1997 Subaru Outback Engine Problems

I BOUGHT A 97 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WGN AND FOUND OUT THE BLOCK WAS CRACKED IN CYL3 AFTER TEAR DOWN FOR GASKET REPLACEMENT,NOW PUT TOGETHER AND NOW WON'T START. *TR

NHTSA ID

10251842

Incident

Dec 9, 2008

Mileage

188,000 mi

LOSS OF COOLANT, OVERHEATED ENGINE, DIAGNOSIS OF BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAR: 1997 SUBARAU LEGACY OUTBACK WITH 2.5 LITER ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234165

Incident

Jun 21, 2008

Mileage

126,000 mi

OVERHEATING, BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229775

Incident

May 23, 2008

'97 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED 85,000 MI IS OVERHEATING. BEGAN AS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM APPROX 5 MONTHS AGO. FLUSHED RADIATOR, REPL CAP, PRESSURE TESTED RADIATOR. DRIVING DOWN HILL ON MOUNTAIN ROAD IN MORNING COLD, OVERHEATS AFTER ABOUT 6 MILES. REPL THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT. SUBARU DEALER REPAIR MECHANIC SAYS HEAD GASKET. GOOGLED PROBLEM ONLINE BEFORE REPLACING THERMOSTAT. BLOGS FROM OUTBACK OWNERS WITH SAME SYMPTOMS SAY HEAD GASKET. AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF BLOGS DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM AND STATEMENTS THAT SUBARU HAS NEVER TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FLAW WHICH HAS AFFECTED SO MANY OUTBACK OWNERS. THIS IS A CRIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210017

Incident

Jun 14, 2007

Mileage

85,000 mi

NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE. HAD TO HAVE FRONT CRANK SEAL REPLACED. ALSO NEEDED TO GET TIMING BELT REPLACED AS OIL LEAKED INTO TIMING BELT COVER. COST $368 TO GET FIXED. LEAKAGE BEGAN WHEN CAR WAS JUST A FEW YEARS OLD. THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AS CAR HAD NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT OR ABUSED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10154592

Incident

Apr 12, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

BLOWN HEAD GASKET 1997 SUBARU OUTBACK LEGACY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153988

Incident

Mar 16, 2006

Mileage

74,624 mi

1997 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 DOHC ENGINE 1) CAR WAS SUDDENLY LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE, BROUGHT IT IN TO SHOP ASAP 2) HEAD GASKET BUSTED, RUINED THE ENGINE 3) NEEDED TO REPLACE MOST OF ENGINE, INCLUDING BLOCK CHECKED OTHER SITES, THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU 2.5 DOHC ENGINES AND THEY AREN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151537

Incident

Feb 21, 2006

Mileage

111,000 mi

OUTBACK 1997: 108,000. CAR OVERHEATED SUDDENLY ON A SHORT TRIP. REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND FLUSHED/FILLED RADIATOR AT LOCAL FIRESTONE. TWO DAYS LATER, CAR OVERHEATS. IN BOTH CASES, RADIATOR FLUID EJECTED ONTO ENGINE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE NOW VERY COMMON "BLOWN HEAD GASKET". REPAIRS MADE AT A COST TO ME OF $1400! THIS IS A DEFECT IN THESE AUTOMOBILES THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY SUBARU. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED? I WAS FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE BURNED MY ENGINE, OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN. TIME TO TAKE ACTION!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10149419

Incident

Jan 21, 2006

Mileage

107,990 mi

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. PURCHASED IN 2/07 (EST. DATE) BEGAN TO FAIL AT LEAST IN 1/05 (1X). THEN WEEKLY IN 7/05. BUT MAY HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 1997/1998. RESULT OF PROBLEM IS UNEXPECTED AND RAPID BUBBLING OVER AND OVERHEATING PLACING OCCUPANTS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FOR EXAMPLE, ALMOST STRANDED IN BLIZZARD IN 1/05. HAD TO PULL OVER ON HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS IN SUMMER 05 DUE TO RAPID RED LINING AND RISK OF ENGINE FIRE. SUBARU PICKED UP 1/2 COST ALTHOUGH NOT IN WARRANTY FOR US AND HAS DONE 1/2 TO FULL FOR OTHERS WHO COMPLAINED. ONE OF THE 2.5L ENGINES HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL. THE 2.5L ENGINE IN OUR CAR HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AS FREQUENT (AND WORSE) AND THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. LOCAL MECHANIC SAID HE SEES FREQUENTLY ON SUBARU OUTBACK. FOUND INTERNET WEBLOG STARTED 18 MONTHS AGO WHICH HAS 275 COMPLAINTS AND GROWING MONTHLY - ON BOTH THE 2.5L ENGINES (INCLUDING THE ONE IN OUR CAR). BAD ENOUGH WE HAD TO INCUR $800 OF THE $1600 COST BUT PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH AN ENGINE THAT REPEATEDLY HAS FAILED (HEAD GASKET) AND CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUBARU IF YOU WOULD LIKE. SEE LINK BELOW TO WEBLOG PAGE WHERE YOU CAN SEE OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE DISCUSSED (275 AND GROWING MONTHLY): HTTP://SCOTT.MCGERIK.COM/2004/02/18/SUBARU-OUTBACK-HEAD-GASKET-LEAK/. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144897

