Something to add here: When we were doing short block recalls for the oil consumption issue a lot of those engines developed timing cover and cam carrier leaks after the repair. We found flipping the engine upside down after installing the timing cover and letting it dry overnight helped to prevent oil from draining on to the fresh RTV and this prevented leaks in the future.
Many RTV instructions recommend only tightening the fasteners either until minor leakage from the edge of the joint or finger tight. Then after some cure time of a few hours, then torquing the fasteners after the "gasket" had been made. This helped the RTV cure without contamination and help induce a clamping force. However many RTVs are designed for quick turnaround times and are squirt on, tighten, fill with oil and send out. Having sent a leaking car to mechanics to repair a coolant cover and only leak a few years later, it is amazing that I could repair it and run it for over 10 years without issues. Maybe I waited for the RTV to cure 🤔
I have been driving Subies for almost 20 years and have put on about 370K miles on 3 vehicles with very little trouble. Regular maintenance is the key, and it applies to ALL vehicles.
@@martinr8278 Yep, I just treat Subies the same way I treat anything else I have owned, and it works. My other favorite is the old school Mopars with small blocks. I have been running a 318 in form or another for over 45 years, and they are awesome IF you just keep them maintained.
@@clembob8004 I wouldn't be driving a 3 litre flat 6 Subaru for over 7 years if they weren't any good - they are amazing cars but need to be looked after - the handling on these is as good as you can get and when the roads are wet they are in a different level
I used to be a Toyota “fan girl” and had 3 of them. They are good vehicles but are definitely not perfect. The transmission was replaced under warranty in my 2007 RAV4 V6 (due to gear whine) and my 2011 RAV4 needed a new water pump which was close to $500. My Corolla was the cheapest Toyota to own, in my experience. Now I have a 2018 Forester and love it! I’m definitely a car enthusiast and Subarus have more of an enthusiast culture. Toyotas are just kind of boring. Plus, thanks to Mr. Subaru, I’m learning how to work on my Forester. Thank you sir!!
New trans was a waste of money. It has been proven long ago that the gear whine wasn’t a failure and caused by a lack of noise dampening. The whining transmissions still run hundreds of thousands of miles. Luckily ya didn’t have to pay for it. Water pumps are common wear items. They won’t last forever on any vehicle. 100,000 miles is considered its lifetime.
We always had a saying at the scrap yard and garage I used to work at: The main factor that influences the reliability of the car is the part in between the seat and steering wheel
Can you do a video on this million mile crosstrek?😊 I have a ‘19 crosstrek limited, and would love to hear about their journey to all this mileage. Maintenance, repairs, etc..
Let me start by saying, I love your videos, big fan, I have been a senior master technician at Subaru for many years, and have Been repairing and rebuilding Subaru FA/FB series engine for more than 9 years now, manufacturer (Subaru) recommend 6000-miles oil changes but the customer always goes over be it due to circumstances or neglect, I always recommend 4500 to 5000 to all my customers for better vvt system longevity performance and health.
30 year tech here. I agree 110% with all that was said. Both Toyota and Subaru are generally great, given proper maintenance. They're just different. I'd much rather seal an FA or FB timing cover than a 2GR though. No such thing as a perfect machine.
RTV is "officially" good for 40 yrs... so you should be able to get an easy 20 as long as you don't let your oil become acidic from lack of maintenance. Thanks for the follow up video!
Thanks for posting that! I now realize why i havent had PCV problems on my Hondas which is because I change the oil 2x a year no matter the mileage. We do not drive much so the oil never turns into ink. But now I see I still need to check that PCV regularly on the Subie just to be safe. Easy peasy compared to expensive engine repair payments.
It’s also more important on direct engines as there is more carbon buildup and an increased chance of the pcv valve sticking. It doesn’t matter the car. Just replace the valve, it’s only a few bucks.
On the Forester side, I think the best ones were 2017/2018 - you get FB25B 2.5L engine, so no EJ head gasket issues; port injection instead of the added buildup of direct injection (2019+) and they largely fixed the engine consumption issues of the 2016 and earlier FB engines. My 2017 had the link-glide plate issue (fixed under warranty), which I believe was fixed in 2018. They've done away with the frameless windows at this point, which is another good thing and 2017 got some further sound dampening over 2016. I picked the '17 model w/halogen lights that I can change on the side of the road, no iSight (one less thing to break) and it just works. Installed a Fumoto valve & do regular maintenance, swap in winter wheels each year and it has been hassle free and handles great.
I found this guy's channel a few weeks ago and I'll say these cars seem to have many issues. (Some of which this guy does acknowledge.) I think people who choose to own these cars should remember that they get great traction in the snow, they have that wonderful boxer engine that offers a low center of gravity, and they get great gas mileage especially when they are running. (They get even greater gas mileage when they don't run.) GREAT VIDEO!
My uncle has a 2002 forester.. 315,000 miles on the thing.. never had a head gasket issue. Still runs to this day.. ya it burns oil but anything that high milage id say is normal.. My 2012 Civic 285,000 miles on it til someone hit me 2 weeks ago.. low maintenance..no major issues ever during the 7 yrs I owned it also had a CVT and never skipped a beat.. I purchased a 2015 outback recently and Fell in Love.. From a honda guy to now a subie guy.
The issue with Subaru engine is not that it leaks more than other manufacturers or uses RTV, the issue is that the consequence of these leaks, like the cam cover leak, or the valves going out of adjustment are much more severe. These engines are not "just a little more labor intensive". Compare paying $700 to adjust valves on Honda and $3k on Subaru, only because the engine has to be pulled. Sure, valve covers leak on Hondas too, but there it's a 1 hour job to remove TB, intake and then the covers to change gaskets. With Subaru it's the bloody engine pull again. And the worst part is that you're pretty much guaranteed to run into these issues, and hopefully you'll be able to combine them and then address in one engine pull rather than multiple. It's a crappy situation, no need to sugar coat it.
2014 Forester with 1 quart / 500 mile oil consumption 132k. Previous owner did not have the warranty work done and traded it in. This was my first Subaru purchase. Be sure to track down vins affected and get the dealer service history; I’ve also found that Subaru customer service cannot locate individual dealer info regarding repairs and in fact gave me the incorrect dealer they said it was originally purchased from. 2019 Forester 100k now has the P26A3 thermo control valve issue. I looked through the playlists here and didn’t see any existing videos on this. Just recently found the channel; appreciate the content.
Had my local Subaru dealer replace the PVC valve on my 18 Outback while it was in for the 60k mile service a year ago. Noticed a leak while changing my oil last month. The dealer confirmed cam carrier seal. 🙄
I bought the 22 wrx. Everything has issues. I love it and I knew I had to have one when I saw it! Everything leaks oil at some point. Maintenance is key and check your oil periodically.
The leak after the valve spring recall you mentioned happened to me. My 13 FRS has had a leak from the left camshaft carrier since I had the valve spring recall done in either late 2018 or early 2019. Toyota insisted there was no leak when I brought it back, but every time I got it on the lift after that at the shop I worked at suggested a different story. Even so, there are never any puddles on the ground under it, and it's never low enough to be noticeable by the time I do my next oil change. It's annoying they didn't do the work correctly the first time and then insisted nothing was wrong, but it has hardly been more than a minor nuisance.
I’ve avoided having the valve spring recall done on my ‘13 FR-S for a few reasons. I bought it from a mechanic who chose to not do it. Also, the local Toyota dealership’s master tech has only done 1 recall. I don’t trust them in doing the repair. 154k and runs like a top.
The PCV on my BMW is built into the valve cover which costs $600 just for the part and then several hours to change. I'm not going to be changing it every year.
I did work for Honda and Toyota Dealer and we always full of work,people still think in the Toyota from the 70's,very good explanation about the maintenance...
Talk about a rollercoaster! The wife and I had pretty much decided to purchase a new 2024 Forester. We have never owned a Subaru. There is a lot to love about this car. Since we tend to keep our cars for the long haul I figured that I should research their reliability, that's how I came across your prior video concerning Oil Leaks, and having to pull the engine to repair it. I think that the comment that scared me off was "...all of these engines will leak oil. It's not a matter of if, but rather when." This for me is a deal breaker. Please answer me this. If a current Boxer Engine is properly maintained, how many miles can I expect to get BEFORE it needs the engine pulled to fix the oil seals? Thanks.
