legacy introduction - ventilated rear discs and electronic Hill Holder on all 2015 models