2001 Subaru Outback Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND HE NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT SENT BELTS WOULD NOT PROPERLY RETRACT, LEAVING A LOT OF SLACK BETWEEN VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR MAIN ENTRANCE SEAL ON THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

IN 20 DEGREE WEATHER (FAHRENHEIT) AN OVERWHELMING GASOLINE ODOR FILLED THE CABIN OF MY 2001 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON (OUTBACK). THIS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT TRIPS AROUND TOWN YESTERDAY. I HAVE A 2.5L ENGINE, USING 87 OCTANE GASOLINE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ELIMINATE DURING THESE EPISODES. I LIFTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HOOD WHEN THIS HAPPENED A THIRD TIME AND FOUND THE VAPOR SMELL WAS STRONGEST NEAR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING FROM ANY NEOPRENE OF STEEL LINES. OBVIOUSLY THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE HEATING SYSTEM VENTS (THE CLIMATE CONTROL FAN WAS TURNED TO HIGH). THE ODOR WAS SO STRONG, IT WAS OVERWHELMING EVEN WHEN THE VENTS WERE BLOWING RECIRCULATED AIR FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP. I BELIEVE A SPARK COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN ERASED THE FUEL TEMPERATURE CODE. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE DIAGNOSTIC, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT HAD RESURFACED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE KNOCK SENSOR AT THE COST OF $317. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL TEMPERATURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $520. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,378 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,923. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ UPDATED THE DEALER REPLACED REPAIRED A LOOSE CONNECTION AT THE FUEL PUMP SENSOR. *JB

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED AND KNOWN BY THE CAR MANUFACTURER. $2,800 REPAIR REQUIRED; SERVICE DONE AT CARTER SUBARU, SEATTLE. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2001 OUTBACK, 2.5L ENGINE, ONE OF THOUSANDS OF SUBARUS IMPACTED BY SUBARU'S BULLETIN FOR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. ON DEC. 6, 2007, I PAID THE OFFICIAL SUBARU DEALER IN ALASKA, CONTINENTAL SUBARU, $1,330 TO DO A HEAD GASKET REPAIR JOB (ALSO A TIMING BELT CHANGE). GO HERE FOR THAT BULLETIN: HTTP://WWW.SUBARUPROBLEMS.COM/INDEX.HTM. ON DEC. 6, 2007, I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA'S CORPORATE OFFICE IN AND SPOKE WITH A REP NAMED "DAVE." (HE WOULD NOT GIVE A LAST NAME.). HE SAID HIS COMPANY WOULD NOT COVER THIS WORK (THOUGH IT IS PART OF SUBARU?S RESPONSE TO A FAILURE IN POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF SUBARU ENGINES FROM 1999-2002). THE CAR HAD LITTLE OVER 93,000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED AND SERVICED. THE EXPLANATION THAT "DAVE" AND CONTINENTAL SUBARU PROVIDED WAS THAT THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE/LEAKING PROBLEM WAS INSIDE THE BLOCK, NOT AN EXTERNAL COOLANT LEAK, AND THUS NOT COVERED BY THE SERVICE BULLETIN/RECALL. THAT A LEAK INSIDE SOMEHOW IS NOT CONSIDERED IMPACTED BY THIS DEFECT, RATHER THAN A LEAK OUTSIDE SEEMS SPURIOUS AT BEST. I HAVE NO WAY OF VERIFYING THAT THE CONTINENTAL SUBARU MECHANIC THE CORPORATE OFFICE SPOKE WITH WAS TELLING THE THE FULL STORY. ALL I CAN SAY IS, I CANNOT TRUST THE WORD OF THIS DEALER BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO RAISE THE BULLETIN ISSUE AND THE ISSUE OF WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS ENGINE WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN. THEY BARELY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WARRANTY POSSIBILITY ONLY AFTER I TOLD THEM I KNEW ABOUT IT. I'M WAITING TO SEE IF SUBARU'S CORPORATE OFFICE WILL REIMBURSE ME IN PART OR FULL FOR THE GASKET JOB. I WAS TOLD TO SEND THEM EVERY SERVICE RECORD FOR THE CAR THAT I HAVE. I DID. THIS PROBLEM WITH SUBARUS OF THIS VINTAGE IS WIDESPREAD. GO HERE: HTTP://SCOTT.MCGERIK.COM/2004/02/18/SUBARU-OUTBACK-HEAD-GASKET-LEAK/; AND HERE: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_56499.HTML. *TR

THE CAR OVERHEATED. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME. I DID NOT GET ANY NOTICE FROM SUBARU REGARDING HEAD GASKET FAILURES. I HAVE A 2001 OUTBACK LIMITED SEDAN. AND NOW I HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES AND NO CHANCE OF WARRANTY. SUBARU KNOWS ALL ALONG ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND YET NO RECALL. *TR