Just about every engine will start to leak after 150,000 miles. Some lemons will leak sooner then that, but if they're good engines they will continue to run. My subaru lasted for 80,000 before it began to leak and knock. My old chevy truck's been running for 200,000 miles and has quite a few leaks, but no knock. I've been lucky so far with my old trucks but the subaru is still a great vehicle I want to repair. Every vehicle can suck or be good from every brand. If you're looking for a daily driver a beater in decent shape that's well maintained will serve you long enough to buy another one in better shape, trade in, or fix up and make it pretty. If you want to show off for the neighbors buy a new car. Regardless, after a while every engine will leak or burn oil after some time. Doing an oil filter and oil change will be best for a car you want to keep, leaks or no leaks.
Appreciate the follow-up video. As a new first tiime owner of a Subaru, I am frustrated with the lack of clear answers. I have a 2013 Outback 4cyl with 148K. Car was well maintained since new, (bought it from a friend) regular oil changes and maintenance from dealer. The issue we have is we are getting oil in the coolant reservoir / radiator. Car was tested for head gasket failure and nothing found. A dye leak test was done but was inconclusive as to location of leak. Not seeing any evidence of coolant in the oil pan, dip stick looks normal and no signs of foam or white sludge. Just oil in coolant. Engine pings when accelerating as well. Temperature guage is always in the middle, never higher. Dealer mechanic said there is a number of places an oil leak can come from. But no one is able to give any direction as to how to correct this problem or what to do. I don't want to keep driving it until it dies, but I find it hard to believe no one has a clue how to fix this problem or any idea where it is coming from. Car runs beautifully and I love driving it. If anyone has knowledge of this specific issue (not guesses) we would love to hear it
Glad to hear you clarify this issue. Aside from the way my wife drives her ‘15 Forester we baby it with service. We hope to drive this thing for a long time, it only has 71000 miles on it now.
I own a 2019 Subaru Impreza premium/touring has about 90k kms on it I change the oil about every 5-6k kms and carbon clean the intake with CRC every oil change I've literally zero issues with the engine. It's an amazing car probably the best I've ever owned. So I appreciate that Mr. Subaru talk about how these cars have no more issues than any other car manufacturer with any car as long as you take good care of it you shouldn't run into any major issues for a very long time
Thanks for the correction, but the previous video did have a high hype/scare factor about modern 2.5l engines. I just purchased a new 2023 Forester and I bought it due to reliability (I tend to keep cars for decades, hence my choice for Subaru). Pointing out potential issues can be useful, but you over did it, creating the result you are responding to. Word to wise, pointing out potential issues is good, but put some context in (e.g., less than 5% of well-maintained engines could have this issue, for example). Oh, and I'm not stressed about my new Subaru, and I like your maintenance DYI stuff.
Hear, hear! With a 2021 Crosstrek Sport, I almost had a coronary after the previous video. I like to drive my cars forever, and maintain them well above the recommended servicing. Nevertheless, this corrective video was a happy event for me. Love MrSubaru's channel!
It's great that you brand new 2023 Subaru doesn't have an oil leak... but the 2012 Subaru Forester I just bought from Auction (no viewing available in person) which was well maintained is leaking exactly where he said the FB25 series leaks from. There's no scare tactics... he was dropping fact bombs.
Thanks for this second video! The first REALLY caught my eye, as we're the happy owners of a 2023 Subaru Outback 2.5L, which has a whole 500 miles on it so far. I knew the headgaskets were long resolved with the introduction of the FA/FB engines, but I also largely figured these engines to be known-issue-free, since they've been on the road for several years and I just couldn't find much in the way of complaints during our car research. We're loving this Outback so far, hopefully we can have it forever.
generally the oil leaks on the F engines ive encountered are weeps and very small leaks that dont amount to much at all. most customers just deal with it rather than pay the high cost to fix what is a tiny amount of oil loss. the bigger problem ive run into it massive oil burning on the the early FB25s. some of these where so bad that would drink a quart in 300 miles and cause catalytic converter meltdowns. ive also had several with timing chain tensioner failures. i tell my customers with these engines to do 3000 mile oil changes. and avoid buying 2011 to 2013/14 cars with the FB25
I have a 2015 with oil consumption issues. Not super bad but I usually have to add two quarts between changes (6 month schedule). Just learning about the pcv valve maintenance. Changing that this weekend in hopes it fixes it.
Mr Subaru, please do a video regarding intake Carbon cleaning schedule and process of a Subaru DI engine. My Dealership indicates their non invasive additive service pretty much eliminates this. Research indicates this is only a bandaid that only slightly removes the build up.
I would like to see that covered as well. My 2020 Forester had to have the carbon cleaning at the dealer after 12500 miles when the engine light came on. This was during the pandemic so I was not driving as regularly as I normally would have been. I am at 30000 miles with no problems but I am curious as to whether this carbon cleaning should be a scheduled service that is not currently part of the maintenance listed for the vehicle.
I herd the same speech about my Kia sportage. I herd "as long as you do your maintinance they will last." And at 135k miles the engine blew on my way to work. The car was kept meticuously. I can live with replacing alternators, fuel pumps, water pumps and belts. However when your engine or transmission blows your screwed.
I currently have a 2020 Subaru Impreza I use for work. I have 146,000 highway miles. Never saw a check engine light. Change oil at 6k. Replace spark plugs twice, replace brakes twice. My tires lasted until 90,000 miles with no nails no punctures. I recently changed drive belt, front suspension components and my Subaru is still amazing at 145k. I have no leaks at all. I also changed my pcv valve at 110,000 miles.
Highway miles are 10% of city miles. So your 2020 is still really new. Certainly under 40k miles. Consider 8-10k oil changes ((full synthetic) if only used on the highway.
I saw the "New Issue" video and while it raised concerns, it also addressed them. My Kia Seltos lease is ending in a couple months and I am on the hunt for what will be my fourth Subaru. The Seltos needed the transmission replaced after its first month & several months later...an engine replacement. It's an affordable, nicely styled TIN CAN. Would love a Crosstrek Wilderness but may have to settle for a newer pre owned Forester. Either way I can't come home to Subaru fast enough!
You obviously never worked in the field. You need ALL of those, and more. And they aren't all pens. Most likely a magnet, screwdriver, are on there as well
I was (not really) surprised when the lady in my carpool had her late 2000's 4 cylinder Camry's water pump and catalytic converter both fail by 100K miles when my 200,000 plus mile 1998 Plymouth Neon Expresso DOHC 5 speed that I ran autocrosses and track events (Summit Point, Dominion and VIR) with for over 10 years never had a failure (except the front hub flanges with 200TW tires) except a loose vacuum line. Toyotas aren't perfect. Another great video. Thanks
Not mad at our 2017 Outback-but it has 3x the rust as our 2015 Highlander, 10x the rattles, and is seeping from the timing chain cover and the center differential (maintenance the same). The Highlander runs like mile 1. Solid overall vehicle, but my personal experience tells me there is (or at least was) a difference in quality.
Hmmm haven’t heard any issues like that from other owners I know of for that year and model. Funny, 2015 highlander catastrophic failure from a neighbor, 85000. Interesting. Transmission replaced
I purchased a 2014 Highlander, first of the 3rd generation, born in Indiana. 120,000 miles and like yours, runs like mile 1, with a V6. Will look at 2025 Forester when they get here as new Highlanders do not have the V6's anymore.
Could you provide your professional service intervals in a chart form? When to do what? It seems that there is alot of information out there, and we respect your opinion the most.
Yea there seems to be quite a bit of maintenance tasks that Subaru doesn’t tell you about… PCV valve replacement… transmission fluid, the solenoids going out in the CVTs. The oil leaking is scary cuz Im back in the business of buying a used car and lots of these outback’s I’m seeing people either didn’t take care of… or they took care of them really well, more than on time oil changes… and 60k miles the engine timing cover replaced… that doesn’t sound good to me. But if these Subarus are usually fine after the major repairs it might not be bad… but I’m seeing alot of so called problems poppin up later in life. Which is unfortunate cuz I’m really set on an outback over a lot of cars I loved driving my wilderness too much before it was totaled
Self described Toyota fanboy here... Even though I am a big Toyota fan, I'm also a fan of Subaru. I think the biggest thing is that Toyota's just tend to be more forgiving of neglect. Not saying you should neglect your car, but Toyota vehicles do seem to accept lack of maintenance better than any other cars. The thing I do like about Subaru over Toyota is the fact that Subaru's seem to be easier to work on for DIY type stuff. My next vehicle will be an Outback or Forester. Big fan of your videos MrSubaru.
