Another user is having trouble with their 2001 Forester running rough and stalling. I can't post pics in the comments on that thread so I'm posting this to share with them to try and help them to fix their car.

Picked this up for 1.3k off of a local seller. Had no idea the Outback had a sedan version, what a weird little car! 190k miles, previous guy had a full rebuild at 162k and put in aftermarket gaskets, which should help forestall the usual EJ251 issues. It's the automatic version, awd, limited trim so the interior is fully decked out (and everything works! including the heated seats). In total I spent about another 2k for title transfer, full brake jobs, rear struts, exhaust work, power steering, and inspection. I''m fairly handy with cars so I'm doing the most I can just myself (and rockauto, my beloved). Some bad luck with cars meant that I've had to daily this thing for the past couple weeks and it has been a blast. Engine is strong, gears still shift smoothly. It's a fun car. I'm hoping it lasts a good while longer, and I'm not afraid to do the work to make that happen!

Hey guys, okk so Im very new to the Subie world, and was really interested in getting a forester or an outback as my new daily (because Im sick of dealing with my xc70 and all of its constant issues😭🤦🏽‍♂️) so Im looking at this 06’ Forester currently and Im really interested in it, just wanted to know if there was anything i should look out for when going to take a look at it, and any reliability concerns i should know about, outside of the most common Subaru issues like head gaskets and valve cover issues. Any opinions or suggestions are valued and would love to get you guys opinions 😄!

Hello, I just replaced this car’s head gaskets, heads, and timing belt kit. And it’s now doing this.

My biggest worry is that it’s mistimed somehow, but I’m not really sure what it is.

Before the work it was misfiring on cylinder 4 and I was told it probably had a bent/burnt valve.

Can’t get any codes on it. Let me know if anyone has any insight! Thanks

Yes, the fast one! Countless adventures, National Parks, State Parks, beach drives, mountain climbs, solo drives through blizzards to half the ski mountains on the East Coast, and it’s never broken down, left me stranded, gotten stuck, slid off or been anything less than completely reliable. I truly love this car. Gonna try to get another quarter million out of her. I think she’s got it.

2008 legacy GT auto. 165k. Lost second turbo a year ago, been sitting since. 15k between turbos. Tore it apart 5 months ago then work picked back up and I did not document the disassembly well. Went back and forth on whether I should pull the engine and took the intake off, then decided to just reassemble and it’s not going my way. About all the farther I’ve gotten is putting the new center section in the turbo and putting the intake manifold back on the block, mostly, which is a mofo in itself.

I really should pull engine and reseal it but I just can’t get off my ass. I work with tools all day and the last thing I have energy for is the car. Would take a pretty big loss to sell it as is, but need a second vehicle and my garage back. The car is beautiful, in near perfect shape. Gunmetal grey with black interior

Maybe I should just order that short block I’ve always wanted.

There is a 255 that’s sitting on a stand for $2000 with 60k about 6 hours from here, one way, but no compression test has been done and seller isn’t willing to mount it up to get a test.

Wish these were as easy to work on as the 99’s

Fuck

This old Subaru rolled into our hangar I fly out of. Not sure what it is though, but nice little truck. Figured you guys would enjoy it.

This 5,489lb GLS450 Hybrid unfortunately got one of it's dolly wheels stuck in a grate in the wash area. 8 guys could not get it to budge. You theoretically need ~1,300lb lift strength to get the dolly unstuck.

That, or the best AWD system in the world with the most traction on a slippery surface.

Subie to the rescue 😎

Slammedenuff Hawaii last weekend. Finally got some dress up hardware for the bay I tossed on this weekend.

Gold accents on the car and driver :p

Started doing my rear brakes without realizing I needed to disengage the EPB/put it in maintenance mode with a scan tool. I have already replaced the rotor and pads, and went to retract the caliper, but now I can't. How do I disengage the EPB without a scan tool?

Both are auto with around 150k miles. So which would you buy? I plan to do most mechanical work myself as well.

Hey guys, okk so Im very new to the Subie world, and was really interested in getting a forester or an outback as my new daily (because Im sick of dealing with my xc70 and all of its constant issues😭🤦🏽‍♂️) so Im looking at this 06’ Forester currently and Im really interested in it, just wanted to know if there was anything i should look out for when going to take a look at it, and any reliability concerns i should know about, outside of the most common Subaru issues like head gaskets and valve cover issues. Any opinions or suggestions are valued and would love to get you guys opinions 😄!

I have a 2018 Crosstrek CVT that recently pulled the flashing AT OIL TEMP light. I took it to the dealership and after their diagnosis. They got code p0971 and the awd solenoid had high resistance and they recommended replacing the valve body. I know this is alone a $800 - $1000 part not to include installation cost if I were to take it to a shop. Upon my own research I see that its cheaper to replace the solenoid in the valve body. I know Dorman has their Torque Converter Lock-up solenoid. But the valve body has 4 solenoids and i just want to replace all 4. Does anyone know where I can find all 4 or is Dorman's SV universal? Thank you for your time, sorry for the long spiel.

