To say the first Subaru brought to our shores in 1969 by Malcolm Bricklin was different would be an understatement. The Subaru 360 was a shrunken version of a VW bug, with a small two-cycle engine in the back. It fit into a market niche that probably didn't exist at the time in the U.S.; over 60 mpg wasn't needed with gas prices under 30 cents a gallon! With a 0-50 mph time of more than 30 seconds, they didn't really appeal to the muscle car set either.

The 360 didn't last long because it also lacked some important parts that our government deemed necessary for operation on our highways. That little car, however, became a seed of interest in a company that would come to produce vehicles that were different, but well engineered and durable. Subaru has brought all-wheel-drive to the masses and provided millions of miles of dependable transportation to many happy owners.

One rule of vehicle design is to have the most powerful, efficient and durable powerplant possible. Sometimes those parameters collide with over-engineering or complexity. This article is about a Subaru design that became too complicated, and suffered as a result. The problem is a failure of the head gaskets.

The models that are most affected by this problem are 1997-2000 Legacys with the 2.5L DOHC engine. Although some other Subaru engines are similar, the failure rate for those engines is much lower. Subaru has redesigned the head gaskets, emp...