Subaru Outback Diesel Fuel Injection Fix Revealed

Having moderate experience with diesel engines, I faced an identical issue with my 2017 Subaru Forester diesel last winter. The symptoms matched yours exactly, rough running and check engine light, with fuel injection related codes. After initial troubleshooting with onboard diagnostics, my workshop found one faulty injector that was causing irregular fuel delivery. The airflow sensors were reading correctly, but the injection system wasnt maintaining proper fuel economy due to the bad injector. The repair involved: Complete diagnostic scan, Performance tuning check of all injectors, Replacement of one defective injector, Reset of injection control parameters, Test drive to confirm fix Total cost was 515€ for parts and labor. Since the fix, fuel delivery has been consistent and the engine runs smoothly again. To provide more specific advice for your case, could you share: Exact error codes from your diagnostic scan, When the symptoms first appeared, whether the issue is constant or intermittent, current mileage on your vehicle, any recent maintenance history This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced and whether the same solution might work for you.

Had my last service at 42000 KM, where they did the standard maintenance but didnt spot any fuel system issues. Since then the same symptoms got worse, especially during cold starts. The onboard diagnostics now shows P0201 and P0263 codes consistently. The local workshop initially suggested cleaning the injectors, but given these specific codes and the recommendations here, I might need more extensive fuel injection work. Will likely need a proper compensation adjustment to resolve the rough running. Has anyone here tried injector cleaning first, or should I go straight for replacement?

Based on those error codes (P0201 and P0263) and worsening cold start symptoms, your situation matches exactly what I dealt with on my Forester. While injector cleaning might seem like a cheaper fix, it rarely resolves issues when the car sensors are reporting specific injector circuit malfunctions. After my workshop tried cleaning the injectors first, we ended up wasting 120€ since the underlying problem required injector replacement anyway. The drift compensation reset alone wasnt enough, the system reset only works properly with functioning hardware. The cold start issues you mention are classic symptoms of degraded injectors. In my case, the fuel injection system continued deteriorating until we did the full repair. The rough running during cold starts happens because the faulty injector cant maintain proper atomization when the engine is cold. From my experience, I recommend: 1. Skip the cleaning service 2. Get a complete fuel injection diagnostic test 3. Replace the faulty injector 4. Perform a full system reset including drift compensation This comprehensive approach costs more upfront but prevents recurring issues and potential damage to other components.

Those specific error codes and feedback definitely help narrow things down. I agree cleaning might not be sufficient given these are circuit codes rather than simple fouling. My symptoms did start similarly with cold starts before becoming more constant. Will book it in next week for the full diagnostic and likely injector replacement plus system reset. The fuel economy has also dropped about 15% lately, so getting this fixed properly should help with that too. Makes sense to skip the cleaning step since these codes typically indicate electrical/mechanical injector failures rather than just deposits. Appreciate all the detailed information, particularly the note about cold start behavior pointing to atomization issues. Having specific costs and repair steps helps set realistic expectations for the work needed. Will update once the workshop completes the diagnosis and repair.