My 2019 Forrester blew a main bearing at 82,000 kms. Subaru Canada approved the warranty work. The dealer did the work. A short block fix. Engine ran rough when put back together, throwing cam timing codes. They checked the cam gears (wheels) and found damage caused by debris. Isn't this the wrong time to find debris damage? Every part that is touched by oil was touched by the contaminated oil. I feel I do having a ticking time bomb. I hope it blows before the 100, 000 kms mark. Doing an oil change at 1,000 kms and again at 3,000 kms to try and clean things out.
Also make sure you’re running a GF6 oil especially on the new direct injection engines most of the brand new oil is all GF6… pretty much but from what I understand it helps reduce chain wear.
@@davetravels9273 a certification for oils that it meets a minimum standard. If you look on the back of the bottles you’ll see a full list of them I don’t really know any newer decent synthetic oils that don’t meet that standard. Even Walmart in Costco oils should meet it.
I bought a 2013 Scion FRS that has a FA20 engine in it. Welp, there was an issue with this engine from the factory and it blew up. I'm happier with my Toyotas.
After having to put rear wheel bearings in a 06 Forester that lived its life in the rust belt I was done with them couldn't put a simple unitized bearing in them bolts and suspension bushings Frozen had to come apart the thing was an unnecessary nightmare.
Great video I own two Subarus a 2010 legacy 2.5 premium and a 2021 Crosstrek sport my legacy is my work car with 150000 miles on it with no big issues yet I have done all the maintenance on it myself since new I do worry about the head gaskets but I have rebuilt engines and restored a couple of mopar muscle cars and have always done all my own repairs and maintenance so far the 2010 has no oil leaks I also did the timing belt kit and changed the cvt fluid Thanks for all the Subaru info you do I appreciate being able to watch one of your videos and learn alot about my cars my father in law has had at least 5 Outback’s and two Forester’s and has had only minor issues with any of them.
My 2017 rebuilt-title Crosstrek I take on the highway every day with sweet GF-6 Idemitsu 5w30. WIX oil filters, too (every 5k). Always let it warm up and refuse short trips on cold starts… PCV swapped twice, topped off coolant recently. 89k miles (not that that’s much), but she religiously refuses go thru a single drop of oil. CVT and diffs also properly drain & filled at 31k & 63k 🤷♂️
In the last video you were talking about the cam carrier and you said, "the RTV silicone has a lifespan - it won't last forever". I think the open question is, at what mileage does the RTV silicone break down in the top end of F series engines? at the mileage point where it's going to cost big money. Thx Mr Subaru.
It's simply because people who don't work on cars or understand them are allowed to have an opinion. It's very hard to filter the truth from what some guy heard about an engine. I have a brz fa20 engine btw. It's amazing
I have a 2018 4runner and a 2021 Crosstrek. I do all my own maintenance and I go above and beyond. For example a 4K oil change interval on the Subaru. I will let you know how the competition turns out.
In the middle of swapping a jdm ej253 into my 08 impreza with 293k miles. Had a bunch of owners before me. But i will be rebuilding the engines to have ready. Engine i pulled randomly burned all the oil in 50 miles and then finally went thru it all twice in 20 miles. Have no worries about it and will keep the car until it rusts out beneath me. Just wish harnnes side repair connectors were more easily available. Collant sensor harness was broken on yhe jdm engine and the one in the car was broken when i bought it. Haha. Great video
Just bought a brand new 23 ascent limited and a 23 WRX limited yesterday, in addition to a 2015 outback with 137K and an 02 bugeye wagon with 207K chassis/32K on engine I rebuilt. They’re great cars and have been less trouble than the Toyotas I’ve owned prior
After my 2008 Outback 5mt got hit by someone running a red light i bought a 125000 mile 2014 forester 6mt, definitely gonna tackle the pcv valve sometime this week
********** I love your videos and make an effort to watch all of them. that being said, a year ago I bought a used 2015 Subaru Forester limited from a family and the vehicle was very well maintained, and I also believe in "Preventive maintenance. Last year I sold my 1992 Isy-uzu Pickup which had 485,000.00 Trouble free miles *****
My 2016 forester was the best car and engine i ever had in my 50 years of driving. better than any American engine. Mine never leaked one drop and the oil was clean for the whole 150,000 miles unil i traded it in.
Bought a 2019 crosstrek for my wife in 2018 - only hitting 30k. Great little car, plenty of pickup, better than my 2006 Dakota 6cyl with 160k. But I don’t know if my experience at the local Subaru dealership is typical of all, talk about laid back! Totally different than the sister dealerships up and down the road - Honda etc. Buying a car was soooo easy! “You want rust prevention?” No. “OK. How ‘bout extended warranty?” No. “Ok.” I expected a 2 hr (or more) give and take wrestlethon. And they honor expired coupons! Is Subaru world that different?
I did clean the PCV valves in my 60,000 mile Outback and 50,000 mile WRX after watching the previous videos. Easy in the Outback (FB-25B), but a real pita in the FA-20F WRX… EGR pipe blocks putting a 19mm deep socket on the PCV. Next time I’ll just remove the EGR pipe, but again-pita!
I have 40000 miles on my 2020 Forester and have not had a single problem to date other than my windshield being a rock magnet. On my prior vehicle which was a 2009 Tacoma by 40000 miles I had to have a steering rack and a radiator replaced. I was on my third radio. My headlights were melting and Toyota ended up extending the warrantee to replace them. Also,Toyota had to grind off the bottom of my gas pedal to keep it from catching on the floor mats. ( If anyone remembers the instant acceleration problems on Toyotas). All vehicles have issues. My Subaru is not perfect and has several annoying issues but to date there are no manufacturer quality issues to deal with.
2:48 I work as a Toyota dealer tech. That FA engine has the worst leaks i have seen in comparison with Toyota engines. At LEAST 1.5 to 2x as bad as Toyota engines. I have done Fa cam tower reseals, short block, ect. Change your oil please, this is what causes leaks, extended intervals
Honestly, just babysit it. I have a 2014 Crosstrek with 148,000 miles. Since Ive owned the vehicle (bought it with 58,000 miles) the PCV valve has never been replaced. The damage is done, my cam carriers and timing cover have a tad bit of oil seepage. Replacing the valve now probably wont stop it from leaking oil now. But guys, its less than half a quart between oil changes, maybe even a 1/4 quart going off the dipstick. You already buy 6 quarts of oil for every oil change because the FB20 calls for 5.3 qts of oil with the filter, so just add a little oil halfway between oil changes. Oil is cheap. Engine-out jobs are not.
The only problem I had so far on my 22 Outback is battery drain. Leave the door open for a couple minutes and car won’t start. I replaced the battery only for it to do it again so I have a jump pack. Electronic E brake is garbage and no fun. I use Mobile OW-20 10k oil change every 5k. Mid grade gas seems to run the best. Maintenance is important on any vehicle
I agree with all you said. I change oil filter on my 2018 FXT every 3500 miles. I am looking at replacing the PCV valve soon, XT has 37k miles, Runs like a Champ..
I change my WRX oil every 3-3.5K miles, I also have an oil catch can on the PCV that I drain every two weeks or so. That catch can is a "canary in a coal mine" If I see less junk come out I'll know the PCV valve has left the chat.
I’ve avoided having the valve spring recall done on my ‘13 FR-S. I bought it from a mechanic who chose to not to have it done or do it himself. Also, the local Toyota dealership’s master tech has only done 1 recall. I don’t trust them in doing the repair. 154k and runs like a top.
I love Subaru. They look super cool and whatnot. A while back i went to purchase a Legacy GT. After doing all my research and talking to the owner i still decided to buy it. Then the owner asked me for 500 more bucks so ended up walking away. Best choice I've ever made. I ended up with a Acura RL. Love it.
I bought the 2022 OBW and I like but I spent the weekend reading all the manuals. The ONE thing I found was if you missed a required service IT WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
My 2011 Outback has the turbo/full-metal head gasket from the assembly line, AFAIK. EJ253 engine. 120,000miles, just minor leakage from the valve covers. doesn't use any oil if I drive normally.
