Your Subaru is losing coolant, the temperature needle climbs, or the shop found a head gasket leaking at your oil change. You want to know what the repair costs, and whether the car is still worth it.
So how much does a Subaru head gasket replacement cost? Since 2023, owners were charged or quoted $3,000 to $3,800 at independent shops and $4,000 to $6,000 at Subaru dealers.
The gaskets themselves are about $100 a pair from Subaru. The rest is the work, plus machining if a head is warped.
In this guide I will show you what owners paid, why the job is big on a Subaru, what the parts cost, what adds to the bill, and how to decide if the car is worth fixing.
What Subaru Owners Paid
Here is what owners shared on two Subaru forums and told NHTSA, the US road safety agency, with a link to each post or complaint:
- A Subaru dealer charged the owner of a 2012 Outback with 156,000 miles over $2,500 when both head gaskets failed in October 2020.
- The head gaskets of a 2010 Forester needed replacing at 90,000 miles, a $2,600 repair, filed in August 2021.
- An independent Subaru shop estimated $3,000 for a 2015 Outback 2.5 with 185,000 miles in December 2024.
- An independent shop charged $3,200 for the rebuild after the driver side head gasket of a 2004 Forester XS failed at about 132,000 miles, posted in May 2025.
- A third party shop quoted a member $3,800, not counting resurfacing, in May 2023.
- Subaru told the owner of a 2018 Outback with 78,000 miles at an oil change that the driver side head gasket would be $4,000 to $6,000, in May 2025.
- A dealer quoted $4,000 plus for the head gaskets of a 2020 Forester with 66,000 miles, filed in June 2025.
- A Subaru dealer quoted $5,700 plus tax for a 2011 Outback 2.5, and $400 more to resurface if needed, in May 2023.
So since 2023, owners were charged or quoted $3,000 to $3,800 at independent shops and $4,000 to $6,000 at Subaru dealers.
A full reseal costs more. Subaru specialist shops quoted one member around $7,000 to $9,000 for an engine reseal with the head gaskets and resurfaced heads, in December 2024.
Why the Job Is Big on a Subaru
A Subaru’s flat engine has two cylinder heads, one on each side, so it takes two head gaskets. On the FB engines of 2011 and later, the two gaskets are different parts.
Subaru’s bulletin 02-157-14R for a bigger repair shows the work. To fit a new short block to 2011 to 2014 FB engines, the engine comes out onto a stand, and both heads come off and go back on with new head gaskets.
Subaru pays its dealers 10.7 to 12.0 hours for that job. Irish Mike’s, a repair shop in Orlando, puts head gaskets simply: the part is often only $100 to $300, and most of the bill is labor.
What the Head Gaskets Cost
Here are Subaru’s own head gaskets on a Subaru dealer parts website, checked October 9, 2026:
So on the newer engines the two gaskets are $96.30 to $113.49. The head bolts, the other gaskets the shop takes off and fresh coolant come on top.
What Adds to the Bill
Both shop pages I checked put resurfacing a warped head at $200 to $600, and Luxury Auto Works in Austin prices it per head. A Subaru has two heads, and the Outback dealer above added $400 for it if needed.
Irish Mike’s adds $500 to $2,000 for a cracked head that needs replacing, and $400 to $1,000 when timing parts are replaced at the same time.
Luxury Auto Works replaces the head bolts, and renews the timing belt, tensioners and water pump on belt driven engines, since they are already exposed. The older EJ engines have a timing belt.
One 2011 Outback owner paid $3,500 for the head gasket, timing belt and water pump together, filed in January 2019.
Is Your Subaru Worth Fixing?
Irish Mike’s uses a simple test: if the repair costs more than half of what the car is worth, the case for fixing it gets weak.
The owner of the 2015 Outback with 185,000 miles faced a $3,000 estimate, while the local dealer offered $1,500 to $2,000 for the car as a trade in.
Where your Subaru stands matters too. A Subaru XV Forum member wrote in October 2026 that head gasket failures were common on older EJ engines but unusual on the FB engines in Crosstreks.
The same member added that overheating can blow a head gasket on any engine. So if your temperature needle climbs, stop and let the engine cool before you drive on.
Signs of a Failing Head Gasket
Irish Mike’s lists white smoke from the exhaust, milky or frothy oil on the dipstick, overheating with no visible leak, coolant loss with no puddle, and bubbles in the coolant tank.
Its rule is to stop driving if you see white smoke, milky oil or a bubbling coolant tank, because a warped or cracked head can double or triple the bill.
On a Subaru the first sign can be small. The 2018 Outback owner above heard about it at an oil change, and the owner of a 2015 Forester smelled burning oil before a dealer quoted $5,500.
Subaru Head Gasket Questions You Might Have
How much does it cost to replace a head gasket on a Subaru?
Since 2023, owners were charged or quoted $3,000 to $3,800 at independent shops and $4,000 to $6,000 at Subaru dealers, by their forum posts and complaints to NHTSA.
How much are Subaru head gaskets?
Subaru’s own pair is $96.30 for the 2011 to 2019 Forester, Legacy and Outback 2.5, and $113.49 for the 2012 to 2017 Impreza and Crosstrek 2.0, on a Subaru dealer parts website.
Do both head gaskets need to be replaced on a Subaru?
The engine has two heads, one on each side, and each has its own gasket. Some owners above were quoted for both, and some for one side only, like the 2018 Outback’s driver side at $4,000 to $6,000.
Which Subaru engines have head gasket problems?
A Subaru forum member wrote in October 2026 that failures were common on the older EJ engines and unusual on the FB engines in Crosstreks. Overheating can blow one on any engine.
Is a Subaru worth fixing after a head gasket failure?
Irish Mike’s in Orlando uses a simple test: if the repair costs more than half of what the car is worth, the case for fixing it gets weak.
Where These Prices Come From
- Owners on Subaru Outback Forums (thread 571661, thread 553859) and Subaru XV Forums (thread 191155), read October 9, 2026, and the owner complaints to NHTSA linked above.
- SubaruPartsDeal, 11044AA790, 10944AA080, 11044AA780, 10944AA070 and 11044AA632, checked October 9, 2026.
- Subaru, bulletin 02-157-14R (revised March 24, 2015), on NHTSA’s website.
- Irish Mike’s Total Car Care, Blown Head Gasket Repair Cost in Orlando, May 15, 2026, and Luxury Auto Works, Head Gasket Replacement, Austin, Texas, updated February 23, 2026.
I hope this helps you decide on your Subaru with the real numbers in front of you. If you have any questions, you can email me at costcheckr@gmail.com.
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