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🟢 SOLVED: Subaru head gasket failure — EJ engine coolant leak and white smoke — Subaru 2011 | MyCarFault
🟢 SOLVED 80% 1 fix reported · 145 driver confirmations

🟢 Subaru head gasket failure — EJ engine coolant leak and white smoke

Subaru 2011
On This Page: 🔍 Symptoms ⚙️ Causes 🔧 All Repairs ⚠️ Avoid These 🧾 Driver Reports 🔗 Similar Faults 📖 Repair Guides
⚡ Quick Summary
Severity Level
Critical
Safe to Drive?
🚫 Do NOT Drive
Safety Impact
Direct safety risk — affects safe operation of the vehicle
Urgency Level
🔴 Fix Immediately

Subaru overheating. White smoke from exhaust. Sweet smell from engine. Coolant loss. This fault code is stored when the engine control unit detects a specific fault condition. Common causes include sensor failures, wiring faults, and component wear. Always read additional fault codes before replacing parts — multiple codes together provide a clearer diagnosis. Clear the code after repair and test drive to confirm the fault does not return.

🔍 Symptoms

📍 Subaru Outback/Forester/Impreza

⚙️ Possible Causes

Subaru Outback/Forester/Impreza Possible: Subaru EJ engine head gasket failure is well-known: 1) External leak first — coolant seeps from gasket edges, appears on engine case. 2) Internal leak later — coolant enters combustion, white smoke from exhaust, milky oil. 3) Check cylinder compression —

Repair / Solution

Based on 145 driver confirmations

Subaru EJ engine head gasket failure is well-known: 1) External leak first — coolant seeps from gasket edges, appears on engine case. 2) Internal leak later — coolant enters combustion, white smoke from exhaust, milky oil. 3) Check cylinder compression — 0%
0 worked · 0 did not · ⚪ Unverified

⚠️ Wrong Diagnosis?

No commonly reported misdiagnoses for this fault yet. If you have replaced a part that did not fix this Subaru 2011 problem, submit a wrong diagnosis report — it helps other drivers avoid the same costly mistake.

🧾 Driver Reports

✅ Fixed Subaru EJ engine head gasket failure is well-known: 1) External leak first — coolant seeps from gasket edges, appears on engine case. 2) Internal leak later — coolant enters combustion, white smoke from exhaust, milky oil. 3) Check cylinder compression —

Subaru EJ engine head gasket failure is well-known: 1) External leak first — coolant seeps from gasket edges, appears on engine case. 2) Internal leak later — coolant enters combustion, white smoke from exhaust, milky oil. 3) Check cylinder compression — low compression in one cylinder with coolant loss = definitive diagnosis. Solution: head gasket replacement $1500-2500. Use OEM or Victor Reinz gaskets. Consider MLS (multi-layer steel) upgrade. After repair: use Subaru coolant conditioner every change to prevent recurrence.

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