I have a older Toyota and believe me it loves to devour the oil and the dashboard melts into a sticky substance at 90° and above so yes they aren't invincible 😂
Unfortunately I bought brand new a 2019 Forester Sport in 2019. Dealer maintained + changed oil and filter, synthetic, every 3k miles. Car left me stranded in the middle of the road 4 times. Back to dealer each time. They eventually replaced the battery under warranty. Eventually “ found excessive carbon buildup in/out several components “. Car has now 29k as of May 2024. Afraid to drive it. My first and last Subaru.
Hey I recently changed the oil and oil filter on my ‘23 2.0 6mt Crosstrek. I used a K&N 1008 oil filter. The increased oil flow must have changed the variable cam timing that I think runs off oil pressure/volume. Anyway before the oil change power was modest but adequate and now there’s all kinds of power plenty of acceleration. I wouldn’t have believed it that an oil filter could make such a difference in power.
90k on my ‘14 Impreza and starting to see some weep from the cam carriers. The unfortunate thing is that PCV valve maintenance isn’t recommended by Subaru or the dealer. I love this car, but I laughed at the dealer’s $5500 quote to repair the weep. Oil changes done diligently at 5,000 miles, never over. Will continue to monitor oil level, have never had a problem with consumption to date. Has me second-guessing buying a Subaru again.
I am more concerned with the Thermo issue than the head gasket or oil leak. I do the oil changes, but knowing that the Thermo issue is a known to fail part is more concerning. Thanks for the clarification. In July I will have a Subaru Legacy Limited for one year. So far, all is good at 34,000 miles My only concern is a small oil film that forms around the area of the oil filter. I am not sure what to make of that. I will talk to my dealer when the next oil change comes up.
Your videos are very reassuring to owners and would be owners. I'm thinking of buying a Subaru, but I'm a little hesitant because of the powertrains. I've always driven torque converters transmissions and I'm a little leery of CVTs and these seemingly underpowered engines. This is why I'm thinking that I need to buy the 2.4L turbo to have enough power on the highway.
137K on my FB and zero oil leaks. There is some oil consumption and a little coolant consumption since 105K (no compression loss or bubbles in coolant)
Step it up to 3K, I don't know how well these thin oil handle shear pressure. Better yet, send a sample off to Blackstone Labs for an analysis. It will tell you how well the engine is doing.
I'm on my 10th Subaru, still have a 2005 and 2007 wagon along with the new BRZ - I like them all for the things they are well suited for. The '07 has 165,000 miles on the original engine and still runs well and has acceptable oil consumption. The 05 just had its engine replaced in January of this year due to a wrist pin failure...freakish thing probably brought on by my driving it on track at VIR with a bit too much enthusiasm. 145k on it now - both cars run and handle well and are regular to daily drivers...the brz is a garage queen and has less than 2k on it so far, but it is so much car - I love it.
Gotta love warranty work. If the tech gets it done fast enough, it sits in their bay for however much time is left. If they cannot get it done in the given time, they get dinged and leads to cutting corners not only by the recall repair manual, but by the tech themselves!
Not here to talk bad about Subarus, but timely topics though. Went to do the spark plugs on my FB25 powered 2014 Forester with 113k and found the plug wells drenched in oil on the passenger side. Small job just became a big job.
Can't say we've ever had many troubles with Subaru engines. We did have an older forester that we got hit with the head gasket failure but in 20 years of Subaru driving that's our only issue other than routine maintenance. And it wasn't really that big a deal, we have a shop in town that is good with Subaru's as they're pretty common around here. I do miss their 6 cylinder engine though. My 2015 Legacy 3.6 is a mighty nice car but neither of us are getting any younger.
Thank you for this! I’ve been doing research to learn the weak points of my car for the past year and where I can improve it past OEM life, this gives me confidence in the lifespan of my WRX FA20. I’d love to see a video on what kind of aftermarket reliability mods you’d recommend! Maintenance being the number one.
@@jrod0216 that was actually a mod I installed a week ago on my 20 WRX. I couldn’t find a good reason this car shouldn’t have one after researching it. After removing my intercooler I found a thin coat of oil all along the inside, a pretty good sign that it could benefit from an AOS.
The main reason I was a Honda owner for so many years is because of the lack of good Subaru dealerships throughout the midwest. The service dept. in midwest were notoriously terrible. I have removed the timing cover on several Subbie boxers. If you take your time and apply the exact amount of RTV in the exact places, you will never have an issue. The thing is if the Service dept. replaces timing guides or water pump and fail on sealing it back up, then it is on that dealer. and it is a costly time consuming redo. So they try to come up with all kinds of excuses not to have to do it. For that matter, if you can't find a dealer who will stand behind an auto, it doesn't matter what make you purchase.
My issue with my 2022 outback wasnt the engine. It was the eyesight. It liked to randomly activate for no reason i could see. Shop couldnt find the reason. This was a new car with less than 3k on it. When the car activates emergency braking on a clear freeway theres a problem. When it does it repeatedly its a nightmare. Too bad though i liked that car.
As a Subaru owner I’am not gonna denied a genuine concern with this engine repair cost not many mechanics work on this vehicles and Dealers are hard for repairs even when the cars are under warranty. Thank you for maintenance tips in an attempt to delay those issues.
My first Subaru, outback wilderness. Loved that thing. Sold it after 12k miles. Had severe oil leaking issues. Cam carrier issues. Unfortunately after too many dealership visits and constant oil smell in my new car I traded it in. I loved it and still like them but I just can’t trust it out of warranty at this point.
I own a 2018 Camry, and a GR 86, which is a Subaru / Toyota joint venture. I have to say, my Camry has been bullet proof, and it was a total redesign that year. Generally a bad year to buy. I will say right out of the gate, that I prefer the fact that Toyota uses actual gaskets over RTV as a seal. Toyota for the most part maintains quality is the number one priority. But of course they have issues too, especially as cars are getting more complicated with stupid stuff like electronic, thermostats, electronic water, pumps, variable displacement, electric oil pump, blah, blah, blah. Much of this is mandated by the EPA of course. What I will say that I love about the Subaru engine set up , Is the ease of access to most of the components. Time will tell on the reliability, I am always on top of my maintenance, so hopefully I will not have problems. Driving me, nuts a little bit out of the gate, is there is a buzz somewhere behind the dashboard. It is awful. It does seem like the build inside the car is rather cheesy.
My 14 Impreza hemorrhaging oil for 100k miles. Dealership never addressed issue when under warranty, always replaced cheapo PCV valve but oil never stopped hemorrhaging
Something to add here: When we were doing short block recalls for the oil consumption issue a lot of those engines developed timing cover and cam carrier leaks after the repair. We found flipping the engine upside down after installing the timing cover and letting it dry overnight helped to prevent oil from draining on to the fresh RTV and this prevented leaks in the future.
Many RTV instructions recommend only tightening the fasteners either until minor leakage from the edge of the joint or finger tight. Then after some cure time of a few hours, then torquing the fasteners after the "gasket" had been made.
This helped the RTV cure without contamination and help induce a clamping force.
However many RTVs are designed for quick turnaround times and are squirt on, tighten, fill with oil and send out.
Having sent a leaking car to mechanics to repair a coolant cover and only leak a few years later, it is amazing that I could repair it and run it for over 10 years without issues. Maybe I waited for the RTV to cure 🤔
Just wait to put the oil in it 😂
@@truckercarterO9 24 hours ?
I have been driving Subies for almost 20 years and have put on about 370K miles on 3 vehicles with very little trouble. Regular maintenance is the key, and it applies to ALL vehicles.
But Subaru more than most - if you neglect them they will bite you in the ass and keep on biting
Regular maintenance is just good practice! Subarus will keep going! Other manufacturers if neglected have issues, no surprise
@@toffeepie1878 That might be true, but they are far superior to a lot of stuff out there IF you just do the most basic maintenance.
@@martinr8278 Yep, I just treat Subies the same way I treat anything else I have owned, and it works. My other favorite is the old school Mopars with small blocks. I have been running a 318 in form or another for over 45 years, and they are awesome IF you just keep them maintained.
@@clembob8004 I wouldn't be driving a 3 litre flat 6 Subaru for over 7 years if they weren't any good - they are amazing cars but need to be looked after - the handling on these is as good as you can get and when the roads are wet they are in a different level
I used to be a Toyota “fan girl” and had 3 of them. They are good vehicles but are definitely not perfect. The transmission was replaced under warranty in my 2007 RAV4 V6 (due to gear whine) and my 2011 RAV4 needed a new water pump which was close to $500. My Corolla was the cheapest Toyota to own, in my experience. Now I have a 2018 Forester and love it! I’m definitely a car enthusiast and Subarus have more of an enthusiast culture. Toyotas are just kind of boring. Plus, thanks to Mr. Subaru, I’m learning how to work on my Forester. Thank you sir!!
