1998 Subaru Outback from North America - Comments

Bought a 2000 Outback Limited - beautiful, well-kept car with 96,000. Had it checked by both a Subaru service center and an independent mechanic - checked out. Now sitting in a hotel with 1,600 miles to go before we reach our new home and have two more nights in the hotel before the car is fixed. Blown head gasket. Found this site this morning, days after purchasing the car which was to have taken my pets and me across the country. With the warranty extended to 100,000 miles, the cost of repairs are covered by the company. My question: Will the newly designed head gaskets go bad, too? How long will they be under warranty?

Update on my December 3, 2006 post located in comments 16 thru 30.

The 04 Outback never made it that far, engine failure at 26 thousand miles last month. Scored pistons. The dealer replaced the engine under warranty.

I traded the car in for an 07 domestic SUV a week later.

Bye bye Suby, bye bye.

So glad I found this site. I search cars on line on a daily basis. I'm obsessed with diesels, but couldn't find a cheap used AWD diesel. In Texas I had a 2006 Jetta TDI that I sold for a 2004 Jetta TDI because the 06 value went up. I am again ready to sell the 2004 and I don't expect to lose much more than any basic wear and tear I put on the interior.

I understand preventative maintenance - you replace a diesel VW timing belt if you buy it used and you don't know the last time it was done - it's 500-1000 depending if you go to a private specialist or the dealer. You don't replace it because there is a known problem with it. You replace it because it needs to be replaced every 80,000 or so. It's predictable maintenance and the motor is toast if the belt goes.

It doesn't add up though to buy a Subaru and have all the head gaskets replaced because you know there is a problem with them that will happen at some unpredictable time. I moved to Santa Fe and wanted something bigger with AWD that my girlfriend and I could share. I figured Subaru Outback was just what I was looking for. They are everywhere - I'd say it seems one out of five cars I see here are Subaru time bombs apparently.

I don't care what parts and labor cost so long as when you replace them they are fixed. How can Subaru sell a motor from 1996 to 2007 and have people keep buying it when they are known to have head gasket problems? It sounds like they finally got a better head gasket to replace the old ones with, but you're telling me to just throw an extra 2000-3000 onto the price of a car that hasn't already had this taken care of? Who keeps buying a car with known issues like that?

I have a 100,000 mile plus VW, so I'm used to expensive parts and labor. I had a 200,000 plus Mercedes diesel that I know is out there and will be kicking another hundred thousand at least. I have a Ford diesel that I don't even know how many miles it has. I found it odd that people were saying american cars are lucky to go more than 100,000, so I thought I'd throw the Ford in there.

Maybe everybody is just making the mistake of buying gas instead of diesel to save money up front. My mechanic doesn't have an american car gas or diesel with under 100,000 miles.

So glad I know not to get involved with Subaru. I wondered why there were so many of these cars cheap. It's because none of the newer model Subaru owners have faith in their car regardless of how many miles it has. What a joke of a company.

Guess I'll have to wait and see what the diesel Jeep Liberty and Cherokees are doing in 100,000 miles before I bash Subaru anymore. Until then it sounds like Subaru has the market for a fuel efficient AWD vehicle.

If I had to buy a Subaru, it sounds like I'd get the better head gaskets in immediately if the motor had not had previous head gasket problems. If it has previous head gasket problems, and this warping issue people were talking about is as a result of the constant overheating, it sounds like you'd be crazy to not just put an old 2.2L in there.

As for me, I don't think I will have anything to do with Subaru. I feel sorry for the 96-98 folks, but not for anybody after that.

I've also lost respect for Consumer Reports, if they continued to rate a car with the same 2.5L motor as anywhere close to a good buy. An 80s Mercedes G wagon with a 2.5 turbo diesel is sounding better and better. At least that motor is for sure for 200-500 thousand miles.

I just recently bought a '96 Legacy with the 2.2 engine. I hope it will never have the problems of the 2.5 litre.

