8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$480
Average Mileage:
126,700 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
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problem #3

Mar 212019

Outback 2.5XT Limited 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,000 miles

Did the typical Subaru thing where it was running totally fine and then threw all kinds of warning lights, literally as I was turning into my destination. Winter, so it was cold as hell.

Opened the hood and it turned out there was no oil in it whatsoever. No indication, and then all of a sudden a million warning lights. No low oil light, low oil pressure, nothing.

Totally random. Typical Subaru.

- Carl E., Golden, CO, US

problem #2

Feb 172021

Outback 2.5XT Limited 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 145,000 miles

Car sat for about a week without being started. The week before, I had driven it and it ran totally fine. I literally drove it to King Soopers and back. Went to start it a week later and it threw all kinds of warning lights, along with a weird smell. No serious weather or temperature changes during the week. Turned out it was a cylinder 3 misfire. I s*** myself because I thought it might be a blown head gasket but it was just in the third cylinder.

Stuff like this is just so random... it does this kind of thing with no warning fairly often, especially as it approaches 150,000 miles.

- Carl E., Golden, CO, US

problem #1

May 032013

Outback Prez 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

Bought this car new. Took good care of it, and expected it to last. Had a recall that I believe screwed up the engine. They brought the car in for recall and changed something with the fuel (to keep the catalytic conv. safe). I brought it back, and told them the car was not right. They denied it. I took it to another dealer-I told them it smells hot, and isn't right. They denied it.

I started up the car one day, and the check engine light came on. The car was shaking. My mechanic said it had a "miss." Brought it there, he said it was the heads. He would send them out. Now, he called back & says they are cracked. Cannot be fixed!! $$$$ Either new heads, or new engine.

Subaru dealers say this never happens. "Haven't seen any bad heads or engines in 3 years."

Is it just me? Anyone else with problem?

- danandlauravt, Roxbury, VT, US