Buying a used Subaru WRX or Forester with the EJ25: what to check

A used-car buyer's guide to EJ25 Subarus (WRX, Forester XT, Legacy GT and non-turbo Foresters and Outbacks): head gaskets, timing belts, rod bearings, clutches and what owners paid to fix them.

Covers: Subaru Forester, Outback, Legacy and Impreza with the 2.5 EJ25 (non-turbo, roughly through 2010–2012 depending on model), plus turbo WRX (2008–2014), STI, Forester XT and Legacy GT.

Around Denver you can't swing a cat without hitting a Subaru, so there are plenty to pick from. The EJ25 is a good engine with a few well known habits. On non-turbo cars it's head gaskets. On turbo cars it's oil starvation and rod bearings, especially on modified cars. Both versions use a timing belt that has to be changed on schedule. Know which one you're looking at before you fall for it.

What to look for

Proof the timing belt, water pump and idlers have been done if the car is near or past the interval. Skipping it on an interference engine is how engines die.
On non-turbo cars: oil seeping from the head gasket area on the lower sides of the engine, coolant loss or a sweet smell.
On turbo cars: any knocking, especially once warm. Rod bearing failure is the expensive one.
Modifications on WRX and STI cars. Ask who tuned it and get the tune details. A pro tune and records beat a mystery.
Clutch slipping or a high engagement point on manual cars.
Humming or growling that changes with speed (wheel bearings) and clicking on tight turns (CV axles).
Torn CV boots spraying grease inside the wheels.

Problems by mileage

Roughly when owners and shops report each problem. Plenty of cars go longer and some fail sooner, so use this to know what to ask about, not as a schedule.

Rod bearing failure (turbo EJ255/EJ257) Usually about 60k–150k miles · Can wreck the engine or gearbox
Knock that gets louder with revs, low oil pressure.

Cam and valve cover seals Usually about 70k–140k miles · Routine wear
Oil seeping near the front of the engine or along the sides, burning smell.

Wheel bearings Usually about 70k–150k miles · Routine wear
Hum or growl that changes with speed or when you turn.

Timing belt, water pump and idlers Usually about 100k–110k miles · Fix it when it starts
No warning before it breaks. Go by the mileage and age in your manual.

Head gaskets (non-turbo) Usually about 100k–160k miles · Fix it when it starts
Oil or coolant seeping at the bottom edge of the heads, coolant smell, slow coolant loss, sometimes overheating.

Full Subaru EJ25 problem list with what each fix costs →

Repair costs to budget for

Only jobs we have cited owner reports for. If a job isn't here, we don't have enough real prices for it yet.

Medians of what owners reported paying in public forum posts, with ranges counted at their midpoint. They aren't quotes, they come from different years and cities, and they aren't adjusted for inflation. Click any job to see every report and its source.

Job	Non-dealer median reports	Dealer median reports	Total reports
Subaru EJ25 (WRX) timing belt + water pump	$812 4	$1,000 1	5
Subaru EJ25 (non-turbo) head gaskets Small sample	$4,000 1	$3,600 1	2
Subaru WRX clutch replacement (2002–2014)	$775 4	$1,400 1	5
Subaru front CV axles (both sides) Small sample	n/a 0	$720 2	2

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

Ask the shop doing the inspection to cover these, on top of their normal checks.

Compression or leak-down test on turbo cars, and on any car where the history is thin.
Check the oil for metal and ask the shop to listen for bottom-end knock warm.
Look for head gasket seepage and check coolant for oil or exhaust gases.
Confirm the timing belt date from a sticker or invoice.
Inspect CV boots, wheel bearings and front suspension.
Test the clutch for slip in a higher gear.
Check for rust on the rear subframe and rocker panels if the car came from a snowy state.