Do 2011 Outbacks with 2.5i Have Head Gasket Problem?
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Our failure log where members voluntarily post HG failures is here:
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...83-hg-failure-log-no-discussion-log-only.html
You have the last year of the EJ253 H4 engine, and if you search this thread for "2011", you'll find that there were 9 out of 519 total reports that were for the 2011 model year - and the 519 is a low number; some members reported multiple failures in one post:
Subaru Outback - Subaru Outback Forums - Search Results
These are self-reported failures, it doesn't account for the total number sold, failed cars sold or scrapped instead of repaired, etc. It is therefore not a scientific survey. But it does suggest that very late on in this engine series, Subaru got much better at head gasket materials. My model year (2008) had 25 reports, for example, and I'm report number 454 on the list.
My opinion only here: Anecdotally, Subaru got much better at their H4 2.5 NA head gaskets in 2009, right around the time they introduced the PZEV version of this engine in several states which were pretty high sales volume. The PZEV engine carried a 100,000 mile emissions warranty. Lots of failures had been being logged in the 80k-120k miles range, right around the tail end of this new warranty. I don't think Subaru could stand the potential liability for such a high volume of repairs. And finally, they already knew how to not have them fail - the multilayer on the XT had a very good record on head gaskets. This could all be coincidental, of course, but the evidence is pretty strongly correlated here.
What to look for: External oil leakage at the bottom at the block to cylinder head interfaces is very typical; sometimes it's also coolant. Rarely in this engine has it been an internal leak, meaning that if you catch it and repair it, and didn't run low on any fluids, there's likely no permanent damage or lingering effects after repair.
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...83-hg-failure-log-no-discussion-log-only.html
You have the last year of the EJ253 H4 engine, and if you search this thread for "2011", you'll find that there were 9 out of 519 total reports that were for the 2011 model year - and the 519 is a low number; some members reported multiple failures in one post:
Subaru Outback - Subaru Outback Forums - Search Results
These are self-reported failures, it doesn't account for the total number sold, failed cars sold or scrapped instead of repaired, etc. It is therefore not a scientific survey. But it does suggest that very late on in this engine series, Subaru got much better at head gasket materials. My model year (2008) had 25 reports, for example, and I'm report number 454 on the list.
My opinion only here: Anecdotally, Subaru got much better at their H4 2.5 NA head gaskets in 2009, right around the time they introduced the PZEV version of this engine in several states which were pretty high sales volume. The PZEV engine carried a 100,000 mile emissions warranty. Lots of failures had been being logged in the 80k-120k miles range, right around the tail end of this new warranty. I don't think Subaru could stand the potential liability for such a high volume of repairs. And finally, they already knew how to not have them fail - the multilayer on the XT had a very good record on head gaskets. This could all be coincidental, of course, but the evidence is pretty strongly correlated here.
What to look for: External oil leakage at the bottom at the block to cylinder head interfaces is very typical; sometimes it's also coolant. Rarely in this engine has it been an internal leak, meaning that if you catch it and repair it, and didn't run low on any fluids, there's likely no permanent damage or lingering effects after repair.
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5 Posts
Interesting. I tried to do a search with 2013 and got an error message so I could not check. Someone know if 2.5 engines are better in 2013-2014 ? I am looking for an outback on those years. Thanks
2 different engines.
in US spec outback and legacy years.
2010-12 US spec are EJ253, some have had problems with these last of the EJ253,...but not many,....they do have CVT problems though, extended warranty to 100,000 miles)
2013-14 US spec are FB25B. (extended recall on oil consumption, and CVT problems, ...extended to just 100,000 miles)
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impreza and forester have different year choices for the switchover.
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if you want something with zero problems: 2016-present,...as 2015 had CVT issues, ...unless they were already fixed with 2016 type parts.
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5 Posts
I am looking for an outback with the FB25B engine. Does the problems with the CVT were major issues?
Thanks for your help
major enough some are getting whole remans from the factory with 2016 parts inside.
others are getting torque converters only.
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but I have been telling friends/ family to just wait for the 16s to come back in august / sept off least. when there will be plenty with 36,000 on them.
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the initial offering on the CVT extended warranty, runs out on July 31, 2018 for those with more then 100,000 miles. (so subaru may reset the price of the remans after that. ....and I wonder how much it will cost to fix that problem for those out of warranty there after.
(and if such 13-14 cars will be orphaned at the pick and pull with a oil consuming engine and a rotten CVT in it,...and 101,000 miles on the clock)..:frown2::frown2::crying:
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