BOUGHT OUTBACK FROM NATE WADE SUBARU IN SALT LAKE CITY IN NOV. OF 2006. I WAS TOLD THAT NATE WADE PERFORMED A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN, BRYCE, THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR(ALONG WITH POWERTRAIN WARRANTY), I NOTICED THAT IN COLD WEATHER, THE BELT SQUEALED. TALKED TO DEALER, AND DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW I'M VERY INSECURE ABOUT THE ACTUAL CONDITION OF THE CAR. I'M NOT SO SURE THAT THE SALESMAN OR THE DEALER WAS BEING HONEST ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE CAR. ONCE THE WEATHER BEGAN HEATING UP, THE CAR WOULD OVERHEAT. I TOOK IT INTO NATE WADE SERVICE. THEY SAID ALL THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE WAS A NEW RADIATOR CAP AND FLUSHED THE LINES. PAID FOR THAT. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN. SERVICE TOLD ME THEN THAT I NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR. APPARENTLY, THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WHEN I VISITED NATE WADE SERVICE A WEEK PRIOR. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION, AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT OVERHEATING DUE TO THE RADIATOR BECAUSE THE RADIATOR LEAK WAS MINIMAL. NATE WADE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BESIDES REPLACING THE RADIATOR. RECENTLY THE CAR HAS BEEN LOSING POWER AND A SEVERE DECREASE IN FUEL MILEAGE. TOOK THE CAR TO NATE WADE. NATE WADE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AT ALL, BUT THAT I COULD GET A TUNE UP FOR 150. BUT, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SPARKPLUGS OR THE TIMING. I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, BUT ALL THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO DO IS THROW MONEY AT THE PROBLEM, AND STALL UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRES THIS NOVEMBER. THEY REFUSE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT WANT ME TO JUST KEEP SPENDING MONEY TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR THEM. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT IN GOOD CONDITION WHEN I BOUGHT IT, AS WAS PROMISED BY BRYCE, THE SALESMAN. *TR

POWER SUBARU OF SCOTTSDALE FINALIZED THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM ON DECEMBER 28, 2006 ON OUR SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. WHILE IN FOR REPAIR FOR THE HEAD GASKET, THE DEALER NOTED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. POWER SUBARU REPLACED THE TENSIONER WITH A NEW SUBARU TENSIONER (PART #13033AA042.) IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT POWER SUBARU TEST DROVE THE CAR AFTER THE REPAIRS BASED ON THE MILEAGE IN AND OUT SHOWN ON THE SERVICE INVOICE. THE CAR HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON STATE HIGHWAY 87 WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT THE POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MILES PER HOUR AS WE LEFT THE DEALER THAT DID THE REPAIR. THAT ENGINE FAILURE CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY WIFE, MARGARET, WHO HAD TO COAST DOWN THE HIGHWAY TO A SMALL ROAD TO SAFELY PULL OFF. IF THE ROAD/PULL OUT AREA HAD NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO HER, SHE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PARTIALLY BLOCK THE HIGHWAY LANE OF TRAFFIC SHE WAS IN. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR COMING BEHIND HER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED INJURING/KILLING HER OR POSSIBLY OTHERS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PART HAS FAILED ON OTHER SUBARU VEHICLES CREATING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. POWER SUBARU TOLD ME SINCE THAT THE ENGINE WILL REQUIRE A COMPLETE REBUILD SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE TENSIONER THEY INSTALLED SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THE NEW TIMING BELT TO BREAK WHICH THEN CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. SUBARU HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A MANUFACTURE REBUILT ENGINE AND WILL WARRANTY THE ENGINE FOR 36,000 MILES OR THREE YEARS, BUT HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE US WITH A RENTAL CAR REPLACEMENT FOR THE TWO WEEK REPAIR TIME. WE NEED AN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE SINCE WE HAVE SNOW. THEY ONLY OFFERED TO PAY FOR 1/2 THE RENTAL COST OF A SMALL TWO WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WHICH IS NOT ADEQUATE. SUBARU SHOULD CHANGE THE MANUFACTURING OF IT'S TIMING BELT TENSIONER SINCE THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED IT'S OTHER VEHICLES AND IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. *NM

2001 OUTBACK HAD A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THE PROBLEM THEY WERE HAVING, AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER. THE CONSUMER HAD ALREADY HAD THE WORK DONE BY HIS LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THEM VERIFY THAT THE WORK WAS DONE. THE CONSUMER LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO HIM PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO DISCOVERED THE HEAD GASKET USED WAS 3 PIECES AND THE WORK DONE PREVIOUSLY ONLY 1 PIECE WAS REPLACED, WHICH WAS OPPOSITE FROM THE # CYLINDER. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THAT REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET FOR THE THIRD TIME, TOLD THE CONSUMER HE UTILIZES ONLY A SOLID ONE PIECE GASKET AND HAD THE BEEN DONE ORIGINALLY, THE CONSUMER MAY NOT HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEMS. *JB

2001 SUBARU OUTBACK LEAKS FUEL IN COLD WEATHER. READ ON THE WEB ABOUT HUNDREDS OF OWNERS WITH THIS COMPLAINT. LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND WHEN THE WEATHER GETS BELOW ABOUT 25 DEGREES FUEL SMELL FILLS THE PASSENGER CABIN. APPEARS TO COME FROM UNDER THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. HOPE TO NOT PASS OUT FROM FUEL VAPORS. HAVEN'T HAD A FIRE YET. 2ND ISSUE IS HEAD GASKET LEAK WHICH WAS A $1500 REPAIR. ALSO APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH SUBARU. *TR

