Common Subaru Malfunctions, Their Impact, and Their Repair in Birmingham, AL

Head Gasket Failure

The head gasket is situated between the engine block and the cylinder head. It prevents the mixture of combustion gases, engine oil, and coolant.

The original gasket material and design show external or internal leaks due to thermal cycling and material degradation over time.

If left unaddressed, head gasket leaks can lead to severe overheating, progressing to fatal engine damage, including cylinder wall wear, catalytic converter failure, and complete engine seizure.

• Diagnosis and Repair: Technicians at our shops in Homewood and Hoover, AL, conduct diagnosis using visual inspection, cooling system pressure test, block tester, leak-down tests, and oil condition checks.

Repair involves the replacement of the damaged gasket with more robust multi-layer steel (MLS) head gaskets. The cylinder head is also inspected and resurfaced to ensure proper sealing. In the end, the engine is reassembled, and engine oil is refilled at our facility near you in Birmingham and Homewood, AL.

Excessive Oil Consumption

Most commonly, Subaru vehicles with FB20 (2.0L) and FB25 (2.5L) engines may consume oil at a higher rate than usual. This issue stems from a flaw in the piston oil control rings, which should scrape excess oil off the cylinder walls, but fail to do so.

This causes oil to pass into the combustion chamber, resulting in a low oil level in the Subaru. Excessive oil consumption leads to low oil levels, which accelerate engine wear, cause bearing damage, damage the catalytic converter, and lead to catastrophic engine failure, posing severe risks if ignored.

• Diagnosis and Repair: To identify the malfunction, oil consumption test, leak down test, and bore scope inspection are done at our facility in Franklin Automotive near you in Mountain Brook, AL.

Replacing the damaged piston ring with a new, durable, high-quality ring is the only repair for this problem. If the damage has extended to the piston and piston wall, then the pistons are replaced, and the piston wall is honed at our facility near you in Vestavia and Birmingham, AL.

Wheel Bearing Failure

Wheel bearings allow wheels to rotate smoothly with minimal friction, and Subaru models with larger tires or frequent off-road use often experience premature bearing failure.

Wear and tear over time, impact from potholes or curbs, moisture intrusion leading to corrosion, or manufacturing defects are some of the factors behind this malfunction.

• Diagnosis and Repair: Diagnostic inspection at our shop near you in Birmingham, AL, includes a road test, visual inspection, play inspection, and stethoscope inspection.

Repair involves replacing the failed bearing with a hydraulic press and specialized tools, using extreme precision to avoid damaging the new bearing. After the repair, a test drive confirms its effectiveness at Franklin Automotive, near you in Pelham and Trussville, AL.