Problems with the head gasket: symptoms, cost and affected models
We have documented 13 faults with the head gasket in 12 engines, affecting 77 models of car in our database. The most important by severity and frequency: warped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4D (2.0/2.2 D-4D), cracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire risk (1.6 EcoBoost) and head gasket failure (Rover K-Series).
How it works and why it fails
Head gasket
The head gasket seals the joint between the block and the cylinder head and separates the oil, coolant and combustion circuits. It usually fails after overheating, although some engines have heads or gaskets that tend to warp or crack.
What to do
Persistent white smoke, coolant loss with no visible leak, oil that looks like mayonnaise or bubbles in the expansion tank are warning signs: do not keep driving. A pressure test or a CO2 test on the coolant confirms the diagnosis.
General explanation by MotorFiable. The specific faults of each engine and car, with their sources, are on the linked pages.
Common symptoms
The symptoms that come up most often in the documented faults with the head gasket. Open each one to see what other faults cause it.
Problems with the head gasket by engine
From most to least important (severity × frequency). Each page details the affected versions and years, symptoms, cost and how to check for it.
- 1Critical severityVery frequentFrequency: Very frequent2.0/2.2 D-4DWarped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4DYes: the 2.2-litre block (2AD-FTV and 2AD-FHV D-CAT) has numerous documented cases of warped cylinder head gaskets and oil consumption or dilution in the Avensis, RAV4, Auris, Corolla Verso and Verso, with repairs that sometimes require replacing the engine.Appears at around 40,000 km
- 2Critical severityCommonFrequency: Common1.6 EcoBoostCracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire riskYes: Ford acknowledges that a loss of coolant circulation can overheat the engine, crack the cylinder head and let oil escape onto hot areas, with a risk of fire. It has issued recalls in South Africa (2017-2018) and in the US/Canada (2013 and 2017); we have not found an identical campaign in Spain.
- 3High severityCommonFrequency: CommonRover K-SeriesHead gasket failureThe K-Series' big problem is the head gasket, which can fail even below 100,000 km because of a mix of gasket design, cooling and overheating. The usual repair uses the multi-layer steel (MLS) gasket that was developed for the Freelander.
- 4High severityOccasionalFrequency: Occasional1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5Head gasket damaged after overheatingThe head gasket fails mainly as a consequence of previous overheating -from a coolant leak or a faulty thermostat- and not as a factory defect: it appears in a minority of engines, almost always between 30,000 and 180,000 km, with coolant loss, emulsified oil or white smoke.Appears at around 30,000 km
- 5High severityOccasionalFrequency: Occasional1.4 and 1.6 8vHead gasket (and, in some cases, cylinder head)The head gasket appears repeatedly, in a minority of reports, in the reliability sources for several models with this engine; in the Dacia Sandero I there are also cases where the whole cylinder head was replaced under warranty. There is no oil consumption pattern associated with this engine.Appears at around 60,000 km
- 6High severityOccasionalFrequency: Occasional1.2 16vDamaged head gasket and coolant lossOn higher-mileage 1.2 16V engines, cases of a damaged head gasket are documented, with coolant loss and a risk of overheating; it appears on the Clio II, the Kangoo I and the Dacia Sandero I, but not in the pages for the Clio III or the second generation of Logan and Sandero.
- 7High severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalRover K-SeriesSunken cylinder liners and warped head after overheatingAfter overheating, the K-Series liners can end up below the surface of the block and the aluminium head can be marked or warped; then no gasket seals properly and the liner height has to be measured and restored.
- 8High severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalSubaru bóxerDamaged cylinder head gasket on the EJ petrol enginesDamaged cylinder head gaskets are cited on the EJ petrols (2.0 and 2.5), especially on older cars; Wikipedia records frequent failures of the single-layer gasket on the EJ251, and SlashGear places Subaru's switch to multi-layer steel gaskets around 2010.
- 9High severityOccasionalFrequency: Occasional1.8 HybridEGR cooler leak into the intake and risk to the head gasketOn units built between 2015 and 2018, the EGR cooler can crack and let coolant pass into the intake; Toyota ran a campaign in 2021, documented on the Auris. On Prius III forums, a fouled EGR valve is also linked to one case of head gasket failure at very high mileage.
- 10High severityOccasionalFrequency: Occasional1.2 12VCylinder head and valve damage from exhaust gas backflow (Volkswagen Polo IV)On the Volkswagen Polo IV, the catalytic converter is very close to the cylinder head; when you lift off the accelerator, exhaust gases can flow back towards the engine and damage or burn the cylinder head and exhaust valves. It is a documented design fault, not ordinary wear.Appears at around 24,000 km
- 11Medium severityCommonFrequency: CommonM111Head gasket failure with coolant lossYes: the M111 head gasket can fail with age and use, especially from around 150,000 km, causing coolant loss. At least three independent sources document this fault, in both naturally aspirated and Kompressor versions.
- 12High severityRareFrequency: Rare2.5 dCi YD25Head gasket damaged by overheatingOverheating can damage the YD25's head gasket or the cylinder head itself. Farmers Weekly warns: if the heater stops blowing hot it could be the gasket, with repairs of about £1,000.
- 13Low severityRareFrequency: Rare1.0 VVT-iHead gasket and exhaust gasket: no documented patternThe head gasket does not appear as a relevant problem on the 1.0 VVT-i either: between 0 and 2 cases out of more than 200 reviews on the C1 and 107/108, and it does not even appear as a category of its own in the Aygo data consulted.
Engines with faults with the head gasket
Problems with the head gasket by make
Problems with the head gasket in your car
14 cars have several documented faults with the head gasket. Choose yours to see only the ones that affect them, by engine and by year.
OBD fault codes with the head gasket
The codes the ECU usually stores when this part fails: what they mean, causes and what to check.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace a head gasket?
According to a price guide updated in 2026, between €1,500 and €2,500 at a workshop in Spain. The gasket itself is cheap (roughly €10 to €87 depending on the model): what makes the repair expensive is the labour, 8 to 12 hours depending on access to the engine, and the added damage, such as a cylinder head warped by overheating.[1]
Which engines have the most faults with the head gasket?
By severity and frequency, the 2.0/2.2 D-4D (warped cylinder head gasket and oil consumption on the 2.2 D-4D, critical severity), the 1.6 EcoBoost (cracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire risk, critical severity), the Rover K-Series (head gasket failure, high severity), the 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5 (head gasket damaged after overheating, high severity), the 1.4 and 1.6 8v (head gasket (and, in some cases, cylinder head), high severity) and the 1.2 16v (damaged head gasket and coolant loss, high severity). In total we have documented 12 engines with faults with the head gasket.
What symptoms does a fault with the head gasket cause?
The most frequently cited in the documented faults: coolant loss with no visible leak, overheating or temperature warning light, persistent, dense white smoke, oil mixed with the coolant, engine fault warning light (check engine) and excessive oil consumption.
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- 1.¿Cuánto cuesta cambiar la junta de culata del coche?Acierto.com · General press · published 10 June 2026 · consulted 2 October 2026 · in Spanish