Two problems related to engine head gasket failure have been reported for the 2011 Subaru Outback. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2011 Subaru Outback based on all problems reported for the 2011 Outback.
November 2019, at 115,000 miles the transmission started slipping requiring a replacement. I was told by Subaru of America corporate that "Subaru doesn't have transmission problems. " there is a lot of evidence out there to the contrary. May of 2020 the vehicle started overheating. It was diagnosed by a mechanic that the head gasket was failing and needed to be replaced. This is another known issue with Subarus. A $28,000 2011 auto is only supposed to last 120,000 miles?.
There is a cooling system problem (known by repair techs for years, although not disclosed by Subaru of America). Their headgaskets fail unnecessarily. It is an engineering flaw that could cause the engine to lock up while driving, leading to a serious accident. It appears to be a problem lasting 16 or more years of production. There is no warranty covering such failures, nor a warning light that indicates a problem is imminent except for when the car actually overheats and "blows. " the danger involved is serious, especially while driving highway speeds.