2007 Subaru Outback Engine Problems

AN ACCELERATOR THAT BECAME UNRESPONSIVE WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON 3 LANE HIGHWAY. THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT WITH SUBARU AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE PROBLEM WHICH IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU GO ONLINE AND SEARCH FOR SUBARU OUTBACK CODE P2138/THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR YOU WILL FIND THAT THE SENSOR HAS INTERMITENT FAILURES WHICH CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. EVEN WHEN PEOPLE GET THIS RESET AT A MECHANIC AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT WILL BEGIN RECURRING AGAIN. OR SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC CANNOT MAKE THE CAR FAIL BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS A SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. SUBARU MUST FIX THIS PROBLEM!! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 5 TIMES NOW OVER THE LAST YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11299992

Incident

Nov 8, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET. LIBERTY AUTO CITY SUBARU (1000 E PARK AVE, LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048, (847) 362-3800) DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. *BF *TR

NHTSA ID

11209777

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

97,000 mi

SERIOUS MECHANICAL ISSUES REGARDING DEFECTIVE RADIATOR COOLING FANS & MOTOR THAT PROPELS THE FANS TO SPIN PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

11203311

Incident

Apr 20, 2019

Mileage

122,000 mi

IN 2015 AT 90,000 MILES THE HEAD WAS LEAKING FROM A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. HAD TO HAVE THE TOP END OF THE MOTOR TOTAL REBUILT. I HAVE READ THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11013513

Incident

May 14, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY SUBARU HAS A 2.5L ENGINE. A SUBARU SERVICE CENTER HAS VERIFIED THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE A SEVERE OIL LEAK. MY CAR IS ALSO LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, MY MECHANIC BELIEVES IT IS LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKETS. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA ABOUT THE ISSUE, THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD A RECALL ON THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS SAME SIZE ENGINE BACK IN 2002. I AM STUCK WITH A $2600 REPAIR. I FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME ENGINE ON DIFFERENT YEAR MAKES OF SUBARUS ON THIS SITE. HTTP://WWW.SMART-SERVICE.COM/BLOG/2010/02/SUBARU-HEAD-GASKET-WILL-SUBARU-PAY-FOR-REPAIR

NHTSA ID

10971780

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

138,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK FROM A CERTIFIED SUBARU DEALER (STOHLMAN SUBARU IN VA), IT HAD 65000 MILES ON IT, I DID ALL THE MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIRS ON IT. I PAID $12,000 FOR THE VEHICLE. ON 2/5/2017, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING SO I PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. APPARENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF OIL DESPITE THAT IT WASN'T DUE FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE IN 1500 MILES AND WE HAD CHECKED THE OIL A WEEK BEFORE AND IT WAS FULL. THE ENGINE HAS SIEZED UP AND REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE. NO OIL INDICATOR LIGHT HAD COME ON, NO SMOKING OR OVERHEATING, AND FROM THE SERVICE STATION, NO LEAKS ON THE VEHICLE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER SUBARU SPECIALIST SERVICE STATION IN FREDERICK, MD AND AGAIN WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. OWNED THE CAR LESS THAN A YEAR, NO LEAKS, NO INDICATOR OF LOW OIL, THE OIL JUST DISAPPEARED? THE AUTO MECHANICS ARE DUMBFOUNDED AT WHAT CAUSED THIS.

NHTSA ID

10953903

Incident

Feb 5, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SENSORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE SPEED SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND ON, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10899532

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES F, THERE IS A STRONG ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES OR GAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN YOU TURN THE CLIMATE CONTROL TO THE CABIN AIR RECIRCULATING POSITION THE SMELL DECREASES DRAMATICALLY. THIS CAR MUST BE DRIVEN WITH A WINDOW PARTIALLY OPEN FOR FRESH AIR FOR SAFETY. THE ODOR IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE NAUSEA. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE WITH SUBARU. SUBARU HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL TO THE BEST OF BY KNOWLEDGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676957

Incident

Jan 15, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

NO HEAT, ENGINE TEMP. CLIMBED. ENGINE COOLANT BOILED OUT A MILE LATER. 2.5 ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652223

Incident

Oct 30, 2014

Mileage

109,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

10645024

Incident

Sep 26, 2014

Mileage

68,000 mi

ENGINE MADE A SUDDEN RATTLING SOUND THAT GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER, THEN HAD A LOUD BANGING SOUND.AFTER A FEW DAYS OF INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER BOLT CAME LOOSE,BOUNCED AROUND IN MY ENGINE, DAMAGING A PLATE AND "TAKING A FEW 'CHUNKS' OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK,ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC.THE MECHANIC SAID IN HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION,THE ONLY WAY THE BOLT COULD HAVE BEEN LOOSE,IS THAT IS WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE.THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED TO A SUBARU THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF.THE CAR IS 6YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR 5YEARS(BOUGHT IT IN 2009 WITH 33 MILES ON IT,AS IT HADN'T SOLD IN 2008), AND IT HAS ONLY 23,000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO RECALL, AND MY WARRANTY EXPIRED 7MONTHS AGO. SUBARU SAID THEY WOULD COVER HALF THE COST OF REPAIRS, BUT WE ARE STILL PURSUING OPTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10639518

