Subaru is known for making some of the most reliable cars in the country, but that wasn’t always the case. If you owned one or knew someone who did, you likely made or heard a joke about a particularly important component — the head gasket.
Several cars from the brand have been notorious for head gasket failures, which can cost a pretty penny to replace — anywhere between $1,200 and $2,500, depending on the model and the extent of the issues. These blown gaskets could result in the coolant system failing, eventually causing the vehicle to overheat. The issue first surfaced in 1996’s EJ25 motor, one of the worst engines of all time. The first batch of cars that experienced internal head gasket failures included the 1996–1999 Subaru Outback, Legacy GT and LSi, as well as the 1998 model-year Forester and Impreza. To resolve this, Subaru introduced a multi-layer steel head gasket in 1997.
The problem reappeared in the EJ251, EJ252, and EJ253 2.5-liter engines. These switched to SOHC from DOHC, and this time around, external leaks in the area between the engine block and cylinder heads sometimes caused oil and coolant to mix. This issue could cause even more serious engine damage, as the mixing of oil and coolant reduces the lubrication for the engine. Models affected included the 2000–2009 Subaru Legacy, 2003–2006 Subaru Baja, 1999–2010 Subaru Forester, 2000–2009 Subaru Outback, and 1999–2011 Subaru Impreza. The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter blocks are believed to be the ones prone to head gasket failure, since the issue wasn’t that common in other engines. The failures are estimated to happen between 120,000 and 150,000 miles.
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Signs your Subaru’s head gasket is failing
A Green Subaru Forester parked in a building – The Global Guy/Shutterstock
The signs of a head gasket failure in a Subaru are fairly noticeable. The most obvious one is engine overheating, which can happen when a failed gasket allows coolant to leak or prevents the cooling system from functioning. Another glaring sign is the oil leaking in and around the cylinder head and engine block, or oil (and coolant) dripping to the ground. In rare cases, a gasket failure can also cause oil and coolant to mix, which, as mentioned above, could lead to a hefty repair bill. Such a mix might damage not only the gasket, but also the engine’s internal components. This issue can also be detected if your exhaust is emitting white smoke or you notice a frothy residue in your oil.
Dedicated Subaru experts believe that the company resolved its head gasket issues in newer models, stating that the problem was rectified more than a decade ago. If you have an older Subie, switching from the single-layer composite head gasket to an MLS-type gasket will likely prevent these issue.
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