Bought a new 2013 Outback 2.5 premium. We are now on our 3rd engine and our 2nd CVT! Took a 1,300 mile trip to Florida with around 20,000 miles on it. It burned over a quart of oil going down and then over another quart coming back. Subaru corporate said that it was normal oil consumption! Well, shortly after I found the class action lawsuit against them for oil consumption. Twice the Subaru dealer over filled the oil before the oil consumption test! Why? Not to hard to measure oil. The 3rd engine does use less oil and I hope it lasts. Also, around 100,000 miles a bearing went on the CVT! Those were made as throw-away transmissions with no fluid changes originally recommended in the service books. Fortunately, all covered under warranties even though I had to fight for the new engines. Will not buy another Subaru unless Toyota, which now owns 20%, can turn the quality around.
Yeah, a story we hear over and over again. We are trying our best to warn shoppers. Here’s how.
Were these replacement engines actually brand new and provided with a warranty or were these used engines with a warranty?
I’m fully aware of “lasts forever” fluid change recommendations along with other equally ridiculous maintenance suggestions. The manufacturer does NOT always know best. They have a vested interest in extending maintenance intervals and why? Because the PR looks good and accomplishes goal number one; selling new cars. CVT fluid should be changed every 30k miles just like conventional automatic transmission fluid.
All car manufacturers make ludicrous recommendations be it engine oil change intervals or one of my favorites; valve lash inspections which should be checked “audibly”. That is actually beyond ludicrous. It simply cannot be done and Subaru, Honda, Toyota, etc all say this.
Why is anyone, over 60 years after hydraulic valve lifters became common, still making engines that require periodic valve adjustment?
Even Harley motorcycles (the Big Twins) started using hydraulics in 1948.