Subaru BAJA Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

FUEL LEAK SAME AS 2005-2006 RECALL. *TR

I NOTICED AN EXTREME SMELL OF FUEL IN THE CABIN WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE UP ON AN ESPECIALLY COLD MORNING (<10 DEGREES), AND I FOUND THE LEAK COMING FROM ONE OF THE CLAMPS ON THE FUEL LINE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE BAY. THE SMELL IS VERY, VERY EXTREME IN THE EARLY MORNINGS WHEN IT'S COLDEST, BAD ENOUGH THAT MY BOYFRIEND GETS NAUSEOUS FROM IT, BUT IT HASN'T GONE AWAY AT ALL DESPITE IT GETTING WARMER RECENTLY. *TR

WHEN TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW 40 DEGREES MY 2004 SUBARU BAJA TURBO BEGINS TO LEAK FUEL. IT IS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE UNDER THE MANIFOLD. THE ODOR IS VERY STRONG IN THE CABIN AND IN THE GARAGE WHEN PARKED. THE WINDOWS WILL FOG UP FROM THE FUMES BEING SUCKED WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVERY WINTER ALL WINTER FOR THE 4 YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 SUBARU BAJA AND FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINES UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. VAPORS WILL FILL CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RISK OF FIRE AND INTOXICATING FUMES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. SUBARU HAS NOT AND WILL NOT MAKE A COMMITMENT ON A RECALL. 2005 AND 2006 BAJAS HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT GET IT FIXED BECAUSE MINE IS A 2004. *TR

I HAVE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE RIGHT OF THE ALTERNATOR. I AM ASSUMING ONE OR BOTH OF THESE FUEL LINES ARE CRACKED. THE FUEL LEAKS WHEN IT IS COLD AND STOPS LEAKING WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP. MY BAJA IS ALSO HARD TO START WHEN COLD. I'M THINKING THE FUEL LINES ARE SUCKING IN AIR WHERE CRACKED. *TR

MY 2004 BAJA TURBO HAS THE GAS LEAK PROBLEM IN THE MANIFOLD AREA. HAVE REPLACED HOSES AND CLAMPS 3 TIMES ON THE TWO THAT ARE VISIBLE. GAS POOLS ON THE MANIFOLD FROM A SLOW LEAK, FUMES IN THE CABIN, MUST DRIVE WITH WINDOWS DOWN. THIS HAPPENS DURING COLDER TEMPS, PROBABLY 20 AND BELOW. FUMES UPON STARTUP AND LASTS ABOUT AN HOUR WHEN FIRST OCCURRED. NOW WHEN OCCURS FUMES DO NOT DIMINISH. HAVE CLEANED MANIFOLD WITH ENGINE CLEANER TO REMOVE RESIDUAL FUEL SMELL. DEALER HAD MENTIONED THAT SOMETHING WAS INCORRECT ABOUT FUEL LINES WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR UNRELATED REPAIR DURING WARMER TEMPS. A NOTE WAS ON THE REPAIR INVOICE BUT SERVICE ADVISOR HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANT AS THE MECHANICS HAD ALREADY GONE FOR THE DAY. I DECIDED TO ENTER THIS AFTER FINDING SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU BAJA. WHEN THE TEMPERATURES GREW COLDER, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG GAS SMELL AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING. THE STRONG GAS SMELL WOULD PERSIST FOR AN HOUR OR O AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ODOR WAS SO STRONG, THE CONSUMER HAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE LEAKING RAW FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SO MUCH THAT THE RAW GAS WAS POOLING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE FUEL LINES AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. WHEN THE NEXT COLD TEMPERATURE RETURNED, THE CONSUMER SMELLED THE RAW GAS AGAIN. RAW GAS WAS POOLING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THE FUEL LINES WERE STILL LEAKING BUT IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $300.00. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC MANAGED TO FIX THE WORST PART OF THE LEAK, BUT SEVERAL LINES LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COULD NOT BE REACHED. WHILE MUCH IMPROVED, THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GAS INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 20 DEGREES. THE LEAK PERSISTS UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM DUE TO A RECENT RECALL THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL, BUT THEY WERE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE PARTS. UPDATED 01/22/10. *LJ UPDATED 01/22/10.*JB

I HAVE A 2004 SUBARU BAJA AND FUEL VAPORS EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. VAPORS WILL FILL CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RISK OF FIRE AND INTOXICATING FUMES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. SUBARU HAS NOT AND WILL NOT MAKE A COMMITMENT ON A RECALL. 2005 AND 2006 BAJAS HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT GET A FIX BECAUSE MINE IS A 2004. *TR

OUR 2004 SUBARU BAJA HAD THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS AND COULD NEVER BE FIXED. WE ARE STUCK 3100 MILES FROM HOME NOW FOR THREE MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE WHOLE DRIVELINE AND ALL DAMAGED COMPONENTS AS THIS WAS AND HAD BEEN NEVER NOTED. THEY ADMITTED THESE WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY CAREFULLY HID THE FACTS BY TAKING ALL DEFECTIVE DRIVELINES TRASHING THEM AND NOW SELLING THE NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION AT A 650 PRICETAG, PLUS THE THOUSANDS IN DAMAGE IT DID TO OTHER PARTS. HOW CAN THESE PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH THIS SINCE IF THAT DRIVELINE BREAKS IN TRAFFIC AND THEY HAVE, IT CAN REALLY HURT THE DRIVER OR OTHERS. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR OVER ONE MONTH BEFORE THEY ADMITTED THIS WAS A PROBLEM BUT THEY WERE NOT DOING ANYTHING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY DIDN'T CARE, PROVE IT. WE COULDN'T BECAUSE THE BANK PICKED THE CAR UP SINCE WE HAD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS COST US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS NOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO COST US AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE IT MAY HURT OR COST AS THEY CONTINUE TO HIDE THE FACTS. *TR

ENGINE LAMP COMES ON.*TR

URGENT REQUEST FOR AUTOMOBILE RECALL, TAIL LIGHT PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SUBARU BAJA'S BRAKE LIGHTS DUE TO THE SOLAR REFLECTIONS IN THE LIGHT COVERINGS. MANUFACTURES HAVE INCORPORATTED A HIGHLY RELECTIVE DESIGN ALONG WITH A SMALL BRAKE LIGHT AREA. *TC

WHEN THE DRIVER PULLED ON THE SEAT BELT LOCATED IN THE REAR THE HEADLINER CAVED IN. *NM

Brake fluid low (light on), added fluid. A week later the fluid is low again. Found recalls for this year Outback with similar potential problem. Upon inspection it appears that fluid is leaking at or near the coupler near the passenger rear wheel well. The BAJA is mechanically the same as the Outback. This model should be included on theses recalls. NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V110000 NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V311000

I HAD MY HEADLIGHT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 3/18/20. WHILE THERE THEY DID A COMPLIMENTARY SAFETY INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND IT PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT IN THE CARPORT. I NOTICED A FEW DAYS LATER THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE WAS TIPPED IN ON THE TOP. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BE RUBBING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL, WHICH RUINED A BRAND NEW TIRE. I NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE WHOLE SUBFRAME REPLACED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS THE SUBFRAME TOTALLY RUSTED OUT. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAD A 2003 BAJA. SHE ENDED UP JUNKING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A QUOTE FROM THE MECHANIC YET ON THE REPAIRS. *TR