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Subaru Legacy GT

EJ255 2.5L Turbo 265 hp Automatic All-wheel drive Sedan 2010–2012
– Be Careful
Engine EJ255 – Be Careful 18,900–37,300 €

Turbo boxer with 2.5L — the WRX engine of the GR/GV era. Same ringland vulnerability as the EJ257 (cast iron pistons with thin ringlands), but slightly less boost from the factory. Oil pickup tube crack, rod bearing failure, and timing belt are the three big concerns. Class action for 2012-2017 models extended warranty to 8 years/100k miles.

Fun Factor? Fun to Drive!

Legacy GT — the underrated turbo wagon/sedan

EJ255 turbo in a midsize: fast, unassuming, all-wheel drive. The Legacy GT is the sleeper nobody sees coming. Same engine as the WRX, more space, less attention.

Engine Weaknesses 5

!! Ringland Failure — Piston Breakage

Cast iron pistons with thin ringlands crack under detonation (knock). Causes: poor fuel quality, bad tuning, high exhaust gas temperatures. The EJ cliché alongside the head gasket.

Symptoms: Misfires at idle after high-load driving, increasing oil consumption, blue smoke

3,500–8,000 € from 100,000 km
!! Rod Bearing Failure

Class action for 2012-2017 WRX/STI: extended warranty to 8 years/100k miles. Oil starvation from boxer sloshing or neglected oil level as primary cause.

Symptoms: Knocking noise, oil pressure warning, metal particles in oil

3,500–6,500 € from 120,000 km
!! Oil Pickup Tube Crack

Identical problem to EJ205: brazed joint cracks from vibration. No recall despite known issue since 1996.

Symptoms: Sudden oil pressure drop, engine noise, oil pressure warning light

3,000–6,000 € from 130,000 km
!! Timing Belt — Interference Engine

Timing belt replacement every 105k miles mandatory. Same interference risk as all EJ engines.

700–1,200 € from 170,000 km
!! Head Gasket Under Overheating

Despite MLS gasket from the factory, the head gasket can fail under overheating or neglected maintenance. Less systematic than the EJ253 NA, but not immune.

Symptoms: Overheating under load, coolant loss, white smoke

2,000–3,500 € from 130,000 km

Vehicle Weaknesses 4

!! Rust Rear Subframe Rust

Rear subframe with poor factory paint corrodes through in salt regions. Can destroy control arm mounting points. Safety critical; recall issued for certain model years.

1,500–3,500 € from 100,000 km
!! Brakes Brake Line Corrosion

Recall WQK-47 also covers 2010–2014 Subaru: steel brake lines rust through from road salt splash. Safety critical defect.

400–900 € from 100,000 km
!! Gearbox CVT Chain Slip (Lineartronic)

First-generation Lineartronic CVT (TR580/TR690): valve body wear or infrequent fluid changes lead to chain slip. Costly repair; warranty extended to 10 years/100,000 miles.

4,000–7,000 € from 90,000 km
! Suspension Wheel Bearing Wear

Typical Subaru wear item. Wheel bearings fail earlier from corrosion in salt regions, rear axle most commonly affected. Replacement straightforward.

300–700 € from 80,000 km

Reports & Tests

nhtsa_complaints NHTSA Complaint Summary 2026-03
Below Average

523 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2010–2014). Most reported: Powertrain (149), Engine (98), Airbags (92).