I would like to weigh in on the discussion.

I am a Ford mechanic and have been for 22 years and have seen and heard of very strange things.

FoMoCo. had a run of bad heads on the little 2.0 litre diesels in the mid '80's Escorts and Tempos (yes, diesel Escorts and Tempos). They bent over backwards to repair these motors (even those beyond the warranty). I repaired many with nearly 100,000 miles at no charge. That is how a company is supposed to handle problems.

All of the affected Subarus should be brought in and repaired at little or no charge. No one should have their well-maintained vehicle take a dirtnap on them with no warning, especially if it is a documented manufacturing or design problem. period. In this age of 250,000-500,000 mile automobiles, it is a shame that we accept this poor performance from a car company. This reminds me of mid-seventies american car company performance. Come on Subaru, step up to the plate and hit one for the ones who made you who you are. The customer.

I am not brand loyal or pushing any products, but in answer to the earlier Astro Van comment, My '99 has 197,000 miles on it with less than $500.00 spent (other than routine maintenance) to repair breakdowns. That friends is what you call reliability.

Just purchased a 98 Forester. Same head gasket problems as I have read in the previous 100 and something posts. Having it replaced right now for 1600 dollars. Car has only 82,000 miles on it. Right now my biggest concern is if the new gaskets they are putting on now are worth a crap?

Should I turn around and sell this car after it is repaired?

All I know is this is ridiculous, I could have purchased a very nice Honda or Toyota for the money I now have invested in this car. Something definitely needs to be done and if a class action suit is filed you can definitely sign me up.

Haseymour7@ecite.com.

Well, we always find out these things too late, don't we?

I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza Outback with 104,000 km on it and recently discovered a head gasket leak. I'

m looking at $2500 - $3500 assuming that I caught the problem in time to prevent further engine damage.

I'm going to hit Subaru Canada up for some help on the repair bill, but my hopes aren't high given that the vehicle was (just) out of warranty. Also, I don't generally get my work done at the Subaru dealership, so I never even heard of this coolant conditioner business.

Still, I'll let this group know how things turn out.

Geepers.

The Internet helped me learn all about the Subies 96 and above. It also helped me solve the problem. I bought a 1997 Outback LTD with blown head gaskets for $1000.00 Canadian ($900.00 US) in very good shape other wise. I then found an older 2.2 L. You know the one that you could ring up 300,000KMs (180K Miles) without touching. It was Plug and play and now I have a reliable Outback and I have been driving her all across Heck's Acres. I would do this again and I will do it again. Thanks so much internet. You saved me 30K and I didn't have to deal with a car salesman.

I wonder how much pain the Subie engineers were in when they was forced to change the old SOHC engine design. The 2.5 became an interference engine with tight valves and other complications. Should have just left it. I wonder if GM had anything to do with this?

BTW, my Subaru backyard mechanic has never seen a Timing belt snap on a Subie. These Dealer Shops make a killing on this maintenance and probably screw other things in the process.

If anybody has 97 outback LTD in Black and with blown Head Gaskets, please pipe in and I will be out with flatbed to get her.

Long Live Subaru's with Older engines.

Here's a quote for you from Albert Einstein... Please read it:

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction.

Yahooooooooo.

I have a 1997 Outback LTD in black with a blown head gasket and 135,000 miles. Where's that Canadian with a flatbed, eh? They want $2,600+ to fix. Is it even worth repairing? Other than the typical, rapid overheating problem which led to the blown gasket, the car runs great! If the cylinder head is cracked, should I call it a day? Thanks!

1998 Outback... I too have replaced the head gasket, seems to be a trend. what is up with these vehicles??? Now my clutch is going out. I am the only owner and have loved this car until 2 years ago, now I am not sure I would EVER own another Subaru.

We have a 2002 Legacy GT wagon. The head gasket blew at 43,000 miles. This care was never driven hard. Kicker is the 5 year warranty had expired 35 day ago. Subaru offered to pay for parts and I'm paying for labor.

