Subaru Turbocharger Issues

Whenever I get the chance to point something out that might help prevent a major repair, I try to provide that information to my local customers and my readers—wherever you are!

We have been replacing turbochargers pretty frequently lately, and for a while I thought it was just isolated to the 2005 models. That no longer seems to be the case. So, I have provided a few suggestions on how you can help prolong the life of your turbo and your Subaru engine.

How to Make Your Turbocharged Subaru Last

The following information pertains to the 2005 and newer Subaru Legacy GT, Outback, and Forester XT. While other models have some issues of their own—and some of the basics such as changing the oil still apply—this article focuses on these specific models.

If you own a 2005 and newer turbocharged Subaru, you may have experienced some problems where the turbo becomes starved for oil and eventually fails. In the most extreme cases, the whole engine could fail.

The picture below is the current oil filter being used by Subaru. Notice how small it is. Regardless of the theory that using synthetic oil can extend the oil change interval, you must understand that on this model Subaru engine, no matter what kind of oil you use, the filter itself can only filter so much before it becomes restricted with matter and goes into bypass mode.

For reference, the air filter on the left is the one used on all pre-2006 Subaru Non-Turbo engines. Notice it is considerably larger than the one on the right.

As the oil filter becomes clogged and goes into bypass mode, there is a good chance that the filter in the bolt will become restricted.

This is a picture of what Subaru calls a union screw, but it's basically a filter installed in the oil supply line to the turbo. If this filter is restricted, oil has trouble getting to the turbo. The turbo will not get the oil it needs and will ultimately overheat.

We suggest checking—and if needed, replacing—the oil supply bolts every 60,000 miles or so, depending on how the vehicle is being used. That will run you about $15.40 (for the bolts) plus labor to install. Replacing the turbocharger at $1600 to $1700, not to mention dealing with damage to the engine, is considerably more expensive.

Subaru's oil change recommendation for turbocharged models is every 3,750 miles. If you want your engine to last, you should maintain the vehicle based on how you use it and not simply the recommendations from the manufacturer. In five years, if you save a couple hundred dollars in maintenance costs only to shell out thousands of dollars in repairs, what have you really saved?

If you are lucky enough to own a turbocharged Subaru, make sure you take care of it.

Thanks for reading!

Justin

All Wheel Drive Auto
8410 120th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 296-3027

allwheeldriveauto.com