New trans was a waste of money. It has been proven long ago that the gear whine wasn’t a failure and caused by a lack of noise dampening. The whining transmissions still run hundreds of thousands of miles. Luckily ya didn’t have to pay for it. Water pumps are common wear items. They won’t last forever on any vehicle. 100,000 miles is considered its lifetime.
I love my dependable boring Toyota.
@@clawhammer704I drove a 4runner with the v8 for almost 20 years. Got an oil leak at the oil pump (a
We always had a saying at the scrap yard and garage I used to work at:
The main factor that influences the reliability of the car is the part in between the seat and steering wheel
I immediately order a PVC VALVE for mine and my wife’s Subarus after your last video. GOT THAT SWEET MRSUBARU DISCOUNT TOO! Thanks haha
Can you do a video on this million mile crosstrek?😊 I have a ‘19 crosstrek limited, and would love to hear about their journey to all this mileage. Maintenance, repairs, etc..
Let me start by saying, I love your videos, big fan, I have been a senior master technician at Subaru for many years, and have Been repairing and rebuilding Subaru FA/FB series engine for more than 9 years now, manufacturer (Subaru) recommend 6000-miles oil changes but the customer always goes over be it due to circumstances or neglect, I always recommend 4500 to 5000 to all my customers for better vvt system longevity performance and health.
30 year tech here. I agree 110% with all that was said. Both Toyota and Subaru are generally great, given proper maintenance. They're just different. I'd much rather seal an FA or FB timing cover than a 2GR though. No such thing as a perfect machine.
RTV is "officially" good for 40 yrs... so you should be able to get an easy 20 as long as you don't let your oil become acidic from lack of maintenance. Thanks for the follow up video!
Thanks for posting that! I now realize why i havent had PCV problems on my Hondas which is because I change the oil 2x a year no matter the mileage. We do not drive much so the oil never turns into ink. But now I see I still need to check that PCV regularly on the Subie just to be safe. Easy peasy compared to expensive engine repair payments.
It’s also more important on direct engines as there is more carbon buildup and an increased chance of the pcv valve sticking. It doesn’t matter the car. Just replace the valve, it’s only a few bucks.
On the Forester side, I think the best ones were 2017/2018 - you get FB25B 2.5L engine, so no EJ head gasket issues; port injection instead of the added buildup of direct injection (2019+) and they largely fixed the engine consumption issues of the 2016 and earlier FB engines. My 2017 had the link-glide plate issue (fixed under warranty), which I believe was fixed in 2018. They've done away with the frameless windows at this point, which is another good thing and 2017 got some further sound dampening over 2016. I picked the '17 model w/halogen lights that I can change on the side of the road, no iSight (one less thing to break) and it just works. Installed a Fumoto valve & do regular maintenance, swap in winter wheels each year and it has been hassle free and handles great.
Maintenance is key to any cars longevity, regardless of make or model.
I found this guy's channel a few weeks ago and I'll say these cars seem to have many issues. (Some of which this guy does acknowledge.) I think people who choose to own these cars should remember that they get great traction in the snow, they have that wonderful boxer engine that offers a low center of gravity, and they get great gas mileage especially when they are running. (They get even greater gas mileage when they don't run.) GREAT VIDEO!
My uncle has a 2002 forester.. 315,000 miles on the thing.. never had a head gasket issue. Still runs to this day.. ya it burns oil but anything that high milage id say is normal.. My 2012 Civic 285,000 miles on it til someone hit me 2 weeks ago.. low maintenance..no major issues ever during the 7 yrs I owned it also had a CVT and never skipped a beat.. I purchased a 2015 outback recently and Fell in Love.. From a honda guy to now a subie guy.
The issue with Subaru engine is not that it leaks more than other manufacturers or uses RTV, the issue is that the consequence of these leaks, like the cam cover leak, or the valves going out of adjustment are much more severe. These engines are not "just a little more labor intensive". Compare paying $700 to adjust valves on Honda and $3k on Subaru, only because the engine has to be pulled. Sure, valve covers leak on Hondas too, but there it's a 1 hour job to remove TB, intake and then the covers to change gaskets. With Subaru it's the bloody engine pull again. And the worst part is that you're pretty much guaranteed to run into these issues, and hopefully you'll be able to combine them and then address in one engine pull rather than multiple. It's a crappy situation, no need to sugar coat it.
2014 Forester with 1 quart / 500 mile oil consumption 132k. Previous owner did not have the warranty work done and traded it in. This was my first Subaru purchase. Be sure to track down vins affected and get the dealer service history; I’ve also found that Subaru customer service cannot locate individual dealer info regarding repairs and in fact gave me the incorrect dealer they said it was originally purchased from. 2019 Forester 100k now has the P26A3 thermo control valve issue. I looked through the playlists here and didn’t see any existing videos on this. Just recently found the channel; appreciate the content.
Had my local Subaru dealer replace the PVC valve on my 18 Outback while it was in for the 60k mile service a year ago. Noticed a leak while changing my oil last month. The dealer confirmed cam carrier seal. 🙄
I bought the 22 wrx. Everything has issues. I love it and I knew I had to have one when I saw it! Everything leaks oil at some point. Maintenance is key and check your oil periodically.
The leak after the valve spring recall you mentioned happened to me. My 13 FRS has had a leak from the left camshaft carrier since I had the valve spring recall done in either late 2018 or early 2019. Toyota insisted there was no leak when I brought it back, but every time I got it on the lift after that at the shop I worked at suggested a different story. Even so, there are never any puddles on the ground under it, and it's never low enough to be noticeable by the time I do my next oil change. It's annoying they didn't do the work correctly the first time and then insisted nothing was wrong, but it has hardly been more than a minor nuisance.
I’ve avoided having the valve spring recall done on my ‘13 FR-S for a few reasons. I bought it from a mechanic who chose to not do it. Also, the local Toyota dealership’s master tech has only done 1 recall. I don’t trust them in doing the repair. 154k and runs like a top.
The PCV on my BMW is built into the valve cover which costs $600 just for the part and then several hours to change. I'm not going to be changing it every year.
I did work for Honda and Toyota Dealer and we always full of work,people still think in the Toyota from the 70's,very good explanation about the maintenance...
Talk about a rollercoaster! The wife and I had pretty much decided to purchase a new 2024 Forester. We have never owned a Subaru. There is a lot to love about this car. Since we tend to keep our cars for the long haul I figured that I should research their reliability, that's how I came across your prior video concerning Oil Leaks, and having to pull the engine to repair it. I think that the comment that scared me off was "...all of these engines will leak oil. It's not a matter of if, but rather when." This for me is a deal breaker. Please answer me this. If a current Boxer Engine is properly maintained, how many miles can I expect to get BEFORE it needs the engine pulled to fix the oil seals? Thanks.
Just about every engine will start to leak after 150,000 miles. Some lemons will leak sooner then that, but if they're good engines they will continue to run. My subaru lasted for 80,000 before it began to leak and knock. My old chevy truck's been running for 200,000 miles and has quite a few leaks, but no knock. I've been lucky so far with my old trucks but the subaru is still a great vehicle I want to repair. Every vehicle can suck or be good from every brand. If you're looking for a daily driver a beater in decent shape that's well maintained will serve you long enough to buy another one in better shape, trade in, or fix up and make it pretty. If you want to show off for the neighbors buy a new car. Regardless, after a while every engine will leak or burn oil after some time. Doing an oil filter and oil change will be best for a car you want to keep, leaks or no leaks.
I have a Toyota and Subaru. Love them both.
2019 base impreza hatchback island pearl blue 5 MT it haves 57k miles and runs strong at any snow dirt and gravel driven to .... i love it
Mr Subaru speaks the truth. I've also had discussions with sensei Nakajima and he also assured me the head gasket issue is in the past.
