Parts for your 2017 Subaru Impreza-Brake shoes

2017 Subaru Impreza brake shoes: what they do and how to look after them

Yes, brake shoes are relevant on a 2017 Subaru Impreza. Technical sources such as the Subaru 2017MY Impreza Service Manual (Brake section) and Subaru’s parts catalog specify a rear disc brake setup that uses a small “drum-in-hat” parking brake with brake shoes inside the rear rotor hat. That means the service braking is handled by pads and discs, while the handbrake/parking brake function relies on a pair of brake shoes. This design is common across modern Subarus and gives solid holding power without compromising the disc brake performance.

On a 2017 Impreza, the brake shoes’ job is simple but important: they press outward against the inner drum surface of the rear rotor hat to hold the car when parked, on the flat or on a hill. They’re not part of the normal stopping system under the pedal, so they tend to wear slowly. Still, grime, rust, glazing or poor adjustment can make the handbrake feel weak, cause extra lever travel, or lead to squeaks when the car is parked and the brake is applied.

• Typical symptoms they need attention: excessive handbrake lever travel, poor hill-hold, scraping or squealing from the rear when parked, or an MOT/WOF-style parking brake efficiency fail.
• They’re separate from the rear pads, so rear pad replacement doesn’t fix a weak handbrake if the shoes are worn or out of adjustment.

For servicing, it’s smart to inspect and, if needed, adjust the parking brake shoes at regular brake services (about every 12 months or 15,000 km in typical Australian and New Zealand schedules, or whenever rear brakes are apart). A proper service involves removing the rear rotors, cleaning dust and rust, checking shoe thickness and the drum surface, and adjusting the star wheel so there’s slight drag, then backing off to spec. Replace shoes in axle pairs if lining is thin, oil-soaked, cracked or heavily glazed, and always fit fresh hardware (springs and clips) for even return and quiet operation. After replacement, bed-in the shoes with a few gentle low-speed handbrake applications to seat the linings. If lever or cable free play is out of spec after shoe adjustment, set the cable at the lever/equaliser per the Subaru manual. Done right, Impreza parking brake shoes often last well beyond 100,000 km, but their condition depends on environment and usage.

• Does the 2017 Subaru Impreza have brake shoes?
  Yes. It has rear disc brakes for normal stopping and separate brake shoes inside the rear rotor hat for the parking brake.
• How often should the parking brake shoes be replaced?
  There’s no fixed interval