The 2007 Outback XT pairs Subaru's EJ255 turbo boxer with a 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual. It's a quick wagon with fragile internals—expect head gasket drama, transmission cooler failures, and expensive engine rebuilds if owners skip maintenance or mod the turbo.
Head Gasket Failure (EJ255 Turbo)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: External oil weeping from head/block mating surface, Coolant loss with no visible leaks, White exhaust smoke on cold start, Overheating under load
Fix: Both head gaskets, resurface heads, new timing components, water pump, thermostat. Count on 12-16 labor hours if heads don't need machine work beyond surfacing. If heads are warped or cracked, add machine shop turnaround and cost climbs fast.
Estimated cost: $2,500-4,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Failure (5EAT Auto)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Pink milkshake in coolant reservoir (ATF mixing with coolant), Transmission slipping or delayed engagement, Overheating transmission temp, Coolant in transmission pan
Fix: Replace transmission cooler (inside radiator), flush both cooling system and transmission multiple times, replace radiator if contamination is severe. If ATF got into coolant badly, you're looking at transmission rebuild or replacement because coolant destroys clutch packs. Prevention: replace cooler lines proactively. 8-12 hours if trans survives; 18-24+ for used trans swap.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,000 (cooler/flush only); $3,500-5,500 (if trans damaged)
Ringland Failure / Piston #4 Cracking
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Sudden misfire on cylinder 4, White/blue smoke from exhaust, Loss of compression (leak-down test shows >30%), Check engine light with P0304 misfire code, Metallic rattle at idle
Fix: Classic EJ255 weak spot—cylinder #4 runs lean under boost, cracks the ringland on the piston. Requires short block replacement or full engine rebuild with forged pistons. Often see this on modified or hard-driven examples, but stock ones fail too. 20-28 hours for short block swap including turbo reseal and timing.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,000
Turbocharger Failure (IHI VF40)
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 100,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive blue smoke under acceleration, Loud whistle or grinding from engine bay, Loss of boost pressure, Oil consumption jumps suddenly, Shaft play in turbo (wobble test)
Fix: Turbo seals fail or compressor wheel damages from oil starvation. Replace turbo, verify oil feed and drain lines are clear, replace banjo bolt filters. If oil starvation caused it, inspect engine bearings. 6-8 hours labor. OEM turbo is $1,800-2,200; quality rebuild or aftermarket $800-1,400.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,000
Transmission Mount Collapse
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunk when shifting from Park to Drive/Reverse, Vibration at idle in gear, Excessive driveline movement during acceleration, Visible sagging or cracking in rubber mount
Fix: Rear transmission crossmember mount deteriorates, especially on turbo models with higher torque. Simple replacement, 1.5-2 hours. OEM or aftermarket pitch-stop mount recommended.
Estimated cost: $200-400
Banjo Bolt Filter Clogging (Turbo Oil Feed)
Occasional · high severity
Symptoms: Turbo failure with scored bearings, No obvious external cause, Oil starvation damage to CHRA, History of extended oil change intervals
Fix: Tiny filter screens in the banjo bolts (turbo oil feed line) clog with sludge if oil changes are stretched. Starves turbo of oil, kills bearings. Not mileage-specific—purely maintenance-driven. When replacing turbo, ALWAYS replace banjo bolts and filters, flush oil lines. 0.5 hour extra during turbo job.
Estimated cost: $20-40 (parts during turbo replacement)
Fuel Filter Clogging / Pump Weakening
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 90,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard starting when hot, Hesitation or stumble under boost, Fuel pressure dropping under load, Check engine light with lean codes (P0171/P0174)
Fix: In-tank fuel pump sock clogs or pump weakens, especially if fuel filter (external, if equipped) was neglected. Drop tank, replace pump assembly or clean sock and test pressure. 3-4 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $400-700
Owner tips
Change oil every 3,750 miles with quality synthetic—these turbos are unforgiving.
Replace banjo bolt filters whenever turbo comes off; $15 in parts prevents $2,500 in turbo replacement.
Flush transmission fluid every 30k and inspect cooler lines yearly—catching the pink milkshake early saves the trans.
If modding for power, budget for forged internals; stockish #4 piston is a ticking time bomb above 300 whp.
Check head gaskets during PPI on any used purchase—external weeping is a negotiation point, not a deal-killer if priced in.
Buy one if you love the turbo kick and can wrench or budget $1k/year for the inevitable—but walk away from any example with deferred maintenance or mods without supporting engine work.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 20V001000
2020-01-02 · EA15001
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A."
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 20V002000
2020-01-02 · EA15001
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B."
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 20V003000
2020-01-02 · EA15001
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH · 19V297000
2019-04-11
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Consequence: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · 16V738000
2016-10-13
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Consequence: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 15V323000
2015-05-28 · EA15001
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles are now only part of this campaign. Note: On December 18, 2015 Subaru informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy and 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS · 14V311000
2014-06-10
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Consequence: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS · 13V110000
2013-03-27
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
Consequence: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Lexus & Toyota Mechanic · 20+ years.