Recalls: Subaru BL/BP Liberty
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Subaru BL/BP Liberty
2004 Subaru Liberty: potential brake fluid leak
In February 2005, a recall was issued for certain 2004 model year Subaru BL/BP Liberty vehicles. In these vehicles, the rear sway bar link may contact the union bolt of the brake caliper. As a result, the union bolt may then be damaged and cause a brake fluid leak (PRA 2005/7552). The recalled vehicles were as follows –
- 2.0i wagon variants (2004 model year);
- 2.5i wagon variants (2004 model year); and,
- 2.0 GT sedan and wagon variants (2004 model year).
2003-04 Subaru Liberty: rear doors may become unlatched
In August 2005, a recall was issued for Subaru Liberty models manufactured from September 2003 to December 2004. In these vehicles, the rear passenger doors may become unlatched due to an incorrectly stalked lever pivot in the external door handle assembly not returning the door latch to its fully latched position (PRA 2005/7951).
Subaru Liberty 3.0R, 3.0R-B, 2.0 GT and 2.5 GT: transmission oil cooler hoses may leak
In November 2006, a recall was issued for Subaru Liberty 3.0R, 3.0R-B, 2.0 GT and 2.5 GT variants fitted with automatic transmissions and an approved tow-bar accessory kit. For these vehicles, the rubber transmission oil cooler hoses may split under certain operating conditions, causing an oil leak (PRA 2006/8857).
2004-09 ‘model year’ Subaru Liberty: passenger airbag inflator
In July 2016, a recall was issued for 2004 to 2009 ‘model year’ Subaru Liberty vehicles. In these vehicles, the front passenger side airbag inflator contained propellant wafers that could absorb moisture over time – this could cause overly aggressive combustion when the airbag deployed such that the airbag inflator housing could rupture and metal fragments may be scattered throughout the cabin, posing a hazard to occupants (PRA 2016/15507).
2007-09 ‘model year’ Subaru Liberty GT: faulty secondary air pump relay
In October 2016, a recall was issued for 2007 to 2009 ‘model year’ Subaru Liberty GT vehicles because the secondary air pump relay may be faulty. If the relay was faulty, the secondary air pump could be powered continuously and overheat, posing a fire risk (PRA 2016/15674).
2004-09 model year Subaru BL/BP Liberty: fuel pump failure
In June 2018, a recall (campaign SI0428) was issued for 2004-09 model year Subaru BL/BP Liberty vehicles. In these vehicles, the fuel pump harness connector could deteriorate over time – this could cause:
- The fuel pump to stop working;
- Extended engine cranking on start-up;
- The engine not to start; and,
- At worst, the engine to stall.
A stalled engine and/or inability to start or restart the engine could pose a safety risk to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16850.
Subaru BL/BP Liberty: defective replacement ignition switch
In June 2019, recall campaign SRT 272 was issued for Subaru BL/BP Liberty vehicles because a replacement ignition switch may have had imperfections in its ball springs. Over time, these imperfections could cause the ignition switch to fail and the key may inadvertently move from the ‘ON’ position to the ‘ACC’ position while the vehicle was moving. If this occurred, the engine would stop running (causing the vehicle to unexpectedly slow down and stop) and the power supply to the SRS airbag would be cut (so that the airbag would not deploy in the event of a collision). As such, the vehicle would pose a hazard to occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17514.
Search online for recalls by VIN
To see if a Subaru vehicle has been recalled, you can conduct a search on the Subaru Australia website using its VIN.
Problems and faults: Subaru BL/BP Liberty
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
Subaru Liberty: EJ25 head gasket failure
The Subaru BL/BP Liberty’s 2.5-litre EJ25 F4 engines were susceptible to head gasket failure due to:
- An external coolant leak (typically from the left side head gasket);
- In rare cases, internal failure of the gasket which allowed coolant into the combustion chamber; and,
- For post-2005 engines, external oil leaks and warped cylinder heads. For the post-2005 engine, the combustion chamber area of the cylinder head was enlarged for better fuel economy though the reduction in surface material made the cylinder head more susceptible to warping. Furthermore, the primary catalytic converter was moved closer to the engine, increasing operating temperatures for the cylinder head.
Symptoms
Early signs of head gasket failure include an oily residue in the coolant overflow bottle, or an exhaust/fuel/sulfur smell in the coolant overflow bottle. Beyond this, the coolant temperature gauge may intermittently show higher-than-normal readings, followed by intermittent overheating (particularly during long highway drives). In the case of external leaks, these can be spotted by a visual inspection of the bottom side of the engine with the splash pan removed.
Prevention
To minimise the risk of head gasket failure, 1) oil and coolant should be changed regularly and in accordance with how the car is used. As such, the scheduled time/kilometre intervals may be inadequate in some cases; and, 2) any corrosion around battery cables should be removed. Corroded battery cables increased ground circuit resistance, thereby increasing the voltage in the cooling system and causing electrolysis; the coolant could also damage the metal head gasket and seals. From 2003, the number of ground straps was increased to reduce corrosion.
2005-09 Subaru Liberty: sticky/melting dashboard
For 2005-09 Subaru Liberty vehicles, the dashboard material may degrade due to heat and humidity such that:
- Its surface becomes sticky to the touch;
- A bump or scrape to the surface can cause it to break away from the underling material; and,
- Softened areas of the dashboard may become shiny and reflect more light, leading to increased glare and impaired visibility.
Asa result of legal action (see video below), Subaru of America implemented a ‘Dashboard Warranty Extension’ program for 2005-09 Subaru Outback and Legacy (Liberty) vehicles. As per the letter to owners, this warranty extension was made ‘in anticipation that a small number of vehicles may require repairs for sticky and/or melted dashboards as a result of heat or humidity’. As part of the warranty extension, Subaru of America undertook to reimburse vehicles owners who had previously paid for replacement of a sticky and/or melted dashboard that was caused by heat or humidity.
Problems and faults: Subaru BL/BP Liberty
- The ‘check engine’ light may illuminate because of 1) stretch in the gearshift cable to the transmission, or 2) a misadjusted neutral switch.
- The cooling fan may run continuously due to a faulty relay that damages the powertrain control module.
- A tapping or pinging noise from the rear of the vehicle may be due to broken spot welds that allow baffles in the muffler to rattle.
- Rattling noises from the front doors may be caused by failed spot welds in the door beam bracket.
- The petrol cap may not close because the tether gets caught on door clip.
- The remote central locking transmitter buttons may be activated inadvertently; an improved case was subsequently released to overcome this problem.
- The seatbelt warning chime may sound without anybody in passenger seat due to a problem with the reclining seat back spring that requires replacement.