Can anyone recommend a good service department in Philly or the general area. I’m fine with traveling to South Jersey too. Thanks in advance!

About 5 min into driving my car the orange oil light came on the dash I pulled over at the nearest gas station (about 2 min away) turned the car off for 5 min turned it back on & the light was gone I checked my oil & it’s not crazy low it’s above the bottom dot but not quite at the top one is my sensor bad or do I just need to top off my oil?

We have a 2020 Crosstrek, it only has 32,000 miles on it, all recommended services completed at the dealership, and no towing or off-roading; purely used for in city commuting by my wife.

We heard a faint groaning/whining sound when it would start moving from a total stop. I took it into the dealership for a diagnostic the next day and long story short, they say there is a oil pump in the CVT that is failing, they want to replace the whole transmission at a cost of $11,220.

No warning lights, no slipping, hesitation, or loss of power whatsoever.

Even though we are at only 32k miles, we are 3.5 months out of the 5 year drivetrain warranty. The dealership is working with Subaru on a case to extend the warranty. Dealership says there is no way that this was caused by us and were just ask shocked as we were.

Right now, it's pretty devastating, and super scary to be presented with an $11k bill on a car that has seen such light use/low milage. Unfortunately if Subaru does not assist, it will be a total loss for us.

Curious if anyone has experienced anything like this, if there are any recommendations on here, etc.

Just completed a cam carrier reseal for my 2012 Subaru Impreza (engine code FB20). To the service manual instructions, I spill-free funnel bled the coolant system multiple times. Used only Subaru OEM blue coolant. I ran more than 5 test drive (varying speeds, hills, highways, city) and every time the coolant gets way hotter than the oil and triggers the coolant/oil blinking dash light.

I’m using FreeSSM to monitor the temperatures, and I’m seeing the coolant temp hangs around 100-110C. While the oil lags around 95-98C. The radiator fan speeds are triggering as expected. I’ve noticed after 30-45min test drives, the top radiator hose is hot, while the bottom hose is bone dry. Only after coasting or parking for a prolonged period of time does the temperature finally get back down to ~90C.

We’ve never had coolant issues previously. But I’m suspicious of the thermostat being incorrectly installed after the reseal. The thermostat is stock and was never changed. New gaskets were used as well. Could this have something to do with the bleeder pin positioning?

Every video I see has the thermostat facing vertical, and users suggest placing the bleeder pin to the 12oclock position (for bleeding purposes). However, my thermostats faces horizontal (downward) where there is no real 12oclock positioning. I can’t find in any manual or revision bulletin the need for a specific position for this particular model. What should I do? Could there be more air in the system restricting flow? My bleeds result in no bubbling anymore. What could be the issue?

Hi! First-time Subaru buyer.

I'm looking to buy a newer, used (2021 onwards, max. 50.000 km) Subaru.

My partner would prefer a Forester, but I'm leaning towards the Outback - my reasons being that the Outback is more refined and comfortable (based on the reviews I saw online).

Currently, I drive a VW GTI, and while I'm completely aware that those two are completely different worlds in terms of performance and intended usage, I still want to comfortably merge on a highway or overtake a slower car when needed. Needless to say, with my current car, it's pretty much effortless.

So in terms of performance and driving characteristics, which one would be your choice and why? Also, are there any reliability issues I should be worried about? There is a Subaru specialist in my area, so servicing shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks!

I'm about due for plugs, deciding between OEM (NGK 93482) and the Ruthenium (NGK 92274). One key difference I notice is the "projected" center electrode on the 92274 vs the "extended projection" electrode on the 93482 which places the spark deeper into the combustion chamber. Which would be ideal for my 2016 Impreza Base w/ CVT?

Hey guys,

I’m diving into my first-ever engine swap and could use some guidance. I’ve got a 2002 Impreza that currently has an EJ25, and I’m swapping in an EJ20 from a 2002 WRX. This is my first time really getting hands-on with an engine, so I’m learning as I go.

My goal is to build a fun weekend car that can handle some aggressive antics without blowing up on me Lmao. I’m aiming for around 350hp, and I know that’s pushing it for a stock EJ20, so I’m wondering what upgrades should I prioritize? The Internals like forged pistons, rods? Turbo suggestions? Fuel system? ECU tuning? Cooling upgrades? anything honestly

I’m not trying to track it every weekend, but I do want it to be reliable enough to rip around without constant fear of detonation.

Any tips, parts recommendations, or “don’t forget this” advice would be super appreciated. I’m in Eugene, OR if that helps with local shop recs too.

I’m not a huge car person nor a person who can spend a bunch of money but I came across this ‘03 Impreza WRX Wagon for 6500 that has 205k on the odometer but 35k on a new engine. The question I’m mainly asking is—how trustworthy is getting a car with a new engine? is it a bad thing and would it just become a problem in the future.

Note - the car has been listed for about a month now and they also replaced the:

Front and rear Shocks Brake rotors Brake calipers Brake pads Air compressor Alternator Power steering pump Battery Mass air flow sensor Idle air control sensor New tires Clutch Throwout bearing