Parts for your 2012 Subaru Impreza-Brake shoes

2012 Subaru Impreza brake shoes — what they do and when to replace them

Based on technical documentation, brake shoes are indeed relevant to the 2012 Subaru Impreza. The Subaru Impreza 2012MY Service Manual (Brake > Parking Brake section) and Subaru’s New Car Features material for the GP/GJ chassis specify rear disc brakes paired with a drum-in-hat parking brake that uses brake shoes. OEM parts catalogues for this model also list a “parking brake shoe set” and fitting hardware. So while the service brakes are discs all round, the parking brake uses internal drum shoes inside the rear rotors.

On a 2012 Impreza, the brake shoes live inside the “hat” of the rear disc rotor and act only when the handbrake is pulled. Their job is to hold the car still when parked and provide a mechanical backup if needed. They don’t wear like the main disc pads, but they can glaze, rust, crack, or lose effectiveness if they’re out of adjustment or contaminated.

Good servicing keeps the parking brake crisp and consistent. At regular services, a technician should pull the rear rotors to inspect shoe linings, check the return springs and levers, clean out brake dust, and lightly deglaze the drum surface if needed. Cable condition and equaliser movement should be checked so the lever travel stays within spec. If the car lives near the coast or sees lots of wet and grit, corrosion can accelerate, so a periodic strip, clean, and adjustment is worthwhile.

• Signs it’s time for attention: excessive lever travel, poor holding on hills, scraping or squeal from the rear hats, or a shudder when applying the handbrake.
• Replacement tips: always replace shoes in axle sets, fit a new hardware/spring kit, clean contact points, and adjust the star wheel so the shoes are just off-drag, then fine-tune at the lever.
• After replacement: bed the shoes in with a few gentle handbrake applications at low speed on a quiet, flat road, allowing cooling between pulls. Avoid hard applications straight away.

With normal use, these shoes can last many years and well over 100,000 km, but regular checks—every service or 12 months—keep the handbrake reliable. If the rotor hats are heavily scored or the shoes are oil-soaked or cracked, replacement is the smart move.

Because the Impreza’s main stopping power comes from the disc pads, owners sometimes forget the shoes are there—until the lever climbs or the car creeps on a hill. A little periodic TLC keeps everything sweet.

Popular questions

Do all 2012 Subaru Imprezas have brake shoes?
Yes. They have rear disc brakes for normal driving, plus internal drum brake shoes dedicated to the parking brake inside the rear rotors.

How often should the parking brake shoes be adjusted?
They’re checked at routine services. Adjustment is done when lever travel increases or holding power drops—often every 12 months, sooner if the car sees lots of city parking or hilly terrain.

Can glazed or noisy shoes be saved, or should they be replaced?
Light glazing can sometimes be corrected with a clean and deglaze of the drum surface and shoe edges, followed by proper adjustment. Cracked, oil-soaked, or heavily worn shoes should be replaced with new hardware.