2.0

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
80,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Subaru Outback:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #1

May 212009

Outback 4-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Head gasket failure***** 2003 Outback **** this is not a new problem as four of the Subaru's we've owned had hg issues. Although in the past Subaru acknowledged the failures and repaired them under the wwp99 campaign (1998-2002 model years). While this failure continues to be widespread (just google Subaru head gasket problems and you'll get pages of complaints of hg failures) Subaru has stopped repairing them or even acknowledging there is a problem. This appears to be solely a cost saving strategy. When the gaskets fail, oil leaks outside the engine which contacts the exhaust system. The burning oil puts smoke and fumes inside the car. I would think this is also a fire concern. Inside the engine, oil and coolant mix and can cause catastrophic damage/failure. Is there anything I can do to get this repaired by Subaru? they seem to be getting away with a huge consumer injustice just by acting like it doesn't exist. Can they be required extent the champagne (wwp99) with the 03 and later models? Subaru clearly acknowledges a head gasket problem in previous years and later model years have the same failure.

- Pequea, PA, USA