I have a 2004 2.ltr Forester which I am very pleased about with the exception of a rattle on the front calipers. The dealer initially told me that the wrong grease had been used on the caliper slide pins, and I watched them replace the grease and all was well for abour 2000 miles when the rattle started again. The dealer is now telling me that Subaru have stoped using the damper pin on the caliper (which appears to be the top slide pin which has a rubber ring about half way along it) which is causing the problem. However they are not prepared to replace my pin with the damper version unless Subaru tell them to do so which they are not, as aparently my vehicle and a few others are isolated cases.

Has any one else come across this problem?

Could be the brake pad backing plates are small. Has the dealer fitted the "anti-rattle clips", ie. those metal clips that snap onto the caliper and form the rails for the pads to slide in?

 

At one stage the backing plates were a bit to large and this caused binding which led to uneven brake pad wear and brake dragging. Dealers were instructed to file away the ends of the backing plates. Only a tiny amount. If someone has done this to a backing plate twice, then it might be small enough to rattle?

No the anti rattle clips are in place and they have not filed any thing down as yet. Certainly there appears to be some play on the slide pins.

Could be the brake pad backing plates are small. Has the dealer fitted the "anti-rattle clips", ie. those metal clips that snap onto the caliper and form the rails for the pads to slide in?

 

At one stage the backing plates were a bit to large and this caused binding which led to uneven brake pad wear and brake dragging. Dealers were instructed to file away the ends of the backing plates. Only a tiny amount. If someone has done this to a backing plate twice, then it might be small enough to rattle?