Appreciate the follow-up video. As a new first tiime owner of a Subaru, I am frustrated with the lack of clear answers. I have a 2013 Outback 4cyl with 148K. Car was well maintained since new, (bought it from a friend) regular oil changes and maintenance from dealer. The issue we have is we are getting oil in the coolant reservoir / radiator. Car was tested for head gasket failure and nothing found. A dye leak test was done but was inconclusive as to location of leak. Not seeing any evidence of coolant in the oil pan, dip stick looks normal and no signs of foam or white sludge. Just oil in coolant. Engine pings when accelerating as well. Temperature guage is always in the middle, never higher. Dealer mechanic said there is a number of places an oil leak can come from. But no one is able to give any direction as to how to correct this problem or what to do. I don't want to keep driving it until it dies, but I find it hard to believe no one has a clue how to fix this problem or any idea where it is coming from. Car runs beautifully and I love driving it. If anyone has knowledge of this specific issue (not guesses) we would love to hear it
It might not be oil, it could just be gunk from your radiator, try flushing your coolant system.
Glad to hear you clarify this issue. Aside from the way my wife drives her ‘15 Forester we baby it with service. We hope to drive this thing for a long time, it only has 71000 miles on it now.
I own a 2019 Subaru Impreza premium/touring has about 90k kms on it I change the oil about every 5-6k kms and carbon clean the intake with CRC every oil change I've literally zero issues with the engine. It's an amazing car probably the best I've ever owned. So I appreciate that Mr. Subaru talk about how these cars have no more issues than any other car manufacturer with any car as long as you take good care of it you shouldn't run into any major issues for a very long time
I feel warm and fuzzy all over, thanks!!
I just bought a new Outback and I do my own maintenance. This video just got you a new subscriber. Thank you.
Thanks for the correction, but the previous video did have a high hype/scare factor about modern 2.5l engines. I just purchased a new 2023 Forester and I bought it due to reliability (I tend to keep cars for decades, hence my choice for Subaru). Pointing out potential issues can be useful, but you over did it, creating the result you are responding to. Word to wise, pointing out potential issues is good, but put some context in (e.g., less than 5% of well-maintained engines could have this issue, for example). Oh, and I'm not stressed about my new Subaru, and I like your maintenance DYI stuff.
Hear, hear! With a 2021 Crosstrek Sport, I almost had a coronary after the previous video. I like to drive my cars forever, and maintain them well above the recommended servicing. Nevertheless, this corrective video was a happy event for me. Love MrSubaru's channel!
It's great that you brand new 2023 Subaru doesn't have an oil leak... but the 2012 Subaru Forester I just bought from Auction (no viewing available in person) which was well maintained is leaking exactly where he said the FB25 series leaks from.
There's no scare tactics... he was dropping fact bombs.
no, that's just it. There's no way to give percentage. We americans neeeeed to hear plain jane facts, JUST like he does it!.
Thanks for this second video! The first REALLY caught my eye, as we're the happy owners of a 2023 Subaru Outback 2.5L, which has a whole 500 miles on it so far. I knew the headgaskets were long resolved with the introduction of the FA/FB engines, but I also largely figured these engines to be known-issue-free, since they've been on the road for several years and I just couldn't find much in the way of complaints during our car research. We're loving this Outback so far, hopefully we can have it forever.
generally the oil leaks on the F engines ive encountered are weeps and very small leaks that dont amount to much at all. most customers just deal with it rather than pay the high cost to fix what is a tiny amount of oil loss. the bigger problem ive run into it massive oil burning on the the early FB25s. some of these where so bad that would drink a quart in 300 miles and cause catalytic converter meltdowns. ive also had several with timing chain tensioner failures. i tell my customers with these engines to do 3000 mile oil changes. and avoid buying 2011 to 2013/14 cars with the FB25
I have a 2015 with oil consumption issues. Not super bad but I usually have to add two quarts between changes (6 month schedule).
Just learning about the pcv valve maintenance. Changing that this weekend in hopes it fixes it.
Mr Subaru, please do a video regarding intake Carbon cleaning schedule and process of a Subaru DI engine. My Dealership indicates their non invasive additive service pretty much eliminates this. Research indicates this is only a bandaid that only slightly removes the build up.
Does this cover DI engine concerns: ua-cam.com/video/42irzdKKfw8/v-deo.html
I would like to see that covered as well. My 2020 Forester had to have the carbon cleaning at the dealer after 12500 miles when the engine light came on. This was during the pandemic so I was not driving as regularly as I normally would have been. I am at 30000 miles with no problems but I am curious as to whether this carbon cleaning should be a scheduled service that is not currently part of the maintenance listed for the vehicle.
I herd the same speech about my Kia sportage. I herd "as long as you do your maintinance they will last." And at 135k miles the engine blew on my way to work. The car was kept meticuously. I can live with replacing alternators, fuel pumps, water pumps and belts. However when your engine or transmission blows your screwed.
I currently have a 2020 Subaru Impreza I use for work. I have 146,000 highway miles. Never saw a check engine light. Change oil at 6k. Replace spark plugs twice, replace brakes twice. My tires lasted until 90,000 miles with no nails no punctures. I recently changed drive belt, front suspension components and my Subaru is still amazing at 145k. I have no leaks at all. I also changed my pcv valve at 110,000 miles.
Have you done anything with cvt yet, just curios
Highway miles are 10% of city miles. So your 2020 is still really new. Certainly under 40k miles. Consider 8-10k oil changes ((full synthetic) if only used on the highway.
I saw the "New Issue" video and while it raised concerns, it also addressed them. My Kia Seltos lease is ending in a couple months and I am on the hunt for what will be my fourth Subaru. The Seltos needed the transmission replaced after its first month & several months later...an engine replacement. It's an affordable, nicely styled TIN CAN. Would love a Crosstrek Wilderness but may have to settle for a newer pre owned Forester. Either way I can't come home to Subaru fast enough!
How many pens does Mr Subaru need?😂😂
You obviously never worked in the field. You need ALL of those, and more. And they aren't all pens. Most likely a magnet, screwdriver, are on there as well
Yes
He has one pocket that doesn't have anything in it.
@@alexandersupertramp7353 1 for each cam shaft 😁
The same amount as the Angry Video Game Nerd.
I was (not really) surprised when the lady in my carpool had her late 2000's 4 cylinder Camry's water pump and catalytic converter both fail by 100K miles when my 200,000 plus mile 1998 Plymouth Neon Expresso DOHC 5 speed that I ran autocrosses and track events (Summit Point, Dominion and VIR) with for over 10 years never had a failure (except the front hub flanges with 200TW tires) except a loose vacuum line. Toyotas aren't perfect. Another great video. Thanks
I never knew about the PCV valve checks until you mentioned it in your video. Thank you for that valuable advice!
I have a 2006 Saturn Vue with the 3.5L Honda V-tech engine. The only oil consumption is whatever gets wiped off the dip stick...
Not mad at our 2017 Outback-but it has 3x the rust as our 2015 Highlander, 10x the rattles, and is seeping from the timing chain cover and the center differential (maintenance the same). The Highlander runs like mile 1. Solid overall vehicle, but my personal experience tells me there is (or at least was) a difference in quality.
One made in the USA the other JPN
@@weetbix208315 Highlander if its not a hybrid was built in the US
Hmmm haven’t heard any issues like that from other owners I know of for that year and model. Funny, 2015 highlander catastrophic failure from a neighbor, 85000. Interesting. Transmission replaced
I purchased a 2014 Highlander, first of the 3rd generation, born in Indiana. 120,000 miles and like yours, runs like mile 1, with a V6. Will look at 2025 Forester when they get here as new Highlanders do not have the V6's anymore.
Could you provide your professional service intervals in a chart form? When to do what? It seems that there is alot of information out there, and we respect your opinion the most.
Please!!!
Yea there seems to be quite a bit of maintenance tasks that Subaru doesn’t tell you about… PCV valve replacement… transmission fluid, the solenoids going out in the CVTs.
The oil leaking is scary cuz Im back in the business of buying a used car and lots of these outback’s I’m seeing people either didn’t take care of… or they took care of them really well, more than on time oil changes… and 60k miles the engine timing cover replaced… that doesn’t sound good to me. But if these Subarus are usually fine after the major repairs it might not be bad… but I’m seeing alot of so called problems poppin up later in life. Which is unfortunate cuz I’m really set on an outback over a lot of cars I loved driving my wilderness too much before it was totaled
For me , Subaru’s for the winter! We got over 4ft of snow in 24hrs just before Christmas.. didn’t stop me, the snow just comes up over the hood !
What got to me was when you said, referring to the cam carriers, that RTV disintegrates and there’s nothing you can do about it. You will have a leak.
