P0302 on a Subaru Outback
P0302 means cylinder 2 Misfire Detected. On the Outback, a few causes come up far more than others.
What P0302 usually means on a Outback
P0302 points at a misfire on cylinder 2 of the Outback. As with any single-cylinder misfire the first suspects are the coil and plug on that cylinder, followed by its injector. The boxer's flat design means plugs live on the side of the engine, adding a little labor to reach them. On an older EJ25 that is also losing coolant, a cylinder-2 misfire can reflect head-gasket intrusion, so a compression or leak-down test is worth doing if the ignition parts check out.
Most common causes on the Outback
- Coil or plug on cylinder 2
A swap test to another cylinder quickly tells you whether the coil is at fault.
- Cylinder 2 injector
A failing injector starves that cylinder and imitates an ignition problem.
- Low compression from head-gasket or valve issue
On the EJ25 especially, coolant reaching cylinder 2 causes a stubborn mechanical misfire.
- Localized vacuum leak
A leak near that runner can lean the cylinder enough to misfire.
What P0302 costs to fix on a Outback
An ignition fix on cylinder 2 is inexpensive in parts, with the boxer layout adding modest labor for access, generally under a couple hundred dollars. A confirmed head-gasket cause on the EJ25 is a major job in the thousands. The wide spread is exactly why a quick swap test and, if needed, a leak-down should come before parts.
Year, engine and mileage change the answer. Start a case and Redline weighs these causes against what your car shows, then names the check that would settle it.
Other codes on the Subaru Outback
Related symptoms
Subaru Outback problems & recalls by year
Based on widely reported patterns for this model; individual causes vary by year, engine and history. Generic P0302 behavior is covered on the main P0302 page. Confirm with a scan tool before buying parts.
P0302 on your Outback?
Every problem becomes a Case. Tell Redline what your Outback is doing: it shows what the evidence supports, what’s still missing, and what to check next, before you approve a repair.
“Inner pad ~1 mm. Outer pad 3 mm.”
Next: check the slide pins move freely before buying parts.