My 1998 Outback blew it's head gasket at 115,000.

We replaced the 1998 with a Volvo XC70. Hope we have better luck with Volvo. At least the Volvo warranty is better.

Hi.

Don't scrap that 97. Call Emily up at CCR in Colorado. Her company will send you a 95 2.2 L.

You'll have what others haven't had since the early 90's; a rock solid Subie that is all singy all dancy.

As the Yanks say "Go for it".

Cheers.

JW.

I have a '98 Legacy Outback with a severe overheating problem, but none of the usual evidence of leaking head gaskets, so my mechanic suspects a crack in the engine somewhere.

So the choices are:

1. Junk the car

2. Rebuild the 2.5 litre engine

3. Replace the engine with a 2.2 litre version.

Option 3 seems most attractive, but the mechanic thinks that the 2.5 and 2.2 litre versions aren't plug and play, as someone suggested, and that a lot of work is required to adapt the 2.2 litre engine to the exhaust, engine mounts, etc...

Anyone know where there's a full procedural description of what needs to be done?

Thanks,

P.N.

My '97 Outback Legacy Wagon w/85,000 miles and impeccably maintained has just joined the "Head Gasket Gang." The problem began about 5 months ago. Of course the overheating was intermittent making diagnosis difficult. Radiator flushed, new cap, pressure tested, thermostat, water pump, timing belt and now the head gasket. Thanks to this site, I went into diagnostics with my eyes open and made suggestions to my mechanic after telling him about this site. We went step by step even though in the back of our minds the dreaded head gasket was going to face us. He actually recommended in the beginning to get my car detailed and trade it in!

I am absolutely appalled that Subaru has not taken responsibility for this obvious flaw. I am going to the website mentioned above and report my case. I hope we can take a stand against this big business bungle.

I too, thought of purchasing another Outback when the time came. No more. Can't afford a new car payment now so I'm stuck.

We have 2 Subarus.

97 Outback Wagon 180,000 miles and 2001 Outback Sedan Ltd 105,000 miles. Both have same problems with overheating. I wish I knew about this site.

Faced with no warranty, we are faced with a scenario... repair or trade in for a honda or a toyota. It will be nice to have a different car, but the monthly payments! Ughh!! I live in NJ and am planning to call the mechanic that posted his number.

Great web site. Essentially the mass of evidence indicates that there is a common problem impacting the Subaru 2.5L engines from '99-02. I'm one of the owners of an '01 Outback who just had his blown head gaskets replaced at 93,000 miles. I bought my Outback used with 79,000 in December 05, and have driven less than 7,000 miles a year, in Anchorage.

Subaru of America acknowledges the problem when you call, but they are less than quick to compensate you in part of full, if the official dealer (only one in Alaska) cannot verify your problem meets the narrow criteria for warranty work. As my blown head gasket failure was what the mechanic called an "interior" coolant leak, not an "exterior" leak, I'm supposedly not covered. I'm still negotiating with Subaru's corporate office in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Subaru owners should not assume all certified dealers will give straight information, particularly regarding this systemtic problem. The official dealer in Alaska did not volunteer the service bulletin information until after I said I had found a mass of evidence on line and had spoken with the corporate office. I met two Subaru owners today in a parking lot, just two, and both had had head gasket failures for their '98 Legacy and '00 Outback, respectively, costing each at least $1,300. My job costs $1,330.

This is certainly not an isolated problem, and in Alaska, apparently Subaru ownwers are not being given the straight dope by the only certified dealer. One of the two Subaru owners I spoke to today said he had to go back into the dealer's manager to negotiate a $500 discount, only with the wealth of evidence that appears to point to systemic problems with these engines. Good luck everyone, and be persistent with corporate and the local office. As for me, with my next car, I'm sticking with a brand that will stand behind its product: Toyota.