Self described Toyota fanboy here... Even though I am a big Toyota fan, I'm also a fan of Subaru. I think the biggest thing is that Toyota's just tend to be more forgiving of neglect. Not saying you should neglect your car, but Toyota vehicles do seem to accept lack of maintenance better than any other cars. The thing I do like about Subaru over Toyota is the fact that Subaru's seem to be easier to work on for DIY type stuff. My next vehicle will be an Outback or Forester. Big fan of your videos MrSubaru.
My 2019 Forrester blew a main bearing at 82,000 kms. Subaru Canada approved the warranty work. The dealer did the work. A short block fix. Engine ran rough when put back together, throwing cam timing codes. They checked the cam gears (wheels) and found damage caused by debris. Isn't this the wrong time to find debris damage? Every part that is touched by oil was touched by the contaminated oil. I feel I do having a ticking time bomb. I hope it blows before the 100, 000 kms mark. Doing an oil change at 1,000 kms and again at 3,000 kms to try and clean things out.
Wow. Jeez😮
Also make sure you’re running a GF6 oil especially on the new direct injection engines most of the brand new oil is all GF6… pretty much but from what I understand it helps reduce chain wear.
What is GF6?
@@davetravels9273 a certification for oils that it meets a minimum standard. If you look on the back of the bottles you’ll see a full list of them I don’t really know any newer decent synthetic oils that don’t meet that standard. Even Walmart in Costco oils should meet it.
@@thetechlibrarian I was looking at redline oil and it’s still a GF5 for some reason but then again it’s a top-tier POA Oil ester ect.
@@davetravels9273 ua-cam.com/video/8HmGv1fgvtM/v-deo.html
I bought a 2013 Scion FRS that has a FA20 engine in it. Welp, there was an issue with this engine from the factory and it blew up. I'm happier with my Toyotas.
After having to put rear wheel bearings in a 06 Forester that lived its life in the rust belt I was done with them couldn't put a simple unitized bearing in them bolts and suspension bushings Frozen had to come apart the thing was an unnecessary nightmare.
Great video I own two Subarus a 2010 legacy 2.5 premium and a 2021 Crosstrek sport my legacy is my work car with 150000 miles on it with no big issues yet I have done all the maintenance on it myself since new I do worry about the head gaskets but I have rebuilt engines and restored a couple of mopar muscle cars and have always done all my own repairs and maintenance so far the 2010 has no oil leaks I also did the timing belt kit and changed the cvt fluid Thanks for all the Subaru info you do I appreciate being able to watch one of your videos and learn alot about my cars my father in law has had at least 5 Outback’s and two Forester’s and has had only minor issues with any of them.
My only issue with new Subarus are with the terrible dealership support. All they want to do is sell you a new set of tires every 30k miles…
My 2017 rebuilt-title Crosstrek I take on the highway every day with sweet GF-6 Idemitsu 5w30. WIX oil filters, too (every 5k). Always let it warm up and refuse short trips on cold starts… PCV swapped twice, topped off coolant recently. 89k miles (not that that’s much), but she religiously refuses go thru a single drop of oil. CVT and diffs also properly drain & filled at 31k & 63k 🤷♂️
In the last video you were talking about the cam carrier and you said, "the RTV silicone has a lifespan - it won't last forever". I think the open question is, at what mileage does the RTV silicone break down in the top end of F series engines? at the mileage point where it's going to cost big money. Thx Mr Subaru.
No way to say. Too many factors. Depends on driving habits, environmental temperatures, heat cycles of the engine, etc.
It's simply because people who don't work on cars or understand them are allowed to have an opinion. It's very hard to filter the truth from what some guy heard about an engine. I have a brz fa20 engine btw. It's amazing
I have a 2018 4runner and a 2021 Crosstrek. I do all my own maintenance and I go above and beyond. For example a 4K oil change interval on the Subaru. I will let you know how the competition turns out.
In the middle of swapping a jdm ej253 into my 08 impreza with 293k miles. Had a bunch of owners before me. But i will be rebuilding the engines to have ready. Engine i pulled randomly burned all the oil in 50 miles and then finally went thru it all twice in 20 miles. Have no worries about it and will keep the car until it rusts out beneath me. Just wish harnnes side repair connectors were more easily available. Collant sensor harness was broken on yhe jdm engine and the one in the car was broken when i bought it. Haha. Great video
You even scared Scotty! ....he mentioned the engines leaking from the RTV assembly process right after your video hit the air.
Oh lord…
Just bought a brand new 23 ascent limited and a 23 WRX limited yesterday, in addition to a 2015 outback with 137K and an 02 bugeye wagon with 207K chassis/32K on engine I rebuilt. They’re great cars and have been less trouble than the Toyotas I’ve owned prior
After my 2008 Outback 5mt got hit by someone running a red light i bought a 125000 mile 2014 forester 6mt, definitely gonna tackle the pcv valve sometime this week
********** I love your videos and make an effort to watch all of them. that being said, a year ago I bought a used 2015 Subaru Forester limited from a family and the vehicle was very well maintained, and I also believe in "Preventive maintenance. Last year I sold my 1992 Isy-uzu Pickup which had 485,000.00 Trouble free miles *****
My 2016 forester was the best car and engine i ever had in my 50 years of driving. better than any American engine. Mine never leaked one drop and the oil was clean for the whole 150,000 miles unil i traded it in.
Bought a 2019 crosstrek for my wife in 2018 - only hitting 30k. Great little car, plenty of pickup, better than my 2006 Dakota 6cyl with 160k.
But I don’t know if my experience at the local Subaru dealership is typical of all, talk about laid back! Totally different than the sister dealerships up and down the road - Honda etc.
Buying a car was soooo easy! “You want rust prevention?” No. “OK. How ‘bout extended warranty?” No. “Ok.”
I expected a 2 hr (or more) give and take wrestlethon. And they honor expired coupons!
Is Subaru world that different?
I did clean the PCV valves in my 60,000 mile Outback and 50,000 mile WRX after watching the previous videos. Easy in the Outback (FB-25B), but a real pita in the FA-20F WRX… EGR pipe blocks putting a 19mm deep socket on the PCV. Next time I’ll just remove the EGR pipe, but again-pita!
Thanks, I love my Subie! 2001 w/289,000 or so.
I have 40000 miles on my 2020 Forester and have not had a single problem to date other than my windshield being a rock magnet. On my prior vehicle which was a 2009 Tacoma by 40000 miles I had to have a steering rack and a radiator replaced. I was on my third radio. My headlights were melting and Toyota ended up extending the warrantee to replace them. Also,Toyota had to grind off the bottom of my gas pedal to keep it from catching on the floor mats. ( If anyone remembers the instant acceleration problems on Toyotas). All vehicles have issues. My Subaru is not perfect and has several annoying issues but to date there are no manufacturer quality issues to deal with.
I have a 2017 Forrester with over 350,000 miles. My oil changes were every 12,000 miles using mobil one.
Cvt transmission?
2:48 I work as a Toyota dealer tech. That FA engine has the worst leaks i have seen in comparison with Toyota engines. At LEAST 1.5 to 2x as bad as Toyota engines. I have done Fa cam tower reseals, short block, ect. Change your oil please, this is what causes leaks, extended intervals
Honestly, just babysit it.
I have a 2014 Crosstrek with 148,000 miles. Since Ive owned the vehicle (bought it with 58,000 miles) the PCV valve has never been replaced. The damage is done, my cam carriers and timing cover have a tad bit of oil seepage. Replacing the valve now probably wont stop it from leaking oil now.
But guys, its less than half a quart between oil changes, maybe even a 1/4 quart going off the dipstick.
You already buy 6 quarts of oil for every oil change because the FB20 calls for 5.3 qts of oil with the filter, so just add a little oil halfway between oil changes. Oil is cheap. Engine-out jobs are not.
My 2017 calls for 5.1 quarts. Does the 2014 have less capacity
@@tropepe i think its 5.1 qts youre correct
I need a channel like this for Mazda
The only problem I had so far on my 22 Outback is battery drain. Leave the door open for a couple minutes and car won’t start. I replaced the battery only for it to do it again so I have a jump pack. Electronic E brake is garbage and no fun. I use Mobile OW-20 10k oil change every 5k. Mid grade gas seems to run the best. Maintenance is important on any vehicle
I agree with all you said. I change oil filter on my 2018 FXT every 3500 miles. I am looking at replacing the PCV valve soon, XT has 37k miles, Runs like a Champ..
I change my WRX oil every 3-3.5K miles, I also have an oil catch can on the PCV that I drain every two weeks or so. That catch can is a "canary in a coal mine" If I see less junk come out I'll know the PCV valve has left the chat.