Incident

Sep 15, 2014

Mileage

23,000 mi

IN JUNE OF 2013 I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER FOR SERVICE AFTER NOTICING A BURNING SMELL. I WAS TOLD MY FRONT RIGHT AXLE WAS BROKEN. SEVEN MONTHS LATER (JANUARY 2014) I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THIS TIME THE LEFT AXLE AND LEFT WHEEL BEARING WERE BROKEN. TWO MONTHS LATER (MARCH 2014) I WAS BACK AT THE DEALER AND MY RIGHT AXLE AND RIGHT AXLE SEAL WERE BROKEN AGAIN. THAT IS THREE AXLES IN NINE MONTHS! THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER AT SUBARU TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT ABNORMAL; THAT THE CAR HAS A "DESIGN FLAW" WHERE THE AXLE BOOT SITS VERY CLOSE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SO IT HEATS UP, WHICH CAUSES THE AXLE TO CRACK AND BREAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587355

Incident

Jun 14, 2013

Mileage

81,147 mi

OIL LEAKING FROM PASSENGER SIDE HEAD GASKET ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. READ WEB AND SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE ITEM FOR SUBARU ENGINES 2000 THRU 2009. MY CONCERN IS POTENTIAL FIRE. REPAIR COSTS $1800-3000. WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND FIRE HAZARD THUS I HOPE SUBARU WILL ADDRESS THIS DESIGN ISSUE MORE PROACTIVELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10564588

Incident

Feb 8, 2014

Mileage

75,000 mi

LEAKING HEADGASKET ON A 6 YEAR OLD SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 WITH 79,000 MILES. REPAIR JOB COST OF $2,000. HEAD GASKET ISSUES ARE A MAJOR COMPLAINT/DEFECT ON SUBARU 2.5 4CYL ENGINES. SUBARU SHOULD EITHER OFFER TO SUBSIDIZE OR COVER MAJOR REPAIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556894

Incident

Dec 19, 2013

Mileage

79,506 mi

THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE OIL. ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL HEAD GASKET REPLACED. SUBARU USED IN 2007 A PAPER GASKET WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND NOT TO HOLD UP. NEW HAD GASKET MUCH STRONGER. TRYING TO GET SUBARU TO WARRANTY THIS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS ONLY 43,800 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10515980

Incident

May 31, 2013

Mileage

43,800 mi

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK SW ON A 6 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND LOST ALL GAS PEDAL RESPONSE. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ALTHOUGH SHE ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SURROUNDING TRAFFIC. THE CAR STARTED FLASHING THE CRUISE CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE DASH LIGHTS. AFTER ALLOWING THE CAR TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND GET HOME. I CHECKED THE ERROR CODES AND GOT A P02138. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SUBARU BLOGS. ALL OF THE OTHER REPORTS POINTED TO THE SAME SOURCE(S) THE GAS PEDAL POSITION SENSOR OR THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. MOST REPORTED SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENTS CLAIMING NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE EVER HAPPENING BEFORE. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE IN BOTH LOCAL AND HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. I HAVE CLEANED THE TERMINALS ON BOTH SENSORS AND THIS SEEMS TO HELP, BUT THE PROBLEM ALWAYS RETURNS. I READ WHERE SEVERAL OTHER DRIVERS HAD THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY CHANGED AND THE ISSUE SEEMED TO BE RESOLVED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. HAVING A CAR SUDDENLY BECOME DEAD ON THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS TO ANYONE AROUND. *TR *JS

NHTSA ID

10451086

Incident

Apr 6, 2011

Mileage

66,270 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL WOULD SPILL BACK OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE VENT VALVES IN THE DUEL FUEL CANISTER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 49,000. UPDATED 07/21/11 *BF MECHANIC STATED THE EVAP WAS FROZEN SO GAS COULD NOT GO IN AND FUMES COULD NOT PASS THROUGH. UPDATED 08/05/11

NHTSA ID

10406183

Incident

Jun 7, 2011

Mileage

49,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED ON VARIOUS ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPUTER SOFTWARE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT RESET THE COMPUTER AND COULD NOT EXCHANGE IT EITHER. ALSO, THE DEALER EXPRESSED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. THIS WAS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 I WAGON. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10171137

Incident

Sep 3, 2006

Mileage

80 mi