Crankshaft cracking (early flat-four diesel)
Attaches to EE20 at engine level · Engine · carried by 1 variants across 1 chassis
Overview
Crankshaft cracking (early flat-four diesel) is a occasional fault recorded against EE20 at engine level, typically from 80–160k km. It shows up as a knock from the bottom end that grows with load, low oil pressure, and in the worst case a sudden failure with no warning at all. Where it's documented, the repair runs €4,000–€8,000 (engine rebuild or replacement, which usually exceeds the car's value, costs dated 2026-07), and it can be difficult to check before you buy. 1 variants across 1 chassis in this database inherit it.
What happens
Symptom. A knock from the bottom end that grows with load, low oil pressure, and in the worst case a sudden failure with no warning at all.
Cause. Early EE20 engines cracked crankshafts, and Subaru revised the design during the run. Oil dilution from failed particulate filter regenerations makes it worse, which is why short-journey cars are the ones that suffer.
Later parts. Revised crankshaft and bearing specification during the production run
How to check it
Paperwork
Find the build date and any record of engine work before you look at anything else, because you cannot hear this one coming. Treat an early car with no engine history as carrying the full risk.
On these cars the folder is most of the value.
Every variant that carries this
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Risk | Good buy | Cost as % of good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0D EE20 | SH | SUV | 2008–2013 | R4 | €6,700 | 90% |
The last column is the point. The same repair is an inconvenience on one variant and a reason to scrap the car on another. A failure costing a quarter of the vehicle's value changes the purchase decision regardless of how rare it is.