Would love to see a cam carrier reseal video on this channel!
Good info thanks!!
👍👍👍👍👍
I’ve avoided having the valve spring recall done on my ‘13 FR-S. I bought it from a mechanic who chose to not to have it done or do it himself. Also, the local Toyota dealership’s master tech has only done 1 recall. I don’t trust them in doing the repair. 154k and runs like a top.
I love Subaru. They look super cool and whatnot. A while back i went to purchase a Legacy GT. After doing all my research and talking to the owner i still decided to buy it. Then the owner asked me for 500 more bucks so ended up walking away. Best choice I've ever made. I ended up with a Acura RL. Love it.
I bought the 2022 OBW and I like but I spent the weekend reading all the manuals. The ONE thing I found was if you missed a required service IT WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
I kept my 2008xt and purchased a 2024 o
Onyx xt and love ❤ them both. ❤.
My 2011 Outback has the turbo/full-metal head gasket from the assembly line, AFAIK. EJ253 engine. 120,000miles, just minor leakage from the valve covers. doesn't use any oil if I drive normally.
I have a older Toyota and believe me it loves to devour the oil and the dashboard melts into a sticky substance at 90° and above so yes they aren't invincible 😂
Unfortunately I bought brand new a 2019 Forester Sport in 2019. Dealer maintained + changed oil and filter, synthetic, every 3k miles. Car left me stranded in the middle of the road 4 times. Back to dealer each time. They eventually replaced the battery under warranty. Eventually “ found excessive carbon buildup in/out several components “. Car has now 29k as of May 2024. Afraid to drive it. My first and last Subaru.
They made you change it every 3k? My 24 Outback is every 6k they said
Hey I recently changed the oil and oil filter on my ‘23 2.0 6mt Crosstrek. I used a K&N 1008 oil filter. The increased oil flow must have changed the variable cam timing that I think runs off oil pressure/volume. Anyway before the oil change power was modest but adequate and now there’s all kinds of power plenty of acceleration. I wouldn’t have believed it that an oil filter could make such a difference in power.
They still make manual crosstreks?
@@headreddedstepchild6177
Yep, just not on the 2.5 liter engine.
K&N has lower bypass pressure then factory filter, will go into oil bypass rather than filter your oil.
90k on my ‘14 Impreza and starting to see some weep from the cam carriers. The unfortunate thing is that PCV valve maintenance isn’t recommended by Subaru or the dealer. I love this car, but I laughed at the dealer’s $5500 quote to repair the weep. Oil changes done diligently at 5,000 miles, never over.
Will continue to monitor oil level, have never had a problem with consumption to date. Has me second-guessing buying a Subaru again.
I am more concerned with the Thermo issue than the head gasket or oil leak. I do the oil changes, but knowing that the Thermo issue is a known to fail part is more concerning.
Thanks for the clarification. In July I will have a Subaru Legacy Limited for one year. So far, all is good at 34,000 miles
My only concern is a small oil film that forms around the area of the oil filter. I am not sure what to make of that.
I will talk to my dealer when the next oil change comes up.
Your videos are very reassuring to owners and would be owners. I'm thinking of buying a Subaru, but I'm a little hesitant because of the powertrains. I've always driven torque converters transmissions and I'm a little leery of CVTs and these seemingly underpowered engines. This is why I'm thinking that I need to buy the 2.4L turbo to have enough power on the highway.
The 3.6 outback with the V6 is more then enough power.. I've heard nothing but problems for turbo engines..just a thought
137K on my FB and zero oil leaks. There is some oil consumption and a little coolant consumption since 105K (no compression loss or bubbles in coolant)
I Used to let my oil go 6k with 5w30 on my 2017 wrx now with 0w20 i change it 4.5k on the 2022
Step it up to 3K, I don't know how well these thin oil handle shear pressure.
Better yet, send a sample off to Blackstone Labs for an analysis. It will tell you how well the engine is doing.
I'm on my 10th Subaru, still have a 2005 and 2007 wagon along with the new BRZ - I like them all for the things they are well suited for. The '07 has 165,000 miles on the original engine and still runs well and has acceptable oil consumption. The 05 just had its engine replaced in January of this year due to a wrist pin failure...freakish thing probably brought on by my driving it on track at VIR with a bit too much enthusiasm. 145k on it now - both cars run and handle well and are regular to daily drivers...the brz is a garage queen and has less than 2k on it so far, but it is so much car - I love it.
Gotta love warranty work. If the tech gets it done fast enough, it sits in their bay for however much time is left. If they cannot get it done in the given time, they get dinged and leads to cutting corners not only by the recall repair manual, but by the tech themselves!
Not here to talk bad about Subarus, but timely topics though. Went to do the spark plugs on my FB25 powered 2014 Forester with 113k and found the plug wells drenched in oil on the passenger side. Small job just became a big job.
Needs cam covers and tube seals. Good time to check the PCV.
Can't say we've ever had many troubles with Subaru engines. We did have an older forester that we got hit with the head gasket failure but in 20 years of Subaru driving that's our only issue other than routine maintenance. And it wasn't really that big a deal, we have a shop in town that is good with Subaru's as they're pretty common around here. I do miss their 6 cylinder engine though. My 2015 Legacy 3.6 is a mighty nice car but neither of us are getting any younger.
That’s why I let my transmission pan gasket dry overnight before I refill it. (03 Baja)
Thank you for this! I’ve been doing research to learn the weak points of my car for the past year and where I can improve it past OEM life, this gives me confidence in the lifespan of my WRX FA20. I’d love to see a video on what kind of aftermarket reliability mods you’d recommend! Maintenance being the number one.
Same here! I have an 21 WRX as well. I would like to know Mr. Subaru thoughts on an air oil separator.
@@jrod0216 that was actually a mod I installed a week ago on my 20 WRX. I couldn’t find a good reason this car shouldn’t have one after researching it. After removing my intercooler I found a thin coat of oil all along the inside, a pretty good sign that it could benefit from an AOS.
The main reason I was a Honda owner for so many years is because of the lack of good Subaru dealerships throughout the midwest. The service dept. in midwest were notoriously terrible. I have removed the timing cover on several Subbie boxers. If you take your time and apply the exact amount of RTV in the exact places, you will never have an issue. The thing is if the Service dept. replaces timing guides or water pump and fail on sealing it back up, then it is on that dealer. and it is a costly time consuming redo. So they try to come up with all kinds of excuses not to have to do it. For that matter, if you can't find a dealer who will stand behind an auto, it doesn't matter what make you purchase.
Love all your videos brother!
My issue with my 2022 outback wasnt the engine. It was the eyesight. It liked to randomly activate for no reason i could see. Shop couldnt find the reason. This was a new car with less than 3k on it. When the car activates emergency braking on a clear freeway theres a problem. When it does it repeatedly its a nightmare. Too bad though i liked that car.
As a Subaru owner I’am not gonna denied a genuine concern with this engine repair cost not many mechanics work on this vehicles and Dealers are hard for repairs even when the cars are under warranty.
Thank you for maintenance tips in an attempt to delay those issues.
My first Subaru, outback wilderness. Loved that thing. Sold it after 12k miles. Had severe oil leaking issues. Cam carrier issues. Unfortunately after too many dealership visits and constant oil smell in my new car I traded it in. I loved it and still like them but I just can’t trust it out of warranty at this point.
I own a 2018 Camry, and a GR 86, which is a Subaru / Toyota joint venture. I have to say, my Camry has been bullet proof, and it was a total redesign that year. Generally a bad year to buy. I will say right out of the gate, that I prefer the fact that Toyota uses actual gaskets over RTV as a seal. Toyota for the most part maintains quality is the number one priority. But of course they have issues too, especially as cars are getting more complicated with stupid stuff like electronic, thermostats, electronic water, pumps, variable displacement, electric oil pump, blah, blah, blah. Much of this is mandated by the EPA of course. What I will say that I love about the Subaru engine set up , Is the ease of access to most of the components. Time will tell on the reliability, I am always on top of my maintenance, so hopefully I will not have problems. Driving me, nuts a little bit out of the gate, is there is a buzz somewhere behind the dashboard. It is awful. It does seem like the build inside the car is rather cheesy.
My 14 Impreza hemorrhaging oil for 100k miles. Dealership never addressed issue when under warranty, always replaced cheapo PCV valve but oil never stopped hemorrhaging