Incident

Feb 26, 2005

Mileage

89,500 mi

THIS IS THE STANDARD SUBARU 2.5L HEAD GASKET FAILURE PROBLEM. I ADD THIS TO THE DATABASE TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON SUBARU OF AMERICA TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE: HTTP://MYSITE.VERIZON.NET/VZE730QE/GUESTLOG.HTML THE SYMPTOMS ARE AS FOLLOWS. CAR ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING -- LARGE TEMPERATURE SPIKES AND THEN WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. ENGINE OIL APPEARED IN COOLANT RESERVOIR. COOLANT SPEWS ONTO ENGINE. LOSS OF POWER IN SOME GEARS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10110024

Incident

Feb 4, 2005

Mileage

120,232 mi

1997 SUBARU OUTBACK BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *BF THE VEHICLE LOST INTERNAL HEAT AND THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE READ HOT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY LOSS OF STEAM, HOWEVER, THE RESERVOIR BOTTLE WAS EMPTY AND FLUID HAD SPILLED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF SIX OTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *SC

NHTSA ID

10109554

Incident

Dec 23, 2004

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105304

Incident

Dec 10, 2004

Mileage

157,000 mi

THE NOW INFAMOUS "BLOWN HEAD GASKET" IN PHASE I 2.5L ENGINES IS THE FOCUS OF MY COMPLAINT. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS AT LEAST RECOGNIZED THE PHASEII 2.5L ENGINES IN 1998 MODELS AND NEWER, BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENT METAL WAS THE "PROBLEM". THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF CASES IN THE PHASE I 2.5L (1998 AND PRIOR) ENGINE IS AN OBVIOUS INDICATOR OF DESIGN FLAW IN THE ACTUAL SHAPE OF THE PRODUCT ITSELF. A RECALL INVESTIGATION IS A DEFINITE MUST. JUST ANOTHER UNHAPPY SUBARU CUSTOMER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10066010

Incident

Apr 10, 2004

Mileage

99,800 mi

SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT OF HEAD WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE DIED. SPARK PLUG UNABLE TO BE REINSERTED RESULTING IN A HEAD REPLACEMENT. VERY EXPENSIVE! ONLY 135000 MILES REGULAR MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN 4 OF THESE CASES IN THIS MODEL IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM DEALER ABOUT MECHANICAL DEFECT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10060531

Incident

Feb 26, 2004

Mileage

137,000 mi

THE ENGINE SEALS OF THE MAIN CAM SHAFT FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LEAK OIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEALS AND THE TIMING BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10057602

Mileage

60,000 mi

2.5 LITER ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED, CAUSING REPEATED INSTANCES OF OVERHEATING REQUIRING STOPPING IN DANGEROUS TRAFFIC SITUATIONS AND EVENTUAL REPLACEMENT OF BLOCK AT OWNER EXPENSE. TS

NHTSA ID

10000526

Incident

Mar 12, 2001

Mileage

68,526 mi

OVERHEATING CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE BLOCK WHICH CRACKED REQUIRED REPEATED IMMEDIATE PULLOVERS ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO PREVENT SEVERE OVERHEATING. MR

NHTSA ID

768414

Incident

Mar 10, 2001

CRANK/CAM/OIL PAN SILICONE SEALS FAILEDS EARLY IN VEHICLE LIFE. ALSO, ALTERNATOR BELT FELL OFF, MAIN PULLEY BROKE, CENTER OF PULLEY BADLY WORN, AND VALVES BENT ON CYLINDER #2. $635 TO REPLACE SEALS, $415 TO REPLACE MAIN PULLEY, AND $1107 TO REPLACE VALVES.

NHTSA ID

766302

Incident

May 15, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH WATER PUMP FAILED ,ALLOWING TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP OFF, AND BENDING VALVES TO ENGINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8015022

Incident

Jul 22, 2002

ENGINE WILL STALL INTERMITTENTLY DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND REPLACED SENSOR VALVE TWO TIMES AND COMPUTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

899867

Incident

Oct 12, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THAT ENGINE BLOCK AND HEAD ARE CRACKED WITH NO SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, SUBARU MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND NO MECHANICAL REASON WHY THIS OCCURRED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *TT

NHTSA ID

785796

Incident

Nov 15, 2001

LOCAL SUBARU DEALER HAS SOLD THESE PARTS SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY. IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM. WHEN THIS FAILS THE PULLY SYSTEM OF THE ENGINE FALLS APART, LITERALLY, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, POWER STEERING, BRAKE WARNING... THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS HAD WE NOT BEEN ON A BACK ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ID

726520

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN FREEZING WEATHER OR 32 DEGREES BELOW VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT ,CONSUMER MUST WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING VEHICLE , DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM ,HAS CHANGED SPEED SENSOR BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

821018

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THERE ARE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, RESULTING IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BECOMING INOPERATIVE, ALSO HEATER. CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED A FUME ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY OTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

819718

Incident

Mar 1, 1997