The loudest year in our Outback data — buy one with the battery-drain and fuel-pump work done and a dry engine.

The FB-series boxer seals the cam carrier to the head with RTV silicone, and that seam plus the timing-chain cover seep oil with age. A Subaru specialist notes it can't be resealed in the car — the engine comes out — so it runs about $6,000 out of warranty (owner estimate), with no warranty extension. The federal file shows owners hitting it in the 42k–65k range; several were just outside the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty and quoted around $6,000. A mechanic confirms the behavior is 'pretty much the same' across '18, '19, and '20 cars. Inspect the front of the engine for seepage before buying.

Two separate low-pressure fuel-pump recalls apply to the 2019: 20V218 (the pump may become inoperative and stall the engine with no restart) and the wide Denso campaign 21V587 — both free pump replacements. The third recall (19V493) is more unusual: spot welds on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, reducing body strength in a crash, and Subaru's remedy is to inspect and either repair or repurchase the vehicle, free. Confirm all three are closed by VIN — the body-weld one especially, since a repurchase offer means it was taken seriously.

The CVT (continuously variable transmission — the automatic with no fixed gears) has a worse reputation than it deserves per a Subaru specialist: serviced units routinely pass 200,000 miles, and Subaru extended CVT coverage to 10 years/100,000 miles. The common wear item is the valve-body assembly ($750–$850 part) around 150,000–200,000 miles; a full replacement is about $8,000–$8,500. The real trap is Subaru's old 'lifetime fluid' guidance — a 3-year/36,000-mile drain-and-refill (about $250–$300) is what keeps it alive. Ask for fluid service history.