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Subaru Forester EJ253 Head Gasket Failure — Subaru Forester 2002 | MyCarFault
⚪ UNSOLVED No confirmed fix yet · Be the first to help

Subaru Forester EJ253 Head Gasket Failure

Subaru Forester 2002 EJ253 2.5 Petrol
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⚡ Quick Summary
Severity Level
Medium
Safe to Drive?
✅ Safe to Drive
Safety Impact
No direct safety impact reported by owners
Urgency Level
🟡 Monitor Closely

The EJ253 flat-four in Forester/Outback has a documented head gasket failure mode. Coolant seeps externally from the head gasket joint — often starting as a minor leak before progressing. Pro-active reseal with OEM gasket at 100,000 miles prevents sudden failure. Cost: £600-1,200.

Repair / Solution

No confirmed fixes yet. Share yours below.

⚠️ Wrong Diagnosis?

No commonly reported misdiagnoses for this fault yet. If you have replaced a part that did not fix this Subaru Forester 2002 problem, submit a wrong diagnosis report — it helps other drivers avoid the same costly mistake.

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