2001 SUBARU OUTBACK AT 90K AFTER 2.5 ENGINE IS STARTED IT RATTLES LIKE THE VALVE LIFTERS ARE NOT GETTING OIL LUBRICATION. IT LAST FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE ENGINE TEMP GAUGE IS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. IT DOES THIS WHEN THE ENGINE HAS BEEN SITTING MORE THAT 8 HOURS WITHOUT STARTING. CHANGING OF OIL IN CRANKCASE, DID NOT CHANGE THE RATTLING SOUND. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE SUBARU DEALER, THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTER FEATURE OF 2001 AND NEWER SUBARU'S THAT HAD THE 2.5 ENGINE AND WAS CAUSED BY PISTON SLAP IN THE ENGINE. THE CORRECT THE NOISE THE OWNER WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT TO STOP THE PISTON SLAP. *JB

IN 2003 AT 74,000 MILES THE LEFT GASKET WAS REPLACED ON 2001, SUBARU OUTBACK LTD. WAGON. IN 2003 AT 94,000 MILES RIGHT GASKET WAS REPLACED. 20 MONTHS LATER LEFT GASKET WAS BLOWN OUT AGAIN. TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS TOLD CONSUMER THAT RIGHT GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE AS WELL ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER NO. SUBARU OF AMERICA PAID FOR THE REPAIRS OF BOTH OF THE INITIAL GASKET REPLACEMENTS, BUT DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR THEY REFUSED TO COVER THIS DEFECTIVE PART. IN 2004 CAR WAS RECALLED TO RECEIVE A SEALANT ADDITIVE TO ADDRESS THE GASKET PROBLEM. CLEARLY IT DIDN'T WORK. MANY OF CONSUMER FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ARE SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS, AND 2 OTHERS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE HAD BLOWN GASKETS ON FAIRLY NEW VEHICLES. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ENGINE SEIZED TWO WEEKS AGO. SHE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REQUESTED THAT SHE SEND THE INVOICES FROM THE DEALER, WHERE THEY WOULD MOSTLY LIKELY REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED, HOWEVER, THAT THE INVOICES AND REPAIRS WERE DONE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,500.

(1) EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE---JUST DRIVING THE CAR, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN ENGINE STARTED TO GET HOT, SO CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. (2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--$1900 REPAIR BILL-TWO HEAD GASKET IN ENGINE---FROM ARLINGTON, MA SUBARU DEALER--ESTIMATE REDUCED TO $1700 UPON REQUEST. GETTING REPAIR DONE WITH OTHER SHOP (3) GETTING TWO HEAD GASKETS AND OTHER ENGINE GASKETS REPLACED. *JB

THE VEHICLE EMITTED WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM

I HAVE GONE THROUGH ONE HEAD GASKET ON JAN 2003. THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT IN DEC OF 2003 AND THE WHOLE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN JANUARY OF 2004 I HAD THE OVERHEAD CAMGASKETS GO OUT ON THE CAR AS WELL AS THE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. I HAVE HAD MORE ISSUES BUT IT WOULD BE A SMALL BOOK. SUBARU HAS BEEN RELATIVLY UNRESPONSIVE EVEN AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS TO MY CONCERNS. EVERY PART WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THERE SEEMS TO BE A POROBLEM WITH MY NEW ENGINE SINCE THERE IS NOW AN INVESTIGATION WITHIN SUBARU. THEY REFUSE TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE NEW ENGINE REPLACEMENT WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION OF WAS THIS A NEW ENGINE OR WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE NEW ENGINE. *AK

ODOR MOST LIKELY DESCRIBED AS HEATED ANTIFREEZE, ALSO ROTTEN EGG ODOR - AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY ODOR AND FIND CAUSE. CAR NOW HAS 59,000 MILES.

TOLD BY DEALER THAT LEFT HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT. $1,600 TO HAVE HEAD REMOVED, PLANED AND REGASKETED, AND REINSTALLED. 75,000 HIGHWAY MILES ON VERY WELL KEPT VEHICLE. I DID NOT SMELL COOLANT UNTIL AFTER A SERVICE IN MID AUG. 03 DURING WHICH THEY FLUSHED MY COOLANT SYSTEM.

THERE IS SEVERE HESITATION WHEN PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL. CONSUMER IS AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD A BAD HESITATION ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. ALSO BATTERY WAS DEAD. *YH

WE HAVE A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH THE H6 ENGINE. WHEN GOING VERY SLOWLY, SUCH AS PARKING IN THE GARAGE, THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY SURGE. YOU MUST KEEP ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS JUST THE WAY IT IS WITH THE COMPUTER CONTROL AND THE H6 ENGINE. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT , BUT IT IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD. A SUDDEN LURCH COULD DAMAGE ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT OR A PERSON IN FRONT OF THE CAR. I HAVE LIVED WITH IT, BUT SOMEONE WROTE TO CLICK AND CLACK COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. SO, I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOUR AGENCY TO ALSO VOICE MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU. *AK