6.5

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,610
Average Mileage:
87,400 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replaced the head gaskets (3 reports)
  2. not sure (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Subaru dealer.

problem #4

Mar 202012

Outback 2.5L 4 cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 108,557 miles

Valve cover gasket has a minor leak of oil into spark plug holes. Replaced gasket. Labor $160, Parts $60.

- David J., Salem, OR, US

problem #3

Jan 252008

Outback Limited 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

As of 140,000 miles the car is on its 3rd set of head gaskets. The Subaru shop doesn't consider this an issue at all stating that many vehicles need repairs before 100,000 miles. I'm pretty frustrated with Subaru and as we start shopping for a new car guess what we are NOT looking at.

- Brian H., Washington, US

problem #2

Feb 022014

Outback Limited 2.5L I4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 134,000 miles

I had an idea that my car would likely have head gasket problems. It leaks a little bit of oil at times and it might be getting worse. I do not drive a lot but will get rid of the car asap before its too late...

- dsalvador, Hyannis, MA, US

problem #1

Jan 012001

Outback

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

We just traded in our Subaru Outback because we were getting tired of the expensive repairs that had been occurring as long as we owned it. We bought it new in July of 2000. The first two head gaskets blew and were replaced under warranty when the car had about 25K miles on it. The second set of head gaskets blew around 85K miles and we had to pay for those ourselves plus car rental for the two days it was in the shop. That was close to $2,000. Then, the day we got it back from the shop, we noticed a leak under the vehicle. We brought it back in figuring that there was still a head gasket problem and were told, no, that the transmission was now leaking. According to the dealer, who had done the head gasket repairs, the leak was not there when it was in their shop and must have occurred newly on the five mile drive home. That would have been $800-900 to patch. The right boot cracked, sensors went out, ABS system went out... We repaired it all. For what we spent on repairs on this car, we could have bought a new car. The worst of it was Subaru of America's response which was constantly along the lines of, "it's a five year old car, what do you expect?" "it's an eight year old car what do you expect?" After the three year warranty expired, we were stuck with $1000+ in repair bills every year and a really bad attitude from SOA. I'll never buy another Subaru.

- Christa N., Fort Collins, CO, US