My subaru Wagon started pulling to the right the other day and today I was on a hiway and was pulling in to the gas station and the front brakes locked up or the trans went out. I had to have it towed and when he was loading it both front tires were locked up but when he was unloading it it "broke" free and went toward and reverse jut fine but when I drove it a little up my road it happened again but I was able to put it in reverse and it "broke free" again and I was able to get it back into my drive way... What happened? Is it a brake problem or trans? What should I look for? Thank you...

Drain the trans fluid and look for metal chunks

 

Jack it up and remove the calipers adn see if they spin free.

 

Those 2 things should eb enoguh to figure it out

Thank you, I'm am so gun shy about driving this now... What would cause both sides to lock up. I have heard of one side locking up but not both

I drained the trans fluid and there was no metal at all in it... So that leaves only the brake calipers? How can I tell which caliper locked up? Do calipers go out like that just out of no were? Thanks

It is always easiest to work on your car while you are near her, not the computer. What year is you car?

 

I shouldn't be talking considering Im sitting on my rump roast..but I know its too easy to let your common sense fly out the door when you have a forum like this to lean on.

 

Get out there and jack the front end up,set it on some stands and try to spin your tires, listen and feel for drag. 

 

good luck!

Edited March 9, 201412 yr by 81EA81

hi,

  you did not say if this car is an auto trans or manual trans.

   i had a friend had a 86 gl-10 with auto trans FWD  that the front diff gradually went out on it , he did not know you have to check the diff unit with 90 wt gear oil and it leaked out and the ring/ pinion finally would lock up  like that , put in reverse and it would go backward  ok.  needless to say we had to put in another trans from the salvage yard,, that was back when you could find one in a salvage yard.   you may have a different problem,  but,   if it's an auto , you might want to drain the 90 wt diff oil  to look for metal particals,  not the pan with auto trans fluid.  

  just wanted to tell this story since the symptoms you mentioned are just like his were.   with no oil in it  the diff bearings  totally gallded / locked  and actually wore the case away inside where the bearings mount inside it,  this caused enough slack that it would  lock the gearset when trying to go forward,  it would back up ok,, the ring and pinion set. were also ruined.   

It's on jack stands, I took the tires off and every thing looks good, I started it and put it in drive and let it sit there and run. When I hit the brakes there's defiantly a lock up thing happing here. It's a automatic 4wd. I'm going to change the calipers but now I'm about scared to drive it cause what if it happens again in a curve doing 60 instead of going straight and about 35 mph... This is the cleanest gl I have ever seen. I had plains to have it lifted put a dual rang 5 